The mandibulosphenoidal joint in penguins, albatrosses, and petrels: comparative anatomy and functional implications

Title: The mandibulosphenoidal joint in penguins, albatrosses, and petrels: comparative anatomy and functional implications

Creators: Carolina Acosta Hospitaleche, Alejandra Piro, M. Alejandra Sosa

Submitted April 12, 2020.
Accepted June 4, 2020.
Published online at www.senckenberg.de/vertebrate-zoology on June 16, 2020.
Published in print Q3/2020

DOI: 10.26049/VZ70-3-2020-01
PDF/A 4.7MB

Published by Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung

Date (Publication Year): 2020

Resource Type (General): TEXT

Resource Type (optional): Vertebrate Zoology, Scientific Article

Description (en): We discuss the potential use of the mandibulosphenoidal joint structures to interpret the diet and trophic habits of penguins, albatrosses, and petrels. For this purpose, several species of these phylogenetically related groups, whose diet and feeding strategies are already known, were selected. After comparisons, we conclude that: 1 – the efficiency of the quadrate-articular primary articulation is decisive for the development of the secondary mandibulosphenoidal joint, 2 – the morphology of the mandibulosphenoidal joint is closely related to the trophic habits of specialist birds, and 3 – the use of the mandibulosphenoidal joint structures to infer dietary preferences has a limited use.

Key words: Functional morphology, medial brace, osteology, Procellariiformes, seabirds, secondary support, Sphenisciformes

Citation: Acosta Hospitaleche, C., Piro, A., Sosa, M. A. (2020). The mandibulosphenoidal joint in penguins, albatrosses, and petrels: comparative anatomy and functional implications.
Vertebrate Zoology, 70(3): 263-274. https://doi.org/10.26049/VZ70-3-2020-01