“Bats exhibit an outstanding diversity of cranial morphologies and diets. However, comparative studies of jaw muscle architecture have been difficult due the small size of most bats. This study used diceCT to provide, for the first time, a detailed characterization of the gross and internal anatomy of the jaw muscles across an ecologically diverse sample of bats. DiceCT allowed me to evaluate interspecific differences in muscle attachments, compartments, and scaling in the context of dietary specialization, and to provide novel anatomical descriptions within the feeding apparatus of bats. By doing so, this study revealed unexplored anatomical diversity that can inform future work in functional and evolutionary morphology.”
-Author, Sharlene Santana (@)
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