Variations in dietary patterns of living sloths revealed by finite element analysis of jaws.
Bradypus
Choloepus
Ecomorphology
Feeding Ecology
Folivora
Journal
Journal of anatomy
ISSN: 1469-7580
Titre abrégé: J Anat
Pays: England
ID NLM: 0137162
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
22 Jun 2024
22 Jun 2024
Historique:
revised:
03
06
2024
received:
05
10
2023
accepted:
05
06
2024
medline:
26
6
2024
pubmed:
26
6
2024
entrez:
26
6
2024
Statut:
aheadofprint
Résumé
Although extinct sloths exhibited a wide range of dietary habits, modes of locomotion, and occupied various niches across the Americas, modern sloths are considered quite similar in their habits. The dietary habits of living sloths can be directly observed in the wild, and understanding the mechanical behavior of their jaws during chewing through finite element analysis (FEA) provides a valuable validation tool for comparative analysis with their extinct counterparts. In this study, we used FEA to simulate the mechanical behavior of sloth mandibles under lateral mastication loads, using it as a proxy for oral processing. Our research focused on the six extant sloth species to better understand their diets and validate the use of FEA for studying their extinct relatives. We found that all living sloths have the predominancy of low-stress areas in their mandibles but with significant differences. Choloepus didactylus had larger high-stress areas, which could be linked to a reduced need for processing tougher foods as an opportunistic generalist. Bradypus variegatus and Choloepus hoffmanni are shown to be similar, displaying large low-stress areas, indicating greater oral processing capacity in a seasonal and more competitive environment. Bradypus torquatus, Bradypus pygmaeus, and Bradypus tridactylus exhibited intermediary processing patterns, which can be linked to a stable food supply in more stable environments and a reduced requirement for extensive oral processing capacity. This study sheds light on extant sloths' dietary adaptations and has implications for understanding the ecological roles and evolutionary history of their extinct counterparts.
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Subventions
Organisme : Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
ID : 88887.481061/2020-00
Informations de copyright
© 2024 Anatomical Society.
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