Fig. 5: Ancestral state reconstructions of discrete bone superstructures in Bathyergidae and the outgroups Petromuridae, Thryonomyidae, and Hystricidae.

a Deltoid tuberosity (DT); b third trochanter (TT); and c distal fusion of the tibia-fibula (DFTFi). Values at internal nodes were obtained by simulating character maps over the posterior sample of 1000 trees, using a method of stochastic character mapping. Simulated values are interpreted in terms of posterior probability. Bone illustrations show the analysed bone superstructure (red area). Bs Bathyergus suillus, Bj Bathyergus janetta, Ch Cryptomys hottentotus, Fd Fukomys damarensis, Fm Fukomys mechowii, Gc Georychus capensis, Ha Heliophobius argenteocinereus, Hg Heterocephalus glaber, Hya Hystrix africaeaustralis, Pt Petromus typicus, Ts Thryonomys swinderianus. Phylogenetic relationships obtained from www.vertlife.org79.