{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,21]],"date-time":"2026-10-21T23:28:17Z","timestamp":1792625297283,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":59,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2006,7,11]],"date-time":"2006-07-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1152576000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/termsAndConditions#vor"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Anat. Rec."],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2006,8]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title><jats:p>This article reports the use of simple beam and finite\u2010element models to investigate the relationship between rostral shape and biomechanical performance in living crocodilians under a range of loading conditions. Load cases corresponded to simple biting, lateral head shaking, and twist feeding behaviors. The six specimens were chosen to reflect, as far as possible, the full range of rostral shape in living crocodilians: a juvenile <jats:italic>Caiman crocodilus<\/jats:italic>, subadult <jats:italic>Alligator mississippiensis<\/jats:italic> and <jats:italic>Crocodylus johnstoni<\/jats:italic>, and adult <jats:italic>Caiman crocodilus<\/jats:italic>, <jats:italic>Melanosuchus niger<\/jats:italic>, and <jats:italic>Paleosuchus palpebrosus<\/jats:italic>. The simple beam models were generated using morphometric landmarks from each specimen. Three of the finite\u2010element models, the <jats:italic>A. mississippiensis<\/jats:italic>, juvenile <jats:italic>Caiman crocodilus<\/jats:italic>, and the <jats:italic>Crocodylus johnstoni<\/jats:italic>, were based on CT scan data from respective specimens, but these data were not available for the other models and so these\u2014the adult <jats:italic>Caiman crocodilus<\/jats:italic>, <jats:italic>M. niger<\/jats:italic>, and <jats:italic>P. palpebrosus<\/jats:italic>\u2014were generated by morphing the juvenile <jats:italic>Caiman crocodilus<\/jats:italic> mesh with reference to three\u2010dimensional linear distance measured from specimens. Comparison of the mechanical performance of the six finite\u2010element models essentially matched results of the simple beam models: relatively tall skulls performed best under vertical loading and tall and wide skulls performed best under torsional loading. The widely held assumption that the platyrostral (dorsoventrally flattened) crocodilian skull is optimized for torsional loading was not supported by either simple beam theory models or finite\u2010element modeling. Rather than being purely optimized against loads encountered while subduing and processing food, the shape of the crocodilian rostrum may be significantly affected by the hydrodynamic constraints of catching agile aquatic prey. This observation has important implications for our understanding of biomechanics in crocodilians and other aquatic reptiles. Anat Rec Part A, 288A:827\u2013849, 2006. \u00a9 2006 Wiley\u2010Liss, Inc.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1002\/ar.a.20360","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2006,7,11]],"date-time":"2006-07-11T19:46:32Z","timestamp":1152647192000},"page":"827-849","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":150,"title":["Biomechanics of the rostrum in crocodilians: A comparative analysis using finite\u2010element modeling"],"prefix":"10.1002","volume":"288A","author":[{"given":"Colin R.","family":"McHenry","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Philip D.","family":"Clausen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"William J.T.","family":"Daniel","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mason B.","family":"Meers","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Atul","family":"Pendharkar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2006,7,11]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_9_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2307\/1442558"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_3_1","first-page":"15","article-title":"The globular teeth of the dwarf crocodile","volume":"8","author":"Aoki R","year":"1977","journal-title":"Nippon Herpetol J"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_4_1","first-page":"17","volume-title":"Current herpetology in East Asia","author":"Aoki R","year":"1989"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_5_1","first-page":"434","article-title":"Evolution and functional interpretation of some suture patterns in Paleozoic labyrinthodont amphibians and other lower tetrapods","volume":"48","author":"Bolt JR","year":"1974","journal-title":"J Paleontol"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_6_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2307\/3889340"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/jmor.1052020108"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_8_1","first-page":"173","volume-title":"Functional morphology in vertebrate paleontology","author":"Busbey AB","year":"1995"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_9_1","first-page":"79","article-title":"Bite force analysis in Caiman crocodilus","volume":"125","author":"Cleuren J","year":"1995","journal-title":"Belg J Zool"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_10_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1096-3642.1961.tb00220.x"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_11_1","first-page":"135","volume-title":"Crocodilian biology and evolution","author":"Daniel WJT","year":"2001"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_12_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2307\/1565713"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_13_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2307\/1443748"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_14_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1469-7998.1975.tb01405.x"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_15_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/ar.a.20165"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_16_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1017\/S0952836903003819"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_17_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/BF03043784"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_18_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/1096-8644(200008)112:4<575::AID-AJPA10>3.0.CO;2-0"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_19_1","volume-title":"Analysis of vertebrate structure","author":"Hildebrand M","year":"2001"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_20_1","first-page":"1557","article-title":"A skeleton of Steneosaurus obtusidens Andrews 1909 from the Upper Callovian of Villers\u2010sur\u2010Mer (Calvados, France) and the problem of definition of the Teleosauridae possessing blunt teeth","volume":"318","author":"Hua S","year":"1994","journal-title":"Comp Rend Acad Sci Ser II Sci Terre Planetes"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_21_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2307\/4797"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_22_1","series-title":"Biology of the reptilia","first-page":"201","author":"Iordansky NN","year":"1973"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_23_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/BF03043786"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_24_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1098\/rsta.2000.0548"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_25_1","first-page":"263","volume-title":"The biology of the reptilia, pt. 4D","author":"Langston W","year":"1973"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_26_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2307\/1564468"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_27_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/02724634.1987.10011647"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_28_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/0891296021000050755"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_29_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/ar.a.20167"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_30_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/(SICI)1097-4687(199701)231:1<53::AID-JMOR5>3.0.CO;2-P"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_31_1","first-page":"126","article-title":"Skull characteristics of recent crocodilia, with notes on the affinities of the recent genera Cont. 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