Possibilities of Evolutionary Functional Morphology Based on the Collection of the Dead Bodies of Mammals / The Japanese Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine

ABSTRACT

Dead body science has tried to clarify the functional-morphological evolution of the mammals including the human. It fundamentally consists of the unrestricted collection of the dead bodies of the vertebrates, for example, from the zoos, aquaria, and from hunters. We show the results of the three-dimensional analysis about the manipulation mechanism in the giant panda, the enlarged eye and orbit in the Baikal seal, and the mastication system in the giant anteater. The findings actually contribute to the comparative functional-morphology of various mammals, and in the future the stored specimens after the dissection in natural history museum will continue to serve as an evidence of the evolutionary history of form and function in mammals.