New Ross Lab paper in Evolutionary Anthropology!

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We’re excited to congratulate Dr. Yeganeh Sekhavati, Ross Lab alum Dr. Kaleb Sellers, and Dr. Ross on their new paper, “Biomechanics and Evolution of the Primate Tongue”, published this week in Evolutionary Anthropology! This paper explores the primate tongue as a muscular hydrostat with regionally specialized neuromuscular compartments, using anatomical, kinematic, and biomechanical modeling to understand how muscle structure and fiber orientation control complex tongue movements during feeding and vocalization. It also compares species-specific adaptations in macaques and humans, synthesizes recent advances in modeling and experimental studies, and highlights the role of three-dimensional analyses in understanding tongue function across different behavioral contexts.

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Hyolingual evolution

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The anatomical diversity of hypoid and tongue morphology is poorly documented. Peishu Li is working in the Luo and Ross Labs on the evolution and function of the hyoid apparatus in mammals. His work includes morphometric studies of CT scan data sets, and measures of hyoid kinematics during chewing and swallowing in primates and other mammals.  Kaleb Sellers is using DiceCT techniques to study the evolution of tongue morphology in mammals, starting with primates.

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Chewing and Swallowing

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Tongue movements during chewing and swallowing have been difficult to study because the tongue is hidden in the mouth. We used XROMM data on 3D tongue movements during chewing and swallowing in macaques to test Abd-el-Malek’s hypotheses about tongue twisting during chewing in humans. We are developing computational models of tongue function and evaluating whether similar movements are also seen in other amniotes. Courtney Orsbon developed a workflow to integrate XROMM and DiceCT methods and used these methods to propose a new hydraulic mechanism of tongue base retraction in macaques during swallowing. We are using this workflow in other studies and testing the applicability of this model to other mammals.

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Suction feeding

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In collaboration with the Westneat Lab, Katie Whitlow studied suction feeding kinematics in Polypterus and Amia, and Samantha Gartner studied suction feeding in lungfish, improving our understanding of suction feeding in basal fishes.