4.1 Variation in the bite force associated with craniodental
traits
Bite force has been established as an important performance trait for
vertebrates that is associated with both cranial morphology and trophic
ecology (Santana, Dumont, & Davis, 2010). However. studies in bats have
based their conclusions on biomechanical models of the bite force
without adequately testing the assumed correlation of it with the shape
of the skull (Aguirre, Herrel, Van Damme, & Matthysen, 2002; Dumont,
2007; Herrel, De Smet, Aguirre & Aerts, 2008). Our study shows, for the
first time, strong quantitative evidence of such a correlation by using
a dataset of cranial traits involved in bite force within a
morphologically diverse clade of New World fruit bats.