Intraspecific variation in semicircular canal morphology —A missing element in adaptive scenarios?

DiscussionOur findings agree with previous research showing that canal intraspecific variation can fluctuate according to species ‐specific locomotor behavior and extends this further by identifying behaviors that may be under unusual selective pressure. It also demonstrates the complexity of interpreting inner ear morphology in the context of broadly applicable locomotor “categories” of the kind commonly used in behavio ral studies. We suspect that simplified models predicting vestibular sensitivity may be unable to differentiate behaviors when only a single specimen is available.

Source: American Journal of Physical Anthropology - November 8, 2018 Category: Physiology Authors: Lauren A. Gonzales, Michael D. Malinzak, Richard F. Kay Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research