Insights into skull evolution in fossorial snakes, as revealed by the cranial morphology of Atractaspis irregularis (Serpentes: Colubroidea).

Insights into skull evolution in fossorial snakes, as revealed by the cranial morphology of Atractaspis irregularis (Serpentes: Colubroidea).
J Anat. 2020 Aug 20;:
Authors: Strong CRC, Palci A, Caldwell MW
Abstract
Comparative osteological analyses of extant organisms provide key insight into major evolutionary transitions and phylogenetic hypotheses. This is especially true for snakes, given their unique morphology relative to other squamates and the persistent controversy regarding their evolutionary origins. However, the osteology of several major snake groups remains undescribed, thus hindering efforts to accurately reconstruct the phylogeny of snakes. One such group is the Atractaspididae, a family of fossorial colubroids. We herein present the first detailed description of the atractaspidid skull, based on fully segmented micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) scans of Atractaspis irregularis. The skull of Atractaspis presents a highly unique morphology influenced by both fossoriality and paedomorphosis. This paedomorphosis is especially evident in the jaws, palate, and suspensorium, the major elements associated with macrostomy (large-gaped feeding in snakes). Comparison to scolecophidians-a group of blind, fossorial, miniaturized snakes-in turn sheds light on current hypotheses of snake phylogeny. Features of both the naso-frontal joint and the morphofunctional system related to macrostomy refute the traditional notion that sco...

Source: Journal of Anatomy - August 19, 2020 Category: Anatomy Authors: Strong CRC, Palci A, Caldwell MW Tags: J Anat Source Type: research