Journal of Anatomy

👋Hi new followers! 👋 At @JournalofAnat, we seek to advance the understanding of all aspects of human and comparative anatomy through the analysis of structure, function, development, and evolution. More about us, and submit your papers here: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/146975…

@funstonpaleo @AaronLeBlanc6 @davidevans_rom @ChristianSidor @VTechmeetsPaleo @ROMToronto @UofT @usponline @AgenciaFAPESP @PaleoLabUSP

Rhynchosaur dentition preserves plesiomorphic amniote tissues, challenging the idea of a “bone of attachment,” suggesting heterochronic shifts in mineralization helped drive gomphosis evolution across multiple amniote clades, including mammals, dinosaurs, and crocodylians

Findings by @Scincomancer published here: doi.org/10.1111/joa.70…

Cranial sutures are overlooked aspects of the mammal skull. Comparing postnatal trajectories in suture shape retrieves plateauing adult complexity for midline sutures. Despite distinct developmental strategies, marsupial and placental suture disparity were found to overlap.

Now available! A new method paper utilises radiopaque contrast injected into peripheral nerves for subsequent CT scanning. The method produced excellent models of nerves leaving the specimens ready for further analysis doi.org/10.1111/joa.70…

Our new issue! 🦇✨features a cover image from Carter's latest study. Leading-edge tubercles on the bat pinna reduce drag before stall and increase lift after stall by generating streamwise vortices. These natural surface features likely improve aerodynamic efficiency.

Get more info and full access to the study here: doi.org/10.1111/joa.70…

Šulcová et al studied the way teeth attach to jaws across vertebrates. In veiled chameleons, firmly ankylosed teeth formed via a transient cell type at the tooth–bone interface showing both osteoblast- and odontoblast-like features. They call these theorised cells ankyloblasts.

Also this month, @AmyManson13 used finite element modelling informed by neonatal MRI data, to test whether simple mechanical deformation from brain and masticatory muscle growth can predict early cranial shape change, focusing on the basicranium and face doi.org/10.1111/joa.14…

📢 We’re now on LinkedIn! You can now find the Journal of Anatomy on LinkedIn, as well as here and all the usual places. We’ll continue showcasing the latest research in Development, Evolution and Function, so come find us here 👉 linkedin.com/company/journa…

We welcome 2026 with a focus on Dynamic Anatomy. This cover image from Crompton et al., features the pelvis of StW 572, an example of A. prometheus Their new analysis shows human-like pelvic traits and supports multiple modes of bipedalism in early hominins #Paleoanthropology

Seasons Greetings from all at Journal of Anatomy - watch this space in 2026 for plenty of exciting new findings from the world of anatomical research. We hope you have a peaceful and fulfilling festive period!

Predicting head injury in infants is complicated by large anatomical variability. This study from @CoatsHeadLab analyzed skull thickness at 12,000+ locations in 266 infants (<12 mo) to identify age/sex-specific anatomical standards doi.org/10.1111/joa.14…

@RJStrauch et al., investigate the mandibular symphysis in whales. Toothed whales exhibit unfused, partially fused, or fully fused symphyses, while baleen whales evolved a decoupled, highly mobile symphysis representing a novel condition unobserved in other mammalian clades.

Croaking geckos are the only geckos with mineralized hemipenes. @AaronHGriffing et al. examined these hemibacula, finding that they’re chondroid-like, appear after sexual maturity, grow isometrically, and likely evolved via peramorphosis. They grace the cover of our latest issue

📢 New collab led by @ValentinBuffa in @JournalofAnat on the origin and musculoskeletal functions of the wings of Late Permian gliding reptiles! onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jo…

The elephant vertebral column is a marvel of biological engineering. The remarkable functional morphology and intervertebral mobility of the elephant backbone is explored here comparing it with that of other large herbivores and their extinct relatives. doi.org/10.1111/joa.14…

Rodent semicircular canal (SCC) shape and size reveal how they move! 🐀 Agile arboreal species have larger canals, while fossorial ones have smaller. SCC morphology helps predict locomotor behaviour and even reconstruct how fossil rodents moved 🦴 #Anatomy #Evolution #Rodents