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It turns out, you're not what you eat -- at least, if you're a mammal belonging to the order Carnivora. New research has found that for this group of mammals -- which includes species as varied as raccoons, pandas, and elephant seals -- nondietary factors can be just as important, if not more so, in determining skull form and function.
New research has found that for this group of mammals -- which includes species as varied as raccoons, pandas, and elephant seals -- nondietary factors can be just as important, if not more so, in determining skull form and function. In a study, data from more than 50 living species was used to create shape and biomechanical models representing a wide range of diets, from exclusive carnivores like lions to herbivores like pandas and omnivores like raccoons. The models allowed researchers to examine how skull size, shape, and bite performance varied when compared with nondietary factors such as habitat, life expectancy and movement, among others. Results showed that not only did nondietary factors influence skull shape and bite, but that variables such as age at sexual maturity and precipitation rates in a species' environment can have a strong influence on bite performance.Image credit: Mathias Appel/Flicker
