Alligator 3D Jaw Muscle Forces

This model of an adult American alligator (*Alligator mississippiensis*) shows the 3D orientations and magnitudes of the different jaw muscles. In the background is a ternary plot that shows these orientations in 2 dimensions. Notice how many of the jaw muscles of Alligator are relatively horizontally oriented. Also notice how large the forces of the orange arrow (ventral pterygoideus muscle) is compared to other muscles. Featured in Cost et al 2022, JEB). doi: 10.1242/jeb.243216.