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First published online June 7, 2004
Journal of Experimental Biology 207, 2433-2441 (2004)
Published by The Company of Biologists 2004
doi: 10.1242/jeb.01041
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Morphological and physiological specialization for digging in amphisbaenians, an ancient lineage of fossorial vertebrates

Carlos A. Navas1,*, Marta M. Antoniazzi2,{dagger}, José Eduardo Carvalho1,{dagger}, José Guilherme Chaui-Berlink1,{dagger}, Rob S. James3,{dagger}, Carlos Jared2,{dagger}, Tiana Kohlsdorf1,{dagger}, Maeli Dal Pai-Silva4,{dagger} and Robbie S. Wilson5,{dagger}

1 Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão Travessa 14 No. 321, CEP 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
2 Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
3 School of Science and the Environment, Coventry University, James Starley Building, Priory Street, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK
4 Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista, CEP: 18618-000, Botucatu, Brazil
5 Department of Zoology and Entomology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia



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  		Fig. 1. The amphisbaenian Leposternon microcephalum. The inset shows a close-up of the specialized burrowing head. Scale bar, 1 cm.

 


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  		Fig. 2. (A) Diagram of the set-up used to film and photograph digging behaviour in Leposternon microcephalum. The glass terrarium used was 0.75x0.60x0.012 m. (B) Diagram of the system used to measure forces produced by L. microcephalum during digging: a, purpose-built plastic rig to secure the strain gauge; b, casing for the strain gauge; c, blade assemblage of the strain gauge; d, individual being tested, depicted while `digging' against the strain gauge.

 


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  		Fig. 3. Sketches A–D, outlined from video and photograph series, illustrate a soil compression stroke in Leposternon microcephalum.

 


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  		Fig. 4. Maximum forces produced as a function of head diameter in Leposternon microcephalum.

 


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  		Fig. 5. Typical fibre composition in proximal (P) and distal (D) muscle sections stained with the NADH-TR reaction.

 


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  		Fig. 6. Metabolic differentiation along the longitudinal axis in the digging muscle of Leposternon microcephalum. The vertical axes present standardized values to facilitate comparisons of enzyme ratios. The numbers above the symbols are actual measured values. P, proximal; M, medial; D, distal (P!=D for PK and CS, also P!=M for CS; ANOVA P<0.05).

 


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  		Fig. 7. Tendency of increase in w1 as the ratio h/J increases (details in text and Appendix).

 

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© The Company of Biologists Ltd 2004