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A test for paedomorphism in domestic pig cranial morphology

Abstract:
Domestic animals are often described as paedomorphic, meaning that they retain juvenile characteristics into adulthood. Through a three-dimensional landmark-based geometric morphometric analysis of cranial morphology at three growth stages, we demonstrate that wild boar (n = 138) and domestic pigs (n = 106) (Sus scrofa) follow distinct ontogenetic trajectories. With the exception of the size ratio between facial and neurocranial regions, paedomorphism does not appear to be the primary pattern describing the observed differences between wild and domestic pig cranial morphologies. The cranial phenotype of domestic pigs instead involves developmental innovation during domestication. This result questions the long-standing assumption that domestic animal phenotypes are paedomorphic forms of their wild counterparts.
Publication status:
Published
Peer review status:
Peer reviewed

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Publisher copy:
10.1098/rsbl.2017.0321

Authors


More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
SSD
Department:
School of Archaeology
Sub department:
Archaeology Institute
Role:
Author


Publisher:
Royal Society
Journal:
Biology Letters More from this journal
Volume:
13
Issue:
8
Pages:
20170321
Publication date:
2017-08-01
Acceptance date:
2017-07-13
DOI:
EISSN:
1744-957X
ISSN:
1744-9561


Keywords:
Pubs id:
pubs:723827
UUID:
uuid:2925ff87-8ea4-4440-86ce-50deda67858d
Local pid:
pubs:723827
Source identifiers:
723827
Deposit date:
2017-08-21

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