Journal of Anatomy最新文献

{"title":"Microanatomical features of bovids long bones: What are the effects of mass and habitat?","authors":"Morgan Proust,&nbsp;Cyril Etienne,&nbsp;Alexandra Houssaye","doi":"10.1111/joa.70140","DOIUrl":"10.1111/joa.70140","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Bovids are a valuable group for studying limb long bone adaptations due to differences in size and the environment that the nearly 280 species inhabit. Their analysis can thus shed light on the constraints that occur during locomotion, which affect muscles and both the outer and inner bone structure. Nevertheless, no study has directly looked at the bone inner structure within bovids. This study is the first to analyse the inner structure of stylopod and zeugopod bones within bovids of different masses and habitats using both qualitative and quantitative approaches. Both thickness maps and virtual sections show remarkable differences in the heaviest individuals, which display a thicker compact bone layer, mostly at flexor muscle insertions associated with highly anisotropic trabeculae expending into the metaphysis. These qualitative results are supported by quantitative analyses that highlight a significant link to mass. By allowing greater dissipation of forces, these adaptations increase bone resistance to the associated higher compressive load and thus contact and ground reaction forces. As anticipated, the stabilising effect related to mass is evident in the forelimb and seems higher than that in the hindlimb. The influence of habitat is more evident in the hindlimb, but these observed variations are more subtle than those previously observed in the forelimb. Species that live in highly covered or mountainous areas, where a greater manoeuvrability is required, tend to display a globally higher bone volume fraction associated with the insertion of muscles increasing limb stability (e.g., <i>adductores</i>). While the gross shape of these bones shows a greater similarity between heavy-bodied and open-habitat bovids, the microanatomical features reveal a stronger similarity between heavy-bodied bovids and those from covered and mountainous habitats than with open-habitat species.</p>","PeriodicalId":14971,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Anatomy","volume":"249 4","pages":"899-923"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13398651/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147771869","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Skull evolution in woodpeckers via articular innovation and allometric decoupling facilitates pecking performance","authors":"Sebastián Lyons,&nbsp;Sergio M. Nebreda,&nbsp;Sergio F. Vizcaíno","doi":"10.1111/joa.70127","DOIUrl":"10.1111/joa.70127","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Woodpeckers exhibit a unique pecking behaviour that subjects their skulls to extreme mechanical stresses, requiring specialised morphology. Several adaptations enabling them to withstand these impacts have been identified, yet the interaction between osteological features that mitigate biomechanical stress, craniofacial architecture, and macroevolutionary patterns remain underexplored. Here, we examine the quadrato-mandibular joint and analyse cranial shape in woodpeckers compared with other insectivorous non-picid birds using geometric morphometrics and phylogenetic comparative methods. We document previously undescribed reinforcing articular contacts within the cranioquadrate–mandibular system, including an expanded articular surface on the condylus medialis of the quadrate forming a trochlea lateralis that contacts the caudal facet of the mandibular crista intercotylaris, as well as multiple stabilising interfaces between the quadrate and the neurocranium involving the suprameatic, zygomatic, and basicranial regions. These features are present across Picidae but vary markedly in their degree of development, being weakly expressed in Picumninae (<i>Picumnus cirratus</i>) and most pronounced in Picinae, particularly in taxa specialised for forceful pecking such as <i>Campephilus</i>. Shape analyses reveal among woodpeckers a decoupling from the craniofacial evolutionary allometry seen in other birds, replaced by a significant influence of relative brain size on skull shape, and uncover distinctive cranial configurations with important biomechanical implications (e.g., reduced maxillary base, altered temporal fossa position and quadrate orientation). This skull–brain association, together with woodpeckers' unique anatomy, likely enhances mandibular stability and quadrate articulation, providing additional support and increasing resistance to impact forces during pecking. The selection of this alternative morphological transformation trend in woodpeckers optimised a demanding ecological performance while allowing morphological diversity without compromising biomechanical stability. Our findings provide new insights into the biomechanical strategies underlying woodpeckers' pecking and highlight the role of skull macroevolution in their ecological specialisation.</p>","PeriodicalId":14971,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Anatomy","volume":"249 4","pages":"803-820"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146258220","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Shifts in type 2 vomeronasal receptor expression during postnatal development in the lungfish olfactory organ","authors":"Shoko Nakamuta,&nbsp;Zicong Zhang,&nbsp;Masato Nikaido,&nbsp;Takuya Yokoyama,&nbsp;Yoshio Yamamoto,&nbsp;Nobuaki Nakamuta","doi":"10.1111/joa.70129","DOIUrl":"10.1111/joa.70129","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Many tetrapods possess two distinct olfactory organs: the olfactory epithelium (OE) and the vomeronasal organ (VNO). Fish have only the OE, but lungfish—the closest living relative of tetrapods among fish— possess a lamellar OE and a primitive VNO called a recess epithelium (RecE). Vomeronasal receptor type 2 (V2R) genes in lungfish can be classified into three categories: those expressed only in the lamellar OE, those expressed only in the RecE, and those expressed in both the lamellar OE and the RecE. In this study, we compared V2R expression patterns in <i>Protopterus annectens</i> of different body sizes to examine how expression changes with growth. V2Rs expressed exclusively in the lamellar OE in small individuals remained restricted to the lamellar OE in large individuals, and V2Rs expressed exclusively in the RecE in small individuals also remained RecE-specific in large individuals. In contrast, among the V2Rs expressed in both the lamellar OE and the RecE in small individuals, some maintained expression in both tissues, while others became restricted to the RecE in large individuals. Medium-sized individuals showed intermediate expression patterns between small and large specimens. These results suggest that a subset of V2Rs initially expressed in both the lamellar OE and the RecE lose expression in the lamellar OE as the individual matures, becoming restricted to the RecE, and that functional separation between the lamellar OE and the RecE is still incomplete in juveniles and becomes more distinct during growth. These findings might represent the developmental process of the bimodal olfactory system in vertebrates. In the common ancestors of lungfish and tetrapods, there might be no functional separation between the OE and VNO. However, it can be speculated that olfactory functions have partially separated between the OE (lamellar OE) and VNO (RecE) in extant lungfish, while they have completely separated between the OE and VNO in extant tetrapods which acquired more developed VNO.</p>","PeriodicalId":14971,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Anatomy","volume":"249 4","pages":"978-986"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13398680/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147377549","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Regional and age-related differences of crypts in the human large intestine: A 3-D surface metrology study","authors":"Michelle Raja,&nbsp;Chrissy Chow,&nbsp;Vladimir Grubisic,&nbsp;Brian Lee Beatty","doi":"10.1111/joa.70131","DOIUrl":"10.1111/joa.70131","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Large intestinal crypts are tightly packed tubular indentations of the epithelium that act both as an absorptive surface and as a protective barrier. The crypt base consists of stem cells involved in the continuous regeneration of the intestinal surface. Thus, these crypts serve as the etiology of 95% of colon cancer and other colon-related pathologies such as inflammatory bowel disease. However, we still need a better understanding of these important structures in the human intestine. We collected and scanned four different regions of the large intestine (cecum, descending colon, sigmoid colon, and rectum) from 15 cadavers to study the surface characteristics of the crypts such as crypt density, opening area, depth, and volume. The cecum had a significantly larger crypt opening area when compared to the rectum. Further analysis showed that this difference is age dependent and only observed in older cadavers. The rectum also showed age-dependent changes in crypt depth. The varying morphology of crypts between the proximal/distal regions and individuals could be attributed to functional differences and naturally occurring adaptations to protect areas of the colon that are more susceptible to colon-related pathologies.</p>","PeriodicalId":14971,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Anatomy","volume":"249 4","pages":"970-977"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147592249","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Issue Cover (October 2026)","authors":"","doi":"10.1111/joa.70231","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/joa.70231","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Cover image: see A.D. Clark et al., ‘Courtship display behavior strongly influences rectricial myology in Centrocercus minimus (Gunnison sage-grouse)’, this issue.</p><p>\u0000 \u0000 <figure>\u0000 <div><picture>\u0000 <source></source></picture><p></p>\u0000 </div>\u0000 </figure>\u0000 </p>","PeriodicalId":14971,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Anatomy","volume":"249 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/joa.70231","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148862069","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reconstruction of native cellular microanatomy in a novel bioengineered full thickness human nasal mucosal construct","authors":"Steven Bradbury,&nbsp;Bethany Dickson,&nbsp;Nicola Curtis,&nbsp;David Bunton,&nbsp;Kirsty Goncalves,&nbsp;Stefan Przyborski","doi":"10.1111/joa.70130","DOIUrl":"10.1111/joa.70130","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Bioengineered tissues offer vital platforms capable of fundamental research, screening interventions and reducing the use of animals in scientific research. However, their predictive accuracy is dependent upon how closely their structure and function resemble their native counterpart. In this study, we present a novel in vitro engineered construct representative of the human nasal mucosa, consisting of both stromal and epithelial compartments. Communication between the stroma and the overlying epithelium is an essential factor involved in tissue development and homeostasis yet is often lacking in the majority of published tissue constructs. Described is the construction of a pseudostratified epithelium consisting of an organised heterogeneous cell population consistent with the respiratory region of the nasal mucosa that forms on a stromal foundation populated with tissue-specific fibroblasts and endogenous extracellular matrix. In addition, for the first time, we provide an extensive ultrastructural analysis of a bioengineered nasal tissue using both scanning and transmission electron microscopic techniques. This in-depth characterisation revealed microanatomical hallmarks consistent with the native tissue, including motile cilia, mucin secretions, intercellular junctions, dynamic basement membrane, microvilli and glycocalyx. Given each of these features play pivotal physiological roles in the specialised functions of the respiratory epithelium, their presence in vitro lends itself to tissue equivalents with enhanced physiological relevance and greater predictive accuracy. In summary, we present a highly characterised in vitro nasal mucosal construct that accurately reflects native microanatomy. Such technology will be of value to a wide range of applications, most notably, undertaking basic research and in vitro pharmaceutical screening, of which nasal mucosal models have become increasingly applicable due to the popularity of intranasal drug and vaccine delivery methods.</p>","PeriodicalId":14971,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Anatomy","volume":"249 4","pages":"950-969"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13398369/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147468005","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Virtual brain endocasts of the palaeanodont Metacheiromys marshi and the neurosensory evolution of early Pholidotamorpha","authors":"Eduard Cabasés Bru,&nbsp;Raquel Moya-Costa,&nbsp;John R. Wible,&nbsp;Stephen L. Brusatte,&nbsp;Ornella C. Bertrand","doi":"10.1111/joa.70142","DOIUrl":"10.1111/joa.70142","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Palaeanodonts are extinct placental mammals exhibiting myrmecophagous and fossorial adaptations. They have been viewed as the sister group to Pholidota (pangolins), which is the sister-clade to Carnivora within Ferae. Palaeanodonts display morphological features that are similar to those in pangolins and xenarthrans, which are likely related to their specialized ecological niche. Therefore, it has been challenging to decipher whether shared features are synapomorphies or convergences. Here, we describe in detail the brain virtual endocast anatomy of the middle Eocene palaeanodont <i>Metacheiromys marshi</i> and make morphological and quantitative comparisons with two extant African pangolins, <i>Smutsia gigantea</i> and <i>Phataginus tricuspis</i>. We found several differences between the fossil and extant taxa including in the olfactory bulbs, the cerebellum, and the venous and arterial systems. However, we propose an anatomical feature as a possible synapomorphy uniting palaeanodonts and pangolins in Pholidotamorpha: the presence of a well-developed orbital gyrus and a presylvian sulcus. These correlated features are present in some other groups but are likely derived traits acquired independently, for example in xenarthrans. In terms of the behavioural ecology of <i>M. marshi</i> and pangolins, we suggest that reduced olfaction and eye movement control is likely linked to fossoriality or slow arboreality as previously proposed for rodents. The expansion of the orbital gyrus of the neocortex is proposed to be related to the evolution of myrmecophagy and the emergence of a protrusile tongue in early Pholidotamorpha, acquired convergently in giant anteaters. Overall, this work provides a novel perspective on the evolution of palaeanodonts and pangolins and presents new hypotheses related to the impact of ecological adaptations on the brain evolution of mammals.</p>","PeriodicalId":14971,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Anatomy","volume":"249 4","pages":"821-846"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13398634/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147618451","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Endocranial anatomy of the earliest Cretaceous European neosuchian crocodyliform Pholidosaurus purbeckensis provides new evidence for the ecological evolution of Pholidosauridae","authors":"Leonardo Barbini,&nbsp;Paul M. J. Burke,&nbsp;Ilaria Caddeo,&nbsp;Marco Romano,&nbsp;Philip D. Mannion","doi":"10.1111/joa.70125","DOIUrl":"10.1111/joa.70125","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The neosuchian crocodyliform clade Pholidosauridae had a near-cosmopolitan distribution, spanning the Late Jurassic to the early Paleocene. Representatives of the group inhabited aquatic environments, ranging from freshwater to potentially fully marine forms. The phylogenetic placement of Pholidosauridae within Neosuchia remains debated: whereas most analyses place it as closely related to Dyrosauridae, some studies argue for a closer relationship with Goniopholididae. One skeletal region that could shed light on both the phylogenetic position of Pholidosauridae, as well as how it achieved its broad distribution, is the internal cranial anatomy, which has been shown to document morphological features with both an ecological and phylogenetic signal in other crocodyliforms. However, a natural endocast is currently the only available information on the internal cranial anatomy of a pholidosaurid. Here, we present new insights into the internal cranial anatomy of <i>Pholidosaurus purbeckensis</i>, based on CT-scan data of material from the lowermost Cretaceous Purbeck Limestone Group, southern UK. Overall, the endocranial anatomy of <i>P</i>. <i>purbeckensis</i> is more similar to that of goniopholidids than dyrosaurids, especially the morphology of the olfactory tract and the cerebrum, which might represent a phylogenetic rather than ecological signal. However, this might merely reflect retention of the ‘standard’ crocodyliform skull and endocranial shape in pholidosaurids and goniopholids, rather than necessarily a close relationship, with the cranial anatomy of dyrosaurids instead representing an apomorphic departure from this morphology. We identify paired dorsolateral expansions in the olfactory region of the skull of <i>P</i>. <i>purbeckensis</i>, which have been interpreted as osteological correlates of nasal salt glands in some marine thalattosuchians, dyrosaurids, and extinct gavialoid crocodylians. If this interpretation is correct, it would suggest a higher tolerance for saltwater than previously hypothesised in <i>Pholidosaurus</i>, which would provide support for oceanic capabilities early in the evolution of Pholidosauridae that potentially enabled the group's near-cosmopolitan distribution. Finally, we demonstrate external cranial anatomical variation amongst specimens attributed to <i>P</i>. <i>purbeckensis</i>, particularly in contemporaneous French remains provisionally referred to this species. However, this might best be regarded as individual variation: we therefore tentatively support the attribution of this material to <i>P</i>. <i>purbeckensis</i> pending the much-needed revision of the type species of <i>Pholidosaurus</i>, <i>P</i>. <i>schaumburgensis</i>, from the earliest Cretaceous of Germany.</p>","PeriodicalId":14971,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Anatomy","volume":"249 4","pages":"787-802"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13398619/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146258307","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hoffmann's two-toed sloth II: Muscle architectural properties in the thoracic limb of Choloepus (Pilosa: Xenarthra)","authors":"C. S. Tucker,&nbsp;A. M. Mossor,&nbsp;K. B. Spainhower,&nbsp;J. A. Avey-Arroyo,&nbsp;M. T. Butcher","doi":"10.1111/joa.70120","DOIUrl":"10.1111/joa.70120","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Two-toed sloths are larger than three-toed forms and potentially have the capacity for greater strength and power associated with their high frequency of suspensory behaviors. However, fiber architecture and whole muscle functional capacities remain completely unknown for either species of <i>Choloepus</i>. Part two of this study provides novel quantifications of muscle architectural properties in the forelimb of Hoffmann's two-toed sloth (<i>C. hoffmanni</i>). A suite of geometric measurements, including muscle mass, belly length, fascicle length, and pennation angle, were used to calculate physiological cross-sectional area (PCSA) and estimate isometric force, joint torque, and instantaneous power. In general, the musculature becomes progressively more pennate from the extrinsic to the distal intrinsic regions of the forelimb, and all flexors are larger than their counterpart extensors. Except for a few pairs of small joint stabilizer muscles, the majority of bellies in each region of the forelimb have greater ability for shortening but limited ability for sized-scaled force production. Nonetheless, several large, strong shoulder (e.g., m. latissimus dorsi) and elbow (e.g., m. brachioradialis) flexors are capable of applying large joint torques over an extended range of contractile excursion by having elongated moment arms. Modification to limb muscle gearing is further exemplified by pairs of synergistic muscles with opposing fast joint rotational velocity versus mechanical advantage arrangements in each functional group. Lastly, the digital flexors have variable architectural properties, but their collectively large PCSA and estimated maximum force production capability (~2.2× bodyweight force) indicates exceptional grip strength. The muscle functional properties determined herein match well with the observed myological traits in <i>Choloepus</i> and provide further evidence of their abilities for frequent and prolonged suspension that are divergent from three-toed sloths.</p>","PeriodicalId":14971,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Anatomy","volume":"249 4","pages":"737-758"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13398789/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147463302","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Postcranial anatomy of the Miocene hippopotamoids of Toros-Menalla, Chad","authors":"Lorenzo Scribano,&nbsp;Fabrice Lihoreau,&nbsp;Alexandra Houssaye,&nbsp;Clarisse Nekoulnang Djetounako,&nbsp;Jean-Renaud Boisserie","doi":"10.1111/joa.70135","DOIUrl":"10.1111/joa.70135","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Hippopotamoidea is a superfamily of cetartiodactyls that are nowadays limited to two extant species: <i>Hippopotamus amphibius</i>, the common hippopotamus, and <i>Choeropsis liberiensis</i>, the Liberian hippopotamus. These two mammals are endemic to Africa and inhabit ecosystems closely linked to water. They are the only extant members of a specialized ecological guild called the large semi-aquatic herbivores. The majority of the diversity of this superfamily was composed by the paraphyletic anthracotheres, a geographically, temporally, and ecologically more diverse group from which hippopotamids likely originated. Historically, the phylogenetical relationships of these taxa were debated, especially since the establishment of the clade Cetancodonta which comprises cetaceans and hippopotamids. Research in this area has sought to address these issues using cranial, intracranial morphology, and dental anatomy. Their postcranial anatomy has until now been mostly unexploited data, sometimes due to poor preservation. At Toros-Menalla (TM), a Late Miocene fossiliferous area in Chad, the last African anthracothere <i>Libycosaurus bahri</i> has been found coexisting with the large hippopotamid <i>Hexaprotodon garyam</i>. Their coexistence in humid environments suggests some form of niche-partitioning. The locomotor apparatus is a significant means by which animals interact with their environment. It is a valuable resource for clarifying the phylogenetic issues previously cited, as well as for discussing functional and ecological considerations mentioned in previous literature. This study proposes an anatomical comparison between these two coexisting hippopotamoids and their closest extant ecomorph, the common hippopotamus. We have established a framework for the identification and differentiation of the postcranial skeleton of hippopotamoids by observing characters on a sample of approximately 650 specimens. We also highlight the importance of including the postcranial skeleton in future phylogenetical analyses. Additionally, we discuss the postcranial anatomy of those taxa in the context of the African Miocene environments, allowing new functional and ecological interpretations for the interaction between hippopotamoids and changes in their wet environments, which remain a major driver in the evolutionary history of these large artiodactyls.</p>","PeriodicalId":14971,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Anatomy","volume":"249 4","pages":"924-949"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13399167/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147480719","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}