Descripción Anatómica de Bradypus variegatus en la Amazonia Colombiana (Estudio Preliminar)

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Abstract

En la Universidad de la Amazonia, en Florencia, Caquetá - Colombia, se llevó a cabo la descripción anatómica detallada del espécimen adulto de la especie Bradypus variegatus, a través de la cual se abordan aspectos clave de la osamenta, correspondientes al esqueleto apendicular, conformado por los huesos del miembro torácico (escápula, húmero, radio, ulna, carpos, metacarpos y falanges) y pelviano (pelvis, sacro, fémur, rótula, tibia, peroné, tarso, metatarso y falanges). Asimismo, se describe el esqueleto axial que corresponde a la línea media del esqueleto, formando el eje del cuerpo a través de los huesos del cráneo, columna vertebral, costillas y esternón. La descripción se desarrolló teniendo en cuenta metodologías previas y considerando datos de descripciones anteriores llevadas a cabo por otros autores, en algunas estructuras. Los resultados se consideran un precepto en el conocimiento del área quirúrgica como pieza fundamental en el desarrollo de la veterinaria en especies de fauna silvestre.

Translated abstract

At the University of Amazonia, in Florencia, Caqueta - Colombia, a detailed osteological description of adult specimen of the species brown-throated sloth developed or Bradypus variegatus, through which key skeleton aspects are addressed, for the skeleton apendicular, comprising the forelimb bones (scapula, humerus, radius, ulna, carpal bones, metacarpals and phalanges) and pelvic (pelvis, sacrum, femur, patella, tibia, fibula, tarsus, metatarsus and phalanges). Also, the axial skeleton corresponding to the middle line of the skeleton, forming the body axis through the skull bones, spine, ribs and sternum described. The description was developed considering previous methodologies and data considering previous descriptions carried out by other authors in some structures. The results are considered a precept knowledge of the surgical area as a cornerstone in the development of veterinary species of wildlife.

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Functional morphology of the muscular sling at the pectoral girdle in tree sloths: convergent morphological solutions to new functional demands?

Martin Fischer, John Nyakatura (2011)

Recent phylogenetic analyses imply a diphyly of tree sloths and a convergent evolution of their obligatory suspensory locomotion. In mammals the extrinsic shoulder musculature forms a 'muscular sling' to support the trunk in quadrupedal postures. In addition, the extrinsic pectoral muscles are responsible for moving the proximal forelimb elements during locomotion. Due to the inverse orientation of the body in regard to the gravitational force, the muscular sling as configured as in pronograde mammals is unsuited to suspend the weight of the thorax in sloths. We here review the muscular topography of the shoulder in Choloepus didactylus and Bradypus variegatus in the light of presumably convergent evolution to adapt to the altered functional demands of the inverse orientation of the body. In addition, we venture to deduce the effect of the shoulder musculature of C. didactylus during locomotion based on previously published 3D kinematic data. Finally, we assess likely convergences in the muscular topography of both extant sloth lineages to test the hypothesis that convergent evolution is reflected by differing morphological solutions to the same functional demands posed by the suspensory posture. Muscular topography of the shoulder in C. didactylus is altered from the plesiomorphic condition of pronograde mammals, whereas the shoulder in B. variegatus more closely resembles the general pattern. Overall kinematics as well as the muscles suitable for pro- and retraction of the forelimb were found to be largely comparable to pronograde mammals in C. didactylus. We conclude that most of the peculiar topography of extrinsic forelimb musculature can be attributed to the inverse orientation of the body. These characteristics are often similar in both genera, but we also identified different morphological solutions that evolved to satisfy the new functional demands and are indicative of convergent evolution. We suggest that the shared phylogenetic heritage canalized the spectrum of possible solutions to new functional demands, and digging adaptations of early xenarthrans posed morphological constraints that resulted in similar suspensory postures. The data of this study, including muscle maps, will be helpful to infer locomotor characteristics of fossil sloths.