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Functional Evolution of the Feeding System in Rodents

This paper presents the first detailed biomechanical analysis of the crania of rodents, the largest and most successful order of mammals. Finite element analysis was used to investigate gnawing and chewing abilities of squirrels, guinea pigs and rats, and showed that the rat had the most efficient bite of all three rodents, at both incisors and molars. This partially explains why rats have been so successful as a species, and more generally provides further insight into skull biomechanics of all mammals, including humans. This result generated a great deal of international media interest (e.g. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/28/rats-study-rodent-world_n_1461316.html; http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120428000218.htm).