Thinheads, thickheads and airheads - Functional craniology of some diprotodontian marsupials
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19427319 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Peter Murray (0000-0002-2141-4144, Central Land Council, corresponding author) |
| Year | 1992 |
| Volume | 9 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 71-87 |
| Publication date | 1992-12-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | The Beagle Records of the Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0811-3653 |
| Publisher | Smithsonian Institution (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.5962/p.263119 |
| OpenAlex | W2609743105 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 2 |
The development of complex air cells surrounding the internal brain capsule in diprotodontid, palorchestid and thylacoleonid marsupials is related to a pronounced allometric differential between brain volume to body size resulting in independent growth programs for the inner and outer table of the neurocranium.The dimension of the inner table is directly determined by brain volume and the outer table dimension is determined by jaw adductor mass which increa.ses in relation to overall body size.In large diprotodontids, the presumptive ectocranial area provided by expansion of the neural capsule due to brain growth would provide insufficient external surface lor the attachment of the adductor muscles.Diprotodontid marsupials circumvent this poten¬ tial limitation to the attainment of large body size by independent expansion of the outer table of the neurocranium in proportion to the surface area required by the musculature.The majority of large placental herbivores have responded to the same con.straintby a reorganization of the adductor muscle conllguration
Geography · Comparative Animal Anatomy Studies · Evolution and Paleontology Studies · Paleontology and Evolutionary Biology
| Citations per year | 0.06 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 1992 - 2022 (31) |
| Highly cited | No |