"Septal compass" and "septal formula": a new method for phylogenetic investigations of the middle ear region in the squirrel-related clade (Rodentia: mammalia)

Autor(en)

Cathrin Pfaff, Thomas Martin, Irina Ruf

Abstrakt

Here, we introduce the “septal compass” and the “septal formula” as a new method for phylogenetic investigations of the middle ear region in squirrel-related clade. The middle ear cavity is characterized by bony septa that divide the dorsally lying epitympanic recess and the ventrally lying tympanic cavity into several segments or diverticula. The distribution patterns of these septa are conservative among the squirrel-related clade and are restricted to the species, genus, and family level. In the studied outgroups represented by †Ischyromys typus and lagomorphs, no septa are found in the epitympanic recess and tympanic cavity. Therefore, the “septal compass” and the “septal formula” provide a new approach for phylogenetic interpretations of the middle ear region. It is user-optimized and can be modified for other rodent families and mammalian taxa and will facilitate phylogenetic assumptions in future investigations. Additionally, this method will enable the allocation of isolated tympanic bullae to the respective genus level.

Organisation(en)

Institut für Paläontologie

Externe Organisation(en)

Steinmann-Institut für Geologie, Mineralogie und Paläontologie, Senckenberg Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum

Journal

Organisms Diversity & Evolution

Band

15

Seiten

721-730

Anzahl der Seiten

10

ISSN

1439-6092

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1007/s13127-015-0222-x

Publikationsdatum

12-2015

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ÖFOS 2012

105118 Paläontologie

Schlagwörter

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

Link zum Portal

https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/de/publications/septal-compass-and-septal-formula-a-new-method-for-phylogenetic-investigations-of-the-middle-ear-region-in-the-squirrelrelated-clade-rodentia-mammalia(b2360837-cc82-478c-be75-d4a900a74699).html