Aspectos Morfomecanicos da Artomiologia do Sistema Mastigador nod Mamiferos Domesticos

The author compare his own research on the motor apparatus of the domestic mammalia's masticatory system with other author's research. Underlining the singularity of this system in the mammalia, the author gives special attention to the complex evolution of the temporomandibular articulation from pre-mammalian reptiles to mammalia, very different of the modifications of the temporomandibular articulation from the pre-avian reptiles to the Birds, a somewhat moderate evolutive step. Also he looks at the transition of the primitive vertebrate's mandibular elevator muscle to the intricated system of the elevator masticatory muscles of the present Mammalia; these last muscles themselves tend to diversity even more and this occurs partially already namely in the masseter and temporal muscles. Parallely the Author pays attention to the evolution of some of the bones where masticatory muscles are inserted and refers the interesting hypothesis of PAULO MARQUES about phylogenetic origin of the zygomatic arch, notable osseous bridge where the temporal and masseter exert opposite tractions, both active and passive: the passive ones by means of very developed aponeurosis. The gastric muscle, generally a depressor and/or retractor of the mandibula, is specially studied, given the large variety of morphological and evolutive problems it presentsAvailable from Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia, Servico de Informacao e Documentacao, Av. D. Carlos I, 126, 1200 Lisboa / FCT - Fundação para o Ciência e a TecnologiaSIGLEPTPortuga