Journal of Morphology最新文献

{"title":"Functional Allometry of Sexually Selected Traits in Tetraopes tetrophthalmus Red Milkweed Beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)","authors":"Lauren A. Cirino,&nbsp;Kirsten J. Lindemann,&nbsp;Travis J. Hagey,&nbsp;Rafael L. Rodríguez","doi":"10.1002/jmor.70075","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jmor.70075","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The allometry of sexually selected traits is highly variable. Some traits scale steeply in relation to body size while other traits scale more shallowly. Still others scale proportionately to body size. One explanation for this variability is trait function. Sexually selected traits should scale differently according to the function that they perform—the functional allometry hypothesis. Here, we investigate the functional allometry hypothesis in red milkweed beetles, <i>Tetraopes tetrophthalmus</i> (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), a species that possesses multifunctional sexually selected traits. Males use their mandibles to eat and as weapons to fight rivals. Their antennae act as sensory organs and as tactile signals during copulatory courtship. We measured these sexually selected traits along with body size in both males and females. We also measured thorax and leg size, traits presumably not under sexual selection, as control traits. We found that tactile signal traits used in courtship were negatively allometric, while weapons, traits supporting the weapon, and control traits were isometric. Although male mandible weapons were isometric, we found that female mandibles were negatively allometric. Finally, weapon shape was also examined as this trait is important to fighting outcomes. We found that male mandible weapons have a rugose medial curve with a midpoint ledge that female mandibles lack. These results support the functional allometry hypothesis for variation in trait allometry. We discuss how interactions between the functions that these traits perform may influence the evolution of morphology.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":16528,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Morphology","volume":"286 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144894134","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ecomorphological Analysis of the Bird Lumbosacral Organ in an Evolutionary Context","authors":"Idriss Pelletan,&nbsp;Raphaël Cornette,&nbsp;Anick Abourachid","doi":"10.1002/jmor.70073","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jmor.70073","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Birds possess a unique balance organ, the lumbosacral organ (LSO), located in the lumbosacral region of the synsacrum. This organ surrounds the spinal cord and leaves distinct traces of its size and shape on the endocast of the vertebral canal. To date, many questions about the function of the LSO and its implications in bird biology remain. Here, we investigate whether the shape of the synsacral vertebral canal endocast, influenced by the LSO, is related to locomotor habits, pelvic morphology, and phylogeny. We used 2D and 3D geometric morphometrics to characterise the shape of the digital synsacral vertebral canal cast and to test whether its morphology is indicative of locomotor behaviour and pelvic morphology. We also quantified the phylogenetic signal to determine whether phylogeny has an impact on morphology. Our results suggest that the vertebral canal endocast is shaped by the LSO, particularly in predominantly perching birds, where it is proportionally larger than in other locomotor groups. We also show that the pelvic morphology covaries significantly with the vertebral canal morphology. A proportionally larger LSO corresponds to a shorter, wider pelvis, while a smaller LSO corresponds to a longer, more slender pelvis. Finally, in addition to a strong phylogenetic signal in vertebral canal morphology, we identify allometry, indicating that body size also influences LSO morphology.</p>","PeriodicalId":16528,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Morphology","volume":"286 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/jmor.70073","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144891624","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Reproductive System of Two Species of the Centropagoidea Superfamily From the White Sea","authors":"Daria A. Yurikova,&nbsp;Ksenia N. Kosobokova","doi":"10.1002/jmor.70076","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jmor.70076","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We studied the gross gonad morphology, the morphology of genital structures involved in sperm reception and egg release, as well as oocyte development in female <i>Centropages Hamatus</i> and <i>Temora longicornis</i> from the White Sea. Our research employed a comprehensive morphological approach, including light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and three-dimensional reconstructions based on series of semithin cross-sections. This integrated methodology enabled detailed visualization of the fine-scale morphological structures and main muscle bundles associated with the genital complex and precise mapping of oocyte distribution at different stages of development within the ovaries and diverticula of mature females. In <i>T. longicornis</i>, we discovered glands in the last thoracic somite that were similar in structure and position to the shell glands of egg-brooding calanoid copepods. Unlike previous studies, our approach documented anatomical details of the reproductive system which are typically not detectable using two-dimensional imaging techniques alone. Our observations indicate also that during the reproductive season females of both species are characterized by continuous oocyte maturation and readiness to lay eggs. However, due to the lack of a spermatheca, these females cannot store sperm and, subsequently, require repeated matings to fertilize each batch of eggs produced during the reproductive cycle. We assume that the sex ratio skewed towards males in adult populations of <i>C. hamatus</i> and the equal sex ratio in adult populations of <i>T. longicornis</i> reflect these morphological limitations—specifically, the lack of sperm storage capacity in females coupled with sustained oocyte production in females.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":16528,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Morphology","volume":"286 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144869979","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Morphology and Glycan Composition of the Mandibular Glands in the White-Eared Opossum (Didelphis albiventris)","authors":"Bruno Cesar Schimming,&nbsp;Aline Herrera Farha,&nbsp;Tais Harumi de Castro Sasahara,&nbsp;Fabio Cesar Magioli Abdala,&nbsp;Attilio Cianciotta,&nbsp;Silvio Pires Gomes,&nbsp;Salvatore Desantis","doi":"10.1002/jmor.70074","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jmor.70074","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The white-eared opossum, <i>Didelphis albiventris</i>, is an opportunistic and omnivorous marsupial, whose diet ranges from wild fruits to eggs and birds. Salivary glycoproteins play a key role in the protection of the oral cavity and the formation of the food bolus. Despite the importance of salivary glycoproteins, their detailed investigation in the white-eared is lacking. This study investigated the morphology and glycan composition of the mandibular salivary glands of the white-eared opossum for the first time. Histological and histochemical investigations were conducted on tissue fragments fixed with 4% PBS-buffered paraformaldehyde and embedded in Paraplast. The pattern of glycoproteins was investigated using traditional histochemical methods (PAS, Alcian Blue pH 2.5, and High-Iron Diamine staining) and lectin histochemistry. The glandular parenchyma consisted of acinar secretory units and a duct system characterized by abundant striated ducts. Secretory acini secrete neutral glycans and non-sulfated acid glycans. Mannosylated N-linked glycans terminating in α2,6-sialic acid and fucose are expressed in the secretory acini, containing intraluminal α2,3-sialylated O-linked glycans. The epithelial lining of the striated and interlobular ducts also shows O-linked glycans with terminal Galβ1, 3GalNAc, and <i>α</i>GalNAc residues. Finally, the epithelium and lumen of interlobular ducts are enriched with additional GalNAc-terminated O-linked glycans with the appearance of lactosaminated glycans and the disappearance of α2,3-sialylated glycans. These results suggest that the saliva produced by the mandibular gland of the white-eared opossum consists of a species-specific pattern of glycoproteins, to whose composition the ductal system also contributes. The observed glycan composition is probably related to the diet of the white-eared opossum and its adaptations to the environment and food availability. These results indicate that the mandibular salivary gland of the white-eared opossum <i>Didelphis albiventris</i> has specific histological and molecular characteristics compared to other marsupial species, suggesting that diet and habitat, but not the taxonomic group, influence the mandibular gland features.</p>","PeriodicalId":16528,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Morphology","volume":"286 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/jmor.70074","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144853694","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Morphology and Chemical Composition of the Nuchal Glands of Indonesian Snakes With a Description of a Novel Type of Glands","authors":"Syahfitri Anita,&nbsp;Takato Inoue,&nbsp;Aya Inoue,&nbsp;Koshiro Eto,&nbsp;Amir Hamidy,&nbsp;Naoki Mori,&nbsp;Akira Mori","doi":"10.1002/jmor.70071","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jmor.70071","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Several species of natricine snakes sequester bufadienolides from toads, store them in their nuchal glands, and reutilize them for their defense. This study aimed to examine the presence and morphological features of nuchal glands of natricine snakes distributed in Indonesia, containing several lineages of this group. When the presence of the glands was confirmed, the gland fluids were analyzed to identify their chemical components. Secretions from the parotoid glands of several species of toads in Indonesia were also analyzed. Morphological examination of the glands was conducted by observing the presence or absence of structures and recording the spatial pattern of the glands. The glandular fluids of three snake species and four toad species were extracted and analyzed by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS). Nuchal glands or organs similar to the glands were found on the head or neck region of preserved or freshly dead specimens of <i>Rhabdophis subminiatus</i>, <i>R. flaviceps</i>, <i>R. rhodomelas,</i> and <i>Rhabdophis</i> spp. of Sulawesi, although such a gland was not found in the other genera of natricine snakes. These <i>Rhabdophis</i> species have different spatial patterns of glands, and particularly <i>Rhabdophis</i> spp. of Sulawesi showed an unusual novel gland form in the temporal and occipital regions of the head, possibly comparable to the nuchal glands. Bufadienolides of the bufogenin and bufotoxin types were identified from all toad gland fluids. In contrast, the glandular fluids of snakes, <i>R. subminiatus</i>, <i>R. flaviceps</i>, and <i>Rhabdophis</i> spp. of Sulawesi store only bufogenin-type bufadienolides. Bufadienolide profiles of snakes and toads indicate that the toxin composition is highly diverse among species. The results suggest that snakes would be able to chemically convert dietary bufadienolides from toads and reutilize some bufadienolides readily. This study demonstrated that the form and location of “nuchal glands” in a snake's body are more diverse than previously recognized.</p>","PeriodicalId":16528,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Morphology","volume":"286 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/jmor.70071","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144832633","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Seasonal Analysis of the Male Reproductive Tract and Germ Cell Proliferation in Leptodactylus podicipinus (Anura).","authors":"Rafael O A Bordin, Classius de Oliveira, Raquel F Domeniconi","doi":"10.1002/jmor.70072","DOIUrl":"10.1002/jmor.70072","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In the reproductive dynamics of anurans, the male gonads have a fundamental relationship with the kidneys. Although reproductive aspects have been widely studied in this group, there are still considerable gaps in understanding the morphology and physiology of the reproductive system of neotropical anurans. Most research has emphasized aspects such as spermatogenesis and reproductive ecology, without information on the structure of the male reproductive tract and the dynamics of spermatogenesis in different species. To better understand the reproductive diversity of anurans, it is essential to comprehend reproductive morphology in a broad sense and simultaneously at different organizational levels. In this context, the present study aimed to characterize the components of the male reproductive tract and assess testicular cell proliferation in Leptodactylus podicipinus throughout its reproductive cycle, using histological, immunohistochemical, and computerized microscopy techniques. The male reproductive tract of this species comprises intratesticular ducts that converge into a longitudinal collecting duct, which gives rise to extratesticular efferent vessels entering the kidneys through lateral ducts. These ducts take the sperm through the glomeruli to the collecting ducts, leading to the Wolffian duct. Differences were observed in the intratesticular ducts of individuals in the reproductive and nonreproductive periods. Additionally, the proliferation of the initial germ cells (spermatogonia and spermatocyte I) exhibited positive PCNA staining, with distinct differences between the two periods analyzed.</p>","PeriodicalId":16528,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Morphology","volume":"286 8","pages":"e70072"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12332807/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144799443","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Derived Morphology of the Quadrate May Support a Previously Unrecognized Major Higher-Level Clade of Neoavian Birds","authors":"Gerald Mayr","doi":"10.1002/jmor.70070","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jmor.70070","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The avian quadrate plays a critical role in cranial kinesis, but few comparative studies exist of its morphological variation across higher-level taxa. The present paper surveys the occurrence of a markedly concave articular facet of the condylus medialis. It is detailed that this feature, for which the term trochlea lateralis is introduced, may represent an apomorphy of a higher-level clade that includes the Aequornithes (gaviiforms, procellariiforms, suliforms, pelecaniforms, and allies), Phaethontimorphae (tropicbirds, sunbittern, and kagu), Mirandornithes (flamingos and grebes), and Gruiformes (cranes and allies). Like many other morphological characters, the occurrence of the trochlea lateralis shows homoplasy. However, at least one analysis of sequence data found a clade including the aforementioned four taxa, the interrelationships of which are not conclusively resolved in other studies. A trochlea lateralis is present in birds with different cranial morphologies and feeding adaptations, so that its occurrence often seems to have a phylogenetic (shared common ancestry) rather than a functional origin. The morphology of the condylus medialis of the quadrate may also bear on the affinities of some fossil taxa, such as the early Eocene Halcyornithidae and Messelasturidae, in which a trochlea lateralis is present.</p>","PeriodicalId":16528,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Morphology","volume":"286 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/jmor.70070","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144725480","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Morphofunctional Space of the Forelimb in Caraguatypotherium munozi (Notoungulata; Mesotheriidae): Insights Into Wrist-Powered Digging","authors":"Paul Medina-González,&nbsp;Karen Moreno","doi":"10.1002/jmor.70069","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jmor.70069","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Understanding how extinct animals moved is a central goal in paleobiology, yet interpreting locomotor function from anatomy alone is complicated by convergent and divergent morphologies. One promising approach is the construction of morphofunctional spaces (MFSs), which integrate multiple biomechanical indices and comparative statistics to refine functional inference. This study investigates forelimb adaptations for digging in <i>Caraguatypotherium munozi</i> (Notoungulata, Mesotheriidae), a mid-sized Miocene notoungulate lacking extant analogs. We developed an MFS based on osteological measurements and mechanical advantage (MA) models at the elbow and wrist. These were derived from fossil material and comparative data across 38 extant mammal species representing 21 families and 5 locomotor habits—terrestrial, fossorial (digger), climbing, swimming, and flying—as well as 5 mesotheriid specimens, including the holotype of <i>C. munozi</i>. Multivariate and inferential statistical analyses were used to identify functional patterns and evaluate locomotor hypotheses. Results show that <i>C. munozi</i> occupies an intermediate position in MFS, adjacent to but outside the core regions of extant fossorial, climbing, and terrestrial mammals. It exhibits the highest wrist flexor MA (31.4%) in the data set, 9%–13% above the range of living scratch-diggers, and a low elbow extensor MA (~19%), below the fossorial mean (~31.6%). Notably, incorporating manus length (MTCIII-L) into the elbow model lowers MA further but places <i>C. munozi</i> within the statistical range of extant diggers, suggesting partial mechanical similarity. This biomechanical pattern supports a wrist-dominant excavation strategy, reflecting a distinct mechanical pathway that enabled <i>C. munozi</i> to perform the motor gesture of scratch-digging through enhanced distal force generation, rather than relying on proximal joint leverage as in extant fossorial mammals. The integration of MA with osteological indices within a multivariate framework provides novel insights into extinct mammalian locomotion and underscores the utility of MFS models for reconstructing context-dependent motor capabilities and locomotor habits.</p>","PeriodicalId":16528,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Morphology","volume":"286 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/jmor.70069","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144716589","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Premolar Ecomorphology in Anthropoid Primates: A Machine Learning Approach","authors":"Savannah E. Cobb,&nbsp;Darrell La,&nbsp;Siobhán B. Cooke","doi":"10.1002/jmor.70068","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jmor.70068","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Reconstructing the diets of extinct taxa is essential for understanding their ecologies and evolutionary histories, yet traditional methods and proxies such as molar morphology have limited resolution. The potential of premolar morphology as a dietary proxy remains underexplored, and advanced computational methods have rarely been applied to improve dietary inference in paleontology. We integrate Random Forest (RF) machine learning and comparative phylogenetic methods to identify and rank dental proxies for diet in a large sample of anthropoid primates. We quantify dietary trends in premolar topography and cusp relief and find that premolar protoconid relief is a strong predictor of dietary category, especially for distinguishing hard-object feeders, which outperformed traditional proxies on molars and incisors. We also identify sexually dimorphic dietary trends in honing premolars. Feature selection improved classification accuracy by 5%–11% compared to unpruned models, with the highest accuracy achieved by a model incorporating premolar, molar, and incisor data. These findings establish robust new dental proxies for dietary inference and demonstrate the potential of machine learning and a multi-tooth approach in ecomorphological research. By expanding the toolkit for reconstructing the diets of extinct primates, we establish a framework that may help clarify the ecological pressures that have shaped the evolution of modern clades including that of the human lineage.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":16528,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Morphology","volume":"286 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144716826","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Mesosoma of Protanilla (Leptanillinae) and the Groundplan of the Formicidae (Hymenoptera)","authors":"Lazzat Aibekova,&nbsp;Adrian Richter,&nbsp;Rolf G. Beutel,&nbsp;Thomas van de Kamp,&nbsp;Evan P. Economo,&nbsp;Zachary Griebenow,&nbsp;Brendon E. Boudinot","doi":"10.1002/jmor.70064","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jmor.70064","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The study of ant morphology is advancing through parallel insights provided by phylogenomics—which provides a statistically robust basis for comparison and evolutionary inference—and phenomics via the application of microcomputed tomography (µ-CT) for the efficient and precise documentation of anatomy. The information provided by µ-CT is complex and rich, allowing for the quantification of geometry and biomechanically relevant variables, as well as comparative morphology via 3D rendering. Recently, the complete musculature of the thorax, propodeum, and legs was documented for the first time in an ant (<i>Formica rufa</i> L.). Here, we provide a detailed comparison of those findings for <i>Protanilla lini</i> Terayama, 2009 (Leptanillinae), representing the Leptanillomorpha, a clade putatively sister to all other living ants. Using µ-CT, computer-based reconstruction, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), we observe a novel series of morphological features that are plausibly part of the groundplan of the Formicidae. For several of these features, we provide new anatomical concepts and terms, with special discussion of the pronotum, promesothoracic articulation, and metapleural gland region. We also observe characters that are likely correlated with specialized subterranean habits, including the increased flexibility of the promesothoracic articulation, the slender shape of the mesosoma, a simplified vestiture of short setae, and depigmentation. Mesosomal skeletomusculature in <i>P. lini</i> appears to be plesiomorphic relative to other Leptanillomorpha, resembling the putative ancestral condition for the Formicidae. An exception lies in the lack of cervical muscle (Idlm1) in <i>Protanilla</i> that is present in almost all other insects for which this character has been sampled. With this study of <i>P. lini</i>, we are one step closer to realizing the complete set of defining features and variation of the ant mesosoma.</p>","PeriodicalId":16528,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Morphology","volume":"286 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/jmor.70064","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144681161","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}