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We assessed the scapular morphology and forelimb musculature of all four solitary African mole rats (Bathyergidae): two scratch\u2010diggers, <jats:italic>Bathyergus suillus<\/jats:italic> and <jats:italic>Bathyergus janetta<\/jats:italic>, and two chisel\u2010tooth diggers, <jats:italic>Heliophobius argenteocinereus<\/jats:italic> and <jats:italic>Georychus capensis<\/jats:italic>. Remarkable differences were detected: <jats:italic>Bathyergus<\/jats:italic> have more robust neck, shoulder, and forearm muscles as compared to the other genera. Some muscles in <jats:italic>Bathyergus<\/jats:italic> were also fused and often showing wider attachment areas to bones, which correlate well with its more robust and larger scapula, and its wider and medially oriented olecranon. This suggests that shoulder, elbow, and wrist work in synergy in <jats:italic>Bathyergus<\/jats:italic> for generating greater out\u2010forces and that the scapula and proximal ulna play fundamental roles as pivots to maximize and accommodate specialized muscles for better (i) glenohumeral and scapular stabilization, (ii) powerful shoulder flexion, (iii) extension of the elbow and (iv) flexion of the manus and digits. Moreover, although all bathyergids showed a similar set of muscles, <jats:italic>Heliophobius<\/jats:italic> lacked the m. tensor fasciae antebrachii (aiding with elbow extension and humeral retraction), and <jats:italic>Heliophobius<\/jats:italic> and <jats:italic>Georychus<\/jats:italic> lacked the m. articularis humeri (aiding with humeral adduction), indicating deeper morphogenetic differences among digging groups and suggesting a relatively less specialized scratch\u2010digging ability. Nevertheless, <jats:italic>Heliophobius<\/jats:italic> and <jats:italic>Bathyergus<\/jats:italic> shared some similar adaptations allowing scratch\u2010digging. Our results provide new information about the morphological divergence within this family associated with the specialization to distinct functions and digging behaviors, thus contributing to understand the mosaic of adaptations emerging in phylogenetically and ecologically closer subterranean taxa. This and previous anatomical studies on the Bathyergidae will provide researchers with a substantial basis on the form and function of the musculoskeletal system for future kinematic investigations of digging behavior, as well as to define potential indicators of scratch\u2010digging ability.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1111\/joa.14058","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,5,18]],"date-time":"2024-05-18T03:15:09Z","timestamp":1716002109000},"page":"420-450","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":9,"title":["Functional and morphological divergence in the forelimb musculoskeletal system of scratch\u2010digging subterranean mammals (Rodentia: Bathyergidae)"],"prefix":"10.1111","volume":"245","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3363-2827","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Germ\u00e1n","family":"Montoya\u2010Sanhueza","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science University of South Bohemia  \u010cesk\u00e9 Bud\u011bjovice Czech Republic"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9748-2947","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nigel C.","family":"Bennett","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology University of Pretoria  Pretoria South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8658-9378","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Radim","family":"\u0160umbera","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science University of South Bohemia  \u010cesk\u00e9 Bud\u011bjovice Czech Republic"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,5,18]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_8_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1590\/1678-4766e2017010"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_3_1","unstructured":"Adobe Inc. 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