Bite force in the strictly subterranean rodent family of African mole‐rats (Bathyergidae): The role of digging mode, social organization and ecology. (2nd August 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kraus, Andrea; Lövy, Matěj; Mikula, Ondřej; Okrouhlík, Jan; Bennett, Nigel C.; Herrel, Anthony; Šumbera, Radim
• Is Part Of: Functional ecology. Volume 36:Number 9(2022)
• Page Start: 2344
• Page End: 2355
• Publication Date: 2022-08-02
• Subjects: African mole‐rats -- bite force -- burrowing -- evolution -- soil and food characteristics; Ecology -- Periodicals; 574.505
• DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14132
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-8463

Abstract

Abstract: Bite force is an ecologically relevant performance trait that has been measured to better understand the adaptations to diet and habitat use. Moreover, bite force is relevant in understanding reproductive success, as well as inter‐ and intraspecific competition. African mole‐rats (Bathyergidae, Rodentia) are a unique clade of mammals that use different digging strategies, show different types of social organization and occur in ecologically diverse savanna habitats in sub‐Saharan Africa. Whereas previous studies have suggested these animals have exceptionally high bite forces, the ecological and other proximate and ultimate drivers of variation in bite force in the group remain unstudied. In the present study we measured in vivo bite force of 394 adult specimens from 10 African mole‐rat species including all genera within the family. Our results show that in African mole‐rats digging mode is a major driver of variation in bite force, with chisel‐tooth diggers being stronger biters than scratch diggers. Moreover, species living in habitats characterized by low and irregular precipitation patterns and in soils with a high content of coarse particles have a higher bite force than species occupying habitats with a regular rainfall pattern and fine soil types. This suggests that bite force in bathyergids has evolved in concert with rainfall and soil characteristics of different savanna habitats, which have contributed to the successful radiation of these subterranean mammals across sub‐Saharan Africa. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. Abstract : Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. Abstrakte: Bytkrag is n ekologies relevante prestasie eienskap wat gemeet is om die aanpassings van dieet en gebruik van habitat beter te verstaan. Bytkrag is ook verder relevant om die reproduktiewe sukses van inter‐ en intra spesifieke kompetisie te verstaan. Afrika vaalmolle (Bathyergidae, Rodentia) is ń unieke klade van soogdiere wat verskillende grawe tegnieke gebruik, verskillende tipe sosiale organisasie wys en voorkom in ekologies verskillende savanne habitatte in Afrika suid van die Saharah. Vorige studies het voorgestel dat hierdie diere uitsonderlike hoë bytkrag het, maar die variasie in bytkrag, veroorsaak deur ekologiese en ander dryfkragte, is nog ongebestudeer. In die huidige studie het ons in vivo bytkrag van byna 400 volwasse eksemplare van tien Afrika vaalmol spesies, insluitend alle genera in die familie, bestudeer. Ons resultate wys dat Afrika vaalmolle se wyse van grawe n groot invloed het op die variasie in bytkrag, waar beitel gevormde tand grawers sterker byters is as krap grawers. Bowendien het spesies wat in habitatte lewe waar lae en onreëlmatige reëns voorkom en waar grond ń hoë inhoud van growwe partikels het, ń hoër bytkrag het as spesies wat in habitatte voorkom met reëlmatige reënval patrone en fyner grondtipes. Hieruit word afgely dat bytkrag in bathyergids gesamentlik ontwikkel het met reënval en grond eienskappe van verskillende savana habitatte, wat weer bygedra het tot die suksessvolle verspreiding van hierdie ondergrondse soogdiere oor sub‐Saharah Afrika.