Published: 21 Apr 2016 | Last Updated: 21 Apr 2016 13:04:19

Post-doctoral researcher and Structure and Motion group member Dr Andrew Cuff has recently published two papers on the scaling of muscles in cat species. 

Here's what Dr Cuff has to say about the research:

They are two closely related papers covering most of the post-cranial muscles of different felids. Surprisingly it has never really been done, with the only data before these papers were published on cat muscles covering cheetahs, which we used. Another paper has come out since my papers were accepted on the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) which would have been great to incorporate and I'm hoping someone builds on my research and incorporates more individuals and more taxa.

The papers can be found here:

The scaling of postcranial muscles in cats (Felidae) I: forelimb, cervical and thoracic muscles
The scaling of postcranial muscles in cats (Felidae) II: hindlimb and lumbosacral muscles

Below you can find a 3D model by Dr Cuff of a tiger's forelimb. Check out his blog to find more detail on the background to this research.

                                                                                                                                                               Tiger-forelimb by Andrew R Cuff on Sketchfab