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Article: Cranial osteology of Hypoptophis (Aparallactinae: Atractaspididae: Caenophidia), with a discussion on the evolution of its fossorial adaptations
Title | Cranial osteology of Hypoptophis (Aparallactinae: Atractaspididae: Caenophidia), with a discussion on the evolution of its fossorial adaptations |
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Authors | |
Keywords | Atractaspis cranium fang evolution fossoriality phylogeny |
Issue Date | 2022 |
Publisher | John Wiley & Sons, Inc. The Journal's web site is located at http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/jhome/35280 |
Citation | Journal of Morphology, 2022, v. 283 n. 4, p. 510-538 How to Cite? |
Abstract | Fossoriality evolved early in snakes, and has left its signature on the cranial morphology of many extinct Mesozoic and early Caenozoic forms. Knowledge of the cranial osteology of extant snakes is indispensable for associating the crania of extinct lineages with a particular mode of life; this applies to fossorial taxa as well. In the present work, we provide a detailed description of the cranium of Hypoptophis wilsonii, a member of the subfamily Aparallactinae, using micro-computed tomography (CT). This is also the first thorough micro-CT-based description of any snake assigned to this African subfamily of predominantly mildly venomous, fossorial, and elusive snakes. The cranium of Hypoptophis is adapted for a fossorial lifestyle, with increased consolidation of skull bones. Aparallactines show a tendency toward reduction of maxillary length by bringing the rear fangs forward. This development attains its pinnacle in the sister subfamily Atractaspidinae, in which the rear fang has become the “front fang” by a loss of the part of the maxilla lying ahead of the fang. These dentitional changes likely reflect adaptation to subdue prey in snug burrows. An endocast of the inner ear of Hypoptophis shows that this genus has the inner ear typical of fossorial snakes, with a large, globular sacculus. A phylogenetic analysis based on morphology recovers Hypoptophis as a sister taxon to Aparallactus. We also discuss the implications of our observations on the burrowing origin hypothesis of snakes. |
Persistent Identifier | http://hdl.handle.net/10722/310977 |
ISSN | 2023 Impact Factor: 1.5 2023 SCImago Journal Rankings: 0.519 |
ISI Accession Number ID |
DC Field | Value | Language |
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dc.contributor.author | Das, S | - |
dc.contributor.author | Brecko, J | - |
dc.contributor.author | Pauwels, OSG | - |
dc.contributor.author | Merilae, JKK | - |
dc.date.accessioned | 2022-02-25T04:57:37Z | - |
dc.date.available | 2022-02-25T04:57:37Z | - |
dc.date.issued | 2022 | - |
dc.identifier.citation | Journal of Morphology, 2022, v. 283 n. 4, p. 510-538 | - |
dc.identifier.issn | 0362-2525 | - |
dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10722/310977 | - |
dc.description.abstract | Fossoriality evolved early in snakes, and has left its signature on the cranial morphology of many extinct Mesozoic and early Caenozoic forms. Knowledge of the cranial osteology of extant snakes is indispensable for associating the crania of extinct lineages with a particular mode of life; this applies to fossorial taxa as well. In the present work, we provide a detailed description of the cranium of Hypoptophis wilsonii, a member of the subfamily Aparallactinae, using micro-computed tomography (CT). This is also the first thorough micro-CT-based description of any snake assigned to this African subfamily of predominantly mildly venomous, fossorial, and elusive snakes. The cranium of Hypoptophis is adapted for a fossorial lifestyle, with increased consolidation of skull bones. Aparallactines show a tendency toward reduction of maxillary length by bringing the rear fangs forward. This development attains its pinnacle in the sister subfamily Atractaspidinae, in which the rear fang has become the “front fang” by a loss of the part of the maxilla lying ahead of the fang. These dentitional changes likely reflect adaptation to subdue prey in snug burrows. An endocast of the inner ear of Hypoptophis shows that this genus has the inner ear typical of fossorial snakes, with a large, globular sacculus. A phylogenetic analysis based on morphology recovers Hypoptophis as a sister taxon to Aparallactus. We also discuss the implications of our observations on the burrowing origin hypothesis of snakes. | - |
dc.language | eng | - |
dc.publisher | John Wiley & Sons, Inc. The Journal's web site is located at http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/jhome/35280 | - |
dc.relation.ispartof | Journal of Morphology | - |
dc.rights | This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. | - |
dc.subject | Atractaspis | - |
dc.subject | cranium | - |
dc.subject | fang evolution | - |
dc.subject | fossoriality | - |
dc.subject | phylogeny | - |
dc.title | Cranial osteology of Hypoptophis (Aparallactinae: Atractaspididae: Caenophidia), with a discussion on the evolution of its fossorial adaptations | - |
dc.type | Article | - |
dc.identifier.email | Merilae, JKK: merila@hku.hk | - |
dc.identifier.authority | Merilae, JKK=rp02753 | - |
dc.description.nature | published_or_final_version | - |
dc.identifier.doi | 10.1002/jmor.21457 | - |
dc.identifier.scopus | eid_2-s2.0-85124534047 | - |
dc.identifier.hkuros | 331915 | - |
dc.identifier.hkuros | 331702 | - |
dc.identifier.volume | 283 | - |
dc.identifier.issue | 4 | - |
dc.identifier.spage | 510 | - |
dc.identifier.epage | 538 | - |
dc.identifier.isi | WOS:000752411500001 | - |
dc.publisher.place | United States | - |