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Ecomorphological variation in artiodactyl calcanei using 3D geometric morphometrics Project ID: 0000C1106 Public
39 Media · 39 Specimens · Managed by: Rachel Dunn

Artiodactyl postcrania are commonly used as paleoecological indicators but these studies are usually limited to artiodactyls within a single family. Here, we use 3D geometric morphometrics to analyze the morphology of calcanei from five artiodactyl families (Antilocapridae, Bovidae, Cervidae, Giraffidae, and Tragulidae) and identify common ecological trends among these families using principal component analysis. Our results indicate that antilocaprid and some bovid calcanei show convergent evolution of cursorial morphology and that other bovids have independently evolved less cursorial morphology that is more similar to cervids. This study shows that parallel ecomorphological trends can be identified in multiple families of artiodactyls, as well as within artiodactyl groups. This further suggests that the calcaneus may be a good indicator of ecology and function in fossil groups that are taxonomically ambiguous or not closely related to living taxa.

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Identifier Taxonomy Total Media Date Added Source
l-rhd:02 Odocoileus virginianus 8 2020-08-20 User Created
l-rhd:01 Odocoileus virginianus 1 2020-08-20 User Created
KU:KUM:92687 Tragulus napu 1 2020-08-20  iDigBio
KU:KUM:157384 Giraffa camelopardalis 1 2020-08-20  iDigBio
KU:KUM:83572 Giraffa tippelskirchi 1 2020-08-20  iDigBio
KU:KUM:139088 Okapia johnstoni 1 2020-08-20  iDigBio
KU:KUM:2271 Rangifer tarandus tarandus 1 2020-08-20  iDigBio
KU:KUM:2248 Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus 1 2020-08-20  iDigBio
KU:KUM:152540 Odocoileus virginianus macrourus 1 2020-08-20  iDigBio
KU:KUM:143916 Odocoileus hemionus 1 2020-08-20  iDigBio
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