Laboratory Manager Duquesne University Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Abstract Body : The mechanical demands of mastication on the development of the mammalian mandibular condyle are well described – tough foodstuffs that require more intense chewing result in an increased condylar length and width. In this study, we examine if the vastly differing feeding styles across species of bats result in similar morphological adaptations in the condylar process. Two species were examined: the hematophagous common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) and the insectivorous Indian roundleaf bat (Hipposideros lankadiva). Coronally-sectioned histologic specimens containing the mandibular condyle were imaged, then length and width measurements of the condyle were taken using ImageJ software. Preliminary statistical analysis in R reveals that condyles of H. lankadiva are significantly (p = 0.002) wider relative to their length, than those of D. rotundus. This supports our hypothesis that the mechanical demands of feeding style play a role in driving the morphology of the mandibular condyle. We will further expand upon this hypothesis by including more species and feeding styles in future study.
