Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38837363›Full record

ArticleJournal of anatomy2024

First description of the baubellum in the spectacled bear Tremarctos ornatus (Mammalia: Ursidae).

Tim De Ridder, Ellen Goossenaerts, Jonas Spruyt, Chris Van Ginneken, Peter Aerts, Jamie A MacLaren

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of anatomy, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Tim De RidderDepartment of Veterinary Sciences, Comparative Perinatal Development, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.ORCID 0009-0006-4995-3592
Ellen GoossenaertsDepartment of Veterinary Sciences, Comparative Perinatal Development, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
Jonas SpruytCentre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
Chris Van GinnekenDepartment of Veterinary Sciences, Comparative Perinatal Development, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
Peter AertsDepartment of Biology, Functional Morphology Laboratory, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
Jamie A MacLarenDepartment of Biology, Functional Morphology Laboratory, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.ORCID 0000-0003-4177-227X

Funding

Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek 12V8422N
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The baubellum (os clitoridis) is a bone found in the clitoris of many female eutherian mammals and is homologous to the baculum in males. In contrast to the baculum, the baubellum has received very little attention regarding its morphological or interspecific diversity, or on hypotheses for its function. The presence of the baubellum in bears (Ursidae) has only been established and mentioned in the literature for the Ursus genus, and not for the other genera of bears. Moreover, no scaled photographs are available for baubella of this clade, and the sizes reported vary between sources. We hereby present and describe the baubellum of a spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus), providing a detailed account of baubella in a basal ursid species. The baubellum of Tremarctos is slightly bowed dorsally, with two small prominences at the distal apex. The length of the Tremarctos baubellum in this study is comparable to that of Ursus americanus (American black bear). We infer the specific shape, with longitudinal ridges, of the baubellum in Tremarctos could indicate a discrete function during copulation or sexual arousal. However, future studies, especially regarding the associated soft tissues, will be required to confirm whether this is indeed the case. Our study expands the understanding of baubella within Ursidae, providing new data (including a three-dimensional model) that can be used to further explore the morphological diversity and function of this enigmatic extra-skeletal bone.

Indexed as

UrsidaeAnimalsBone and BonesFemaleMaleBaubellumos clitoridisspectacled bear

Identifiers

PMID38837363
PMCPMC11424812

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.