In northern Greece, European ground squirrels or sousliks (Spermophilus citellus) construct complex burrow systems by scratch-digging behavior. The present study investigated the presence of anatomical characters related to digging in the forelimb of S. citellus. The forelimb of 3 preserved specimens was dissected and several qualitative and quantitative variables on selected muscles were collected. In addition, selected osteological variables and indices were calculated in a sample of 207 sciurid postcrania representing 14 burrowing and nonburrowing genera. Both analyses showed that the forelimb of S. citellus was characterized by enlarged and powerful shoulder retractors, well-developed arm retractors with distal insertions upon a relatively robust humerus, enlarged elbow extensors associated with a long olecranon, and dominant pronators and carpal and digital flexors. Similar morphology is also encountered in other semifossorial mammals, indicating significant adaptations to scratch-digging behavior. However, the characters examined designate a more compromised morphology, associated with the generalized postcranium of sciurids. On the other hand, S. citellus exhibits a more specialized forelimb morphology, compared to that of other marmotines, for a semifossorial way of life, in association with the subgeneric derived morphology, lack of social interactions, and exploitation of a habitat with harder soils.
How to translate text using browser tools
1 June 2006
ANATOMICAL CORRELATES TO SCRATCH DIGGING IN THE FORELIMB OF EUROPEAN GROUND SQUIRRELS (SPERMOPHILUS CITELLUS)
Anna Lagaria,
Dionisios Youlatos
ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE
forelimb
muscles
osteology
scratch digging
Spermophilus citellus