BMC Evol Biol January 2019 PMID 30630409

Pectoral myology of limb-reduced worm lizards (Squamata, Amphisbaenia) suggests decoupling of the musculoskeletal system during the evolution of body elongation.

Natascha Westphal, Kristin Mahlow, Jason James Head, Johannes Müller

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Peak: 3 in Jan 2019

across 3 sources since Jan 2019

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829,366

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24,163

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776,505

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Jan 2019 – Jul 2022

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AI synopsis

What people are saying

The discussions emphasize the importance of the decoupling between muscle structures and skeletal reduction, with comments like 'musculature suggests a decoupling' and explanations of how limb reduction relates to muscular adaptation. The tone reflects curiosity and recognition of the study's significance in understanding evolutionary mechanisms, contributing to high agreement and impact scores.

AgreementStrong agreement

All discussions highlight the significance of the decoupling between musculature and skeletal reduction, supporting strong agreement with the publication's findings.

InterestHigh interest

The discussions show genuine curiosity about the implications of musculoskeletal decoupling and evolutionary processes, indicating high interest.

EngagementModerate engagement

The discussion about muscle and skeletal decoupling demonstrates active engagement, though mostly at surface level, reflecting moderate-depth interest.

ImpactHigh impact

The emphasis on understanding evolution and functional morphology suggests that the findings could be impactful for evolutionary biology and comparative anatomy.

Abstract in brief

The study investigates how the shoulder muscles of worm lizards (Amphisbaenia) are affected by body elongation and reduction of limb and girdle bones, finding that all species retain their full set of shoulder muscles regardless of bone reduction.
Despite the loss or reduction of pectoral girdle bones in many species, the muscle structures are often maintained, sometimes fused or morphologically altered, suggesting a decoupling between muscle anatomy and skeletal reduction.
The findings indicate that muscle attachment and arrangement can change independently of bones, shifting to non-skeletal tissues, which highlights a flexible musculoskeletal system during the evolution of elongated body forms.]

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Two-Legged Reptile That Reveals Unique Hearing with Its Skin

Lizards are reptiles with four legs, unlike snakes. This video explores the unique adaptations of certain reptiles like amphisbaenians and the Mexican mole lizard, focusing on their distinctive features and behaviors.

Bizarre Beasts · Jul 2, 2022 776,505 views

Aaron Griffing

@AaronHGriffing · X

Interesting! Pectoral musculature suggests a decoupling of amphisbaenian musculoskeletal system. #Amphisbaenia https://t.co/HqvJkUkNK7

Jan 15, 2019 · 905 followers View post →

Luis “Pato" Garrido

@retamboriao · X

RT @BoixRichter: La reducción y pérdida de funcionalidad de las extremidades en anfisbenidos se debe a un desacople, que se produce entre l…

Jan 12, 2019 · 1 share · 261 followers View post →

Alex Richter-Boix

@BoixRichter · X

Jan 11, 2019 · 2 likes · 1 share · 51,691 followers View post →