Mechanosensation is evolutionarily tuned to locomotor mechanics

The biomechanics of animal limbs has evolved to meet the functional demands for movement associated with different behaviors and environments. Effective movement relies not only on limb mechanics but also on appropriate mechanosensory feedback. By comparing sensory ability and mechanics within a phylogenetic framework, we show that peripheral mechanosensation has evolved with limb biomechanics, evolutionarily tuning the neuromechanical system to its functional demands. We examined sensory physiology and mechanics of the pectoral fins, forelimb homologs, in the fish family Labridae. Labrid fishes exhibit extraordinary morphological and behavioral diversity and employ pectoral fin-based propulsion with fins ranging in shape from high aspect ratio (AR) wing-like fins to low AR paddle-like fins. Phylogenetic character analysis demonstrates that high AR fins evolved independently multiple times in this group. Four pairs of species were examined; each included a pleseiomorphic low AR and a h...

动物肢体的生物力学系统演化，旨在适配不同行为模式与生存环境对应的运动功能需求。有效的运动不仅依赖肢体的力学性能，同时也离不开恰当的机械感觉反馈。本研究通过系统发育框架下的感觉能力与力学性能对比，证明外周机械感觉与肢体生物力学协同演化，进而从进化层面将神经力学系统调校至匹配其功能需求的状态。本研究以隆头鱼科（Labridae）鱼类的胸鳍——前肢同源器官——为研究对象，对其感觉生理学与力学性能开展分析。隆头鱼科鱼类展现出极高的形态学与行为学多样性，其运动依赖胸鳍推进，胸鳍形态跨度极大，从高展弦比（AR）的翼状鳍到低展弦比的桨状鳍均有分布。系统发育性状分析表明，高展弦比胸鳍在该类群中已独立演化多次。本研究共考察四对物种，每对均包含一种具有祖征性低展弦比鳍的物种与一处原文未完成的表述