Hindlimb Myology of the Honey Bear (Potos flavus) Alexandra Hameline, Megan Demshar, and Dr. Heather Ahrens

Department of Biology, High Point University

Abstract:

Thekinkajou,Potosflavus,isamedium-sizedmammalthatresidesinthetropicalrainforestsoftheAmericas.Theyarefullyarboreal,haveaprehensiletail,andcanrotatetheirhindfeet180°tofacilitateclimbing.Thisstudyprovidesdetailedinformationaboutthemyologyofthehindlimbofthekinkajou.Therighthindlimbofamalekinkajouwasdissectedanddocumentedusingdescriptionsandphotographs.Thesedatawerecomparedwiththemyologyoftheredpanda,Ailurusfulgens,andringtail,Bassariscusastutus.Therewaslittlevariationbetweenthesethreespecies.Somemuscles,suchasM.popliteus,M.sartorius,andM.quadratusfemoris,werecloserwiththeoriginandinsertionoftheredpanda,potentiallyduetothesimilarityinlocomotionofthemammals.Othermuscles,suchasM.obturatorinternus,weremoresimilartotheringtail,likelyreflectingphylogeny.M.gracilis,M.fibularislongus,andM.extensordigitorumlateraliswerefoundtohavesimilaritiesininsertion,origin,orboth.Theseobservationsindicatethatbothfunctionandphylogenyinfluencelimbmyology,aswellasprovideadditionalcomparativedataforlocomotorandphylogeneticstudiesofcarnivorans.

TheKinkajou

•  AnarborealmammalthatlivesintherainforestsoftheAmericas

•  Scientificname:Potosflavus•  FromtheProcyonidaefamily•  Relatedtoraccoons,ringtails,

andcoatis•  Haveprehensiletails•  Canturntheirfeet180°•  Nickname:HoneyBear(due

tothefactthattheyenjoyeatingfreshhoneyfrombeehives)

•  Nocturnalanimals

PhotographbySanDiegoZoo

Methods:

•  Dissectedafrozen,malekinkajou•  Identifiedthemusclesoftheright

hindlimb•  Documentedbydescriptionand

photographs•  Comparedattachmentsitesofthe

musclestohindlimbdocumentationoftheAilurusfulgens(RedPanda)andBassariscusastutus(Ringtail)

Results:

Conclusion:•  Itwasfoundthatthekinkajousharesmanysimilaritieswiththeredpandaand

ringtail.•  Although,therearestillcommonalitiesbetweenthesethreespecies.•  Theseobservationsindicatethatbothfunctionandphylogenyinfluencelimb

myology.•  Theyprovideadditionalcomparativedataforlocomotorandphylogenetic

studiesofcarnivorans.

Citations:•  “Kinkajou.”SanDiegoZooGlobalAnimalsandPlants,SanDiegoZooGlobal,2018,

animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/kinkajou.•  LieM,ZackS,LucasL,AllenD,FisheerR.2015.HindLimbMyologyoftheRingtail

(Bassariscusastutus)andtheMyologyofHindFootReversal.Journalofmammology97(1):211-233.

•  FisherR,AdrianB,ElrodC,HicksM.2008.ThePhylogenyoftheRedPanda(Ailurusfulgens):Evidencefromthehindlimb.JAnat213:607-628.

•  PhotosbyDr.HeatherAhrensandMeganDemshar

Figure1:1-Tibialiscranialis2-Gracilis3-Gastrocnemius4-Sartorius

Figure2:1-Fibularisbrevis2-Fibularislongus3-Tibialiscranialis4-Sartorius5-Extensordigitorumlongus

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Figure3:1-Quadricepsfemoris2-Gluteussuperficialis3-Femorococcygeus4-Bicepsfemoris5-Abductorcruriscaudalis6-Semitendinosus

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Comparisons:•  Gracilis:Originandinsertionsimilarinallthreespecies.Originfromthepubisandischii,insertiononthetibialcrestdistaltothetuberosity.•  Sartorius:Originandinstertionsimilartotheredpanda.Originfromthetubercoxaeoftheilium,insertionfasciamedialkneeandmedialdistaltoknee.•  Fibularislongus:Originsimilartoredpanda,insertionsimilartobothredpandaandringtail.Originatesfromthecraniolateralaspectofthefibularhead,insertionassumedtobeonthe

lateralaspectofthefirstmetatarsal.•  Fibularisbrevis:Originissimilartotheringtail,insertionsimilartobothredpandaandringtail.Originatesfromthecraniolateralaspectofthefibularshaft,insertionassumedtobeatthe

baseofthe5thmetatarsal.•  Gastrocnemius:Originisdifferentthanredpandaandringtail.Medialheadoriginatesonmedialsupracondylartuberosity,andlateralheadoriginatesonlateralsupracondylartuberosity.

Theinsertionpointsarethesameinallthreespecies,thecalcanealtuberosity.•  Gluteussuperficialis:Originandinsertionisdifferentthantheredpandaandringtail.Originatesfromthedorsaliliaccrestandcaudalvertebrae1and2,insertslaterodistalaspectofthe

greatertrochanter.

AssaylocalizationofmutantsandautophagyefficiencyofmutantsAssaylocalizationofmutantsandautophagyefficiencyofmutants

Acknowledgements:IwouldliketothankJ.Davisforprovidingthespecimen,J.Perryforgivingadviceaboutthedissection,andA.Walkerforprovidingreferences.IwouldalsoliketothankDr.HeatherAhrensforassistingandsupportingmethroughthisproject.