1
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Koper L, Koretsky IA, Rahmat SJ. The tympanic region of the skull in extant pinnipeds: A pilot study of auditory morphological disparity using linear morphometric principal component analysis. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2024; 307:3021-3040. [PMID: 38332639 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Pinnipeds are unique semiaquatic taxa possessing adaptations to hear efficiently both in water and on land. Research over the past century is extremely limited on the auditory apparatus morphology of pinnipeds, which include the Families Phocidae (true seals), Otariidae (sea lions/fur seals), and Odobenidae (walruses). Our extensive literature review revealed inaccurate terminology of this region, with details corresponding only to terrestrial taxa, and a severe lack of information due to very few current studies. This demonstrates the need for evaluation and comparison of the auditory morphologies of modern terrestrial and semiaquatic carnivorans in relation to hearing. This initial study compares tympanic bullar morphologies of Phocidae to other pinnipeds and representatives of terrestrial carnivoran families. Morphological correlations of the basicranial auditory region were also compared within phocid subfamilies. Eleven skull measurements and about eleven calculated ratios were included in multiple principal component analyses to determine what areas of the auditory apparatus had the most significant morphological variation. This is the first study using this methodology, especially in reference to the hearing adaptations of pinnipeds, specifically in phocids. Results demonstrate distinct trends in phocid bullar morphology relative to other pinnipeds. Analyses reveal that: (1) phocids generally have different bullar morphology than otariids and odobenids; (2) Neomonachus schauinslandi (Hawaiian monk seal) and Neomonachus tropicalis (Caribbean monk seal) have unique morphology compared to phocids and other pinnipeds. Future work with increased number of specimens will further substantiate these findings and both ontogenetic and sexual variations will be examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey Koper
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Biology, Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Howard University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Irina A Koretsky
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Biology, Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Howard University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Sulman J Rahmat
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Biology, Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Howard University, Washington, DC, USA
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2
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Machado RB, Amorim TOS, de Castro F, Andriolo A. Use of whistles for acoustic classification of delphinids (odontoceti: Delphinidae) in the Western South Atlantic Ocean. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2024; 156:1070-1080. [PMID: 39140880 DOI: 10.1121/10.0028170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024]
Abstract
This study focuses on the acoustic classification of delphinid species at the southern continental slope of Brazil. Recordings were collected between 2013 and 2015 using towed arrays and were processed using a classifier to identify the species in the recordings. Using Raven Pro 1.6 software (Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY), we analyzed whistles for species identification. The random forest algorithm in R facilitates classification analysis based on acoustic parameters, including low, high, delta, center, beginning, and ending frequencies, and duration. Evaluation metrics, such as correct and incorrect classification percentages, global accuracy, balanced accuracy, and p-values, were employed. Receiver operating characteristic curves and area-under-the-curve (AUC) values demonstrated well-fitting models (AUC ≥ 0.7) for species definition. Duration and delta frequency emerged as crucial parameters for classification, as indicated by the decrease in mean accuracy. Multivariate dispersion plots visualized the proximity between acoustic and visual match data and exclusively acoustic encounter (EAE) data. The EAE results classified as Delphinus delphis (n = 6), Stenella frontalis (n = 3), and Stenella longirostris (n = 2) provide valuable insights into the presence of these species between approximately 23° and 34° S in Brazil. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of acousting classification in discriminating delphinids through whistle parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphael Barbosa Machado
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Biodiversidade e Conservação da Natureza, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Instituto Aqualie, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e Bioacústica, Depto. de Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Thiago O S Amorim
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Biodiversidade e Conservação da Natureza, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Instituto Aqualie, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e Bioacústica, Depto. de Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Franciele de Castro
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Biodiversidade e Conservação da Natureza, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Instituto Aqualie, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e Bioacústica, Depto. de Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Artur Andriolo
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Biodiversidade e Conservação da Natureza, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Instituto Aqualie, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e Bioacústica, Depto. de Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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3
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Weldon A, Burrows AM, Wirdateti W, Nugraha TP, Supriatna N, Smith TD, Nekaris KAI. From masks to muscles: Mapping facial structure of Nycticebus. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2024. [PMID: 38872582 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
Facial musculature in mammals underlies mastication and nonverbal communicative facial displays. Our understanding of primate facial expression comes primarily from haplorrhines (monkeys and apes), while our understanding of strepsirrhine (lemurs and lorises) facial expression remains incomplete. We examined the facial muscles of six specimens from three Nycticebus species (Nycticebus coucang, Nycticebus javanicus, and Nycticebus menagensis) using traditional dissection methodology and novel three-dimensional facial scanning to produce a detailed facial muscle map, and compared these results to another nocturnal strepsirrhine genus, the greater bushbaby (Otolemur spp.). We observed 19 muscles with no differences among Nycticebus specimens. A total of 17 muscles were observed in both Nycticebus and Otolemur, with little difference in attachment and function but some difference in directionality of movement. In the oral region, we note the presence of the depressor anguli oris, which has been reported in other primate species but is absent in Otolemur. The remaining muscle is a previously undescribed constrictor nasalis muscle located on the lateral nasal alar region, likely responsible for constriction of the nares. We propose this newly described muscle may relate to vomeronasal organ functioning and the importance of the use of nasal musculature in olfactory communication. We discuss how this combined methodology enabled imaging of small complex muscles. We further discuss how the facial anatomy of Nycticebus spp. relates to their unique physiology and behavioral ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Weldon
- Nocturnal Primate Research Group, School of Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
| | - A M Burrows
- Department of Physical Therapy, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - W Wirdateti
- Research Center for Biosystematics and Evolution, National Research and Innovation Agency [BRIN], Indonesia
| | - T P Nugraha
- Research Center for Applied Zoology, National Research and Innovation Agency [BRIN], Indonesia
| | - N Supriatna
- National Research and Innovation Agency [BRIN], Indonesia
| | - Timothy D Smith
- School of Physical Therapy, Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - K A I Nekaris
- Nocturnal Primate Research Group, School of Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
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4
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Takeuchi H, Matsuishi TF, Hayakawa T. A tradeoff evolution between acoustic fat bodies and skull muscles in toothed whales. Gene 2024; 901:148167. [PMID: 38224921 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2024.148167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
Toothed whales have developed specialized echolocation abilities that are crucial for underwater activities. Acoustic fat bodies, including the melon, extramandibular fat body, and intramandibular fat body, are vital for echolocation. This study explores the transcriptome of acoustic fat bodies in toothed whales, revealing some insight into their evolutionary origins and ecological significance. Comparative transcriptome analysis of acoustic fat bodies and related tissues in a harbor porpoise and a Pacific white-sided dolphin reveals that acoustic fat bodies possess characteristics of both muscle and adipose tissue, occupying an intermediate position. The melon and extramandibular fat body exhibit specific muscle-related functions, implying an evolutionary connection between acoustic fat bodies and muscle tissue. Furthermore, we suggested that the melon and extramandibular fat body originate from intramuscular adipose tissue, a component of white adipose tissue. The extramandibular fat body has been identified as an evolutionary homolog of the masseter muscle, supported by the specific expression of MYH16, a pivotal protein in masticatory muscles. The intramandibular fat body, located within the mandibular foramen, shows possibilities of the presence of several immune-related functions, likely due to its proximity to bone marrow. Furthermore, this study sheds light on leucine modification in the catabolic pathway, which leads to the accumulation of isovaleric acid in acoustic fat bodies. Swallowing without chewing, a major toothed whale feeding ecology adaptation, makes the masticatory muscle redundant and leads to the formation of the extramandibular fat body. We propose that the intramuscular fat enlargement in facial muscles, which influences acoustic fat body development, is potentially related to the substantial reorganization of head morphology in toothed whales during aquatic adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayate Takeuchi
- Division of Biosphere Science, Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, N10W5, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0810, Japan
| | - Takashi Fritz Matsuishi
- Global Center for Food, Land and Water Resources, Faculty of Fisheries Sciences, Hokkaido University, 3-1-1, Minato, Hakodate, Hokkaido 041-8611, Japan
| | - Takashi Hayakawa
- Section of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University, N10W5, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0810, Japan.
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5
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Coombs EJ, Knapp A, Park T, Bennion RF, McCurry MR, Lanzetti A, Boessenecker RW, McGowen MR. Drivers of morphological evolution in the toothed whale jaw. Curr Biol 2024; 34:273-285.e3. [PMID: 38118449 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.11.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
Toothed whales (odontocetes) emit high-frequency underwater sounds (echolocate)-an extreme and unique innovation allowing them to sense their prey and environment. Their highly specialized mandible (lower jaw) allows high-frequency sounds to be transmitted back to the inner ear. Echolocation is evident in the earliest toothed whales, but little research has focused on the evolution of mandibular form regarding this unique adaptation. Here, we use a high-density, three-dimensional geometric morphometric analysis of 100 living and extinct cetacean species spanning their ∼50-million-year evolutionary history. Our analyses demonstrate that most shape variation is found in the relative length of the jaw and the mandibular symphysis. The greatest morphological diversity was obtained during two periods of rapid evolution: the initial evolution of archaeocetes (stem whales) in the early to mid-Eocene as they adapted to an aquatic lifestyle, representing one of the most extreme adaptive transitions known, and later on in the mid-Oligocene odontocetes as they became increasingly specialized for a range of diets facilitated by increasingly refined echolocation. Low disparity in the posterior mandible suggests the shape of the acoustic window, which receives sound, has remained conservative since the advent of directional hearing in the aquatic archaeocetes, even as the earliest odontocetes began to receive sounds from echolocation. Diet, echolocation, feeding method, and dentition type strongly influence mandible shape. Unlike in the toothed whale cranium, we found no significant asymmetry in the mandible. We suggest that a combination of refined echolocation and associated dietary specializations have driven morphology and disparity in the toothed whale mandible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen J Coombs
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, 10th St & Constitution Ave NW, Washington, DC 20560, USA; Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK.
| | - Andrew Knapp
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK; University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Travis Park
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK; School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Rebecca F Bennion
- Evolution & Diversity Dynamics Lab, Department of Geology, University of Liege, 4000 Liege, Belgium; O.D. Earth and History of Life, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Matthew R McCurry
- Australian Museum Research Institute, 1 William Street, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia; Earth & Sustainability Science Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences (BEES), University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia; Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560, USA
| | - Agnese Lanzetti
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK; School of Geography, Earth, and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Robert W Boessenecker
- University of California Museum of Paleontology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Michael R McGowen
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, 10th St & Constitution Ave NW, Washington, DC 20560, USA
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6
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Racicot R, Smith C. Cetology: The bare 'jaw' bones of whale evolution. Curr Biol 2024; 34:R67-R69. [PMID: 38262363 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.12.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Whale jaws are essential for both feeding and underwater hearing since the earliest 'walking' whales returned to the oceans. Over ∼50 million years of subsequent evolution have morphed the whale jaw into extreme shapes, but the hearing region remains conserved due to its critical acoustic functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Racicot
- Department of Messel Research and Mammalogy, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Chris Smith
- Division of Anthropology, American Museum of Natural History, 79(th) Street at Central Park West, New York, NY 10024, USA; New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY 10024, USA
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7
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Liu W, Yin D, Li Z, Zhu X, Zhang S, Zhang P, Lin D, Hua Z, Cao Z, Zhang H, Zhang J, Ying C, Xu P, Dong G, Liu K. Comparative Blood Transcriptome Analysis of Semi-Natural and Controlled Environment Populations of Yangtze Finless Porpoise. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:199. [PMID: 38254368 PMCID: PMC10812818 DOI: 10.3390/ani14020199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The Yangtze finless porpoises (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis) living in different environments display significant differences in behavior and physiology. To compare and analyze gene expression differences between an ex situ population and a controlled environment population of the Yangtze finless porpoise, we sequenced the transcriptome of blood tissues living in a semi-natural reserve and an artificial facility, respectively. We identified 6860 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), of which 6603 were up-regulated and 257 were down-regulated in the controlled environment vs ex situ comparison. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the up-regulated genes in the controlled environment population were significantly associated with glucose metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and the nervous system, while those up-regulated in the ex situ population were significantly associated with energy supply and biosynthesis. Further analysis showed that metabolic and hearing-related genes were significantly affected by changes in the environment, and key metabolic genes such as HK, PFK, IDH, and GLS and key hearing-related genes such as OTOA, OTOF, SLC38A1, and GABBR2 were identified. These results suggest that the controlled environment population may have enhanced glucose metabolic ability via activation of glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, the TCA cycle, and inositol phosphate metabolism, while the ex situ population may meet higher energy requirements via enhancement of the amino acid metabolism of the liver and muscle and oxidative phosphorylation. Additionally, the acoustic behavior and auditory-related genes of Yangtze finless porpoise may show responsive changes and differential expression under different environment conditions, and thus the auditory sensitivity may also show corresponding adaptive characteristics. This study provides a new perspective for further exploration of the responsive changes of the two populations to various environments and provides a theoretical reference for further improvements in conservation practices for the Yangtze finless porpoise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi 214081, China; (W.L.); (D.Y.); (D.L.); (Z.H.); (J.Z.); (P.X.)
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi 214081, China;
| | - Denghua Yin
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi 214081, China; (W.L.); (D.Y.); (D.L.); (Z.H.); (J.Z.); (P.X.)
| | - Zhanwei Li
- Zhuhai Chimelong Investment & Development Co., Ltd., Zhuhai 519000, China; (Z.L.); (P.Z.)
| | - Xiaoyan Zhu
- Anqing Aquatic Technology Promotion Center Station, Anqing 246000, China; (X.Z.); (S.Z.)
| | - Sigang Zhang
- Anqing Aquatic Technology Promotion Center Station, Anqing 246000, China; (X.Z.); (S.Z.)
| | - Peng Zhang
- Zhuhai Chimelong Investment & Development Co., Ltd., Zhuhai 519000, China; (Z.L.); (P.Z.)
| | - Danqing Lin
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi 214081, China; (W.L.); (D.Y.); (D.L.); (Z.H.); (J.Z.); (P.X.)
| | - Zhong Hua
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi 214081, China; (W.L.); (D.Y.); (D.L.); (Z.H.); (J.Z.); (P.X.)
| | - Zhichen Cao
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; (Z.C.); (H.Z.)
| | - Han Zhang
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; (Z.C.); (H.Z.)
| | - Jialu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi 214081, China; (W.L.); (D.Y.); (D.L.); (Z.H.); (J.Z.); (P.X.)
| | - Congping Ying
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi 214081, China;
| | - Pao Xu
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi 214081, China; (W.L.); (D.Y.); (D.L.); (Z.H.); (J.Z.); (P.X.)
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi 214081, China;
| | - Guixin Dong
- Guangdong South China Rare Wild Animal Species Conservation Center, Zhuhai 519031, China
| | - Kai Liu
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi 214081, China; (W.L.); (D.Y.); (D.L.); (Z.H.); (J.Z.); (P.X.)
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi 214081, China;
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; (Z.C.); (H.Z.)
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8
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Dickinson E, Elminowski EE, Flores D, Eldridge EI, Granatosky MC, Hartstone‐Rose A. A morphological analysis of carnivoran ossicles from Rancho La Brea. J Morphol 2022; 283:1337-1349. [PMID: 36041006 PMCID: PMC9826070 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.21506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
The morphology of the mammalian middle ear-including the size, shape, and stiffness of individual ossicles-controls their vibrational response to sound and, is closely related to an animal's auditory capabilities. While the relationship between middle ear morphology and hearing frequency has been explored in living carnivorans, the size and shape of ossicles in fossil carnivorans have been sparsely documented. In this study, we present the first morphological data on four iconic carnivoran taxa from the Rancho La Brea Tar Pits: Smilodon fatalis, Panthera atrox, Canis dirus, and Arctodus simus. These data are contextualized with samples of extant felids, canids, and ursids to determine the extent to which the ossicles of these iconic fossil taxa resemble their living relatives. Six, five, and seven linear measurements were taken from the malleus, incus, and stapes, respectively. Comparisons of geometric means reveal that the ossicles of fossil canids and felids are similar in size to living analogs, but those of A. simus are significantly larger than those of any living ursid. Further, principal components analyses demonstrate close morphological affinities between fossil and extant taxa within canids and felids, and again, a greater disparity between fossil and extant ursids. Canids and ursids occupy distinct regions of the morphospace, yet both overlap the morphological range spanned by felids. While some elements-for example, the stapes-require further specimens to facilitate more nuanced interpretations of variation, our findings underscore the need for concerted efforts towards identifying and preserving these bones within fossil assemblages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edwin Dickinson
- Department of Biological SciencesNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighNorth CarolinaUSA,Department of AnatomyNew York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic MedicineOld WestburyNew YorkUSA
| | - Erin E. Elminowski
- Department of Biological SciencesNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighNorth CarolinaUSA,College of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of TennesseeKnoxvilleTennesseeUnited States
| | - Deanna Flores
- Department of Biological SciencesNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighNorth CarolinaUSA,Department of Biological SciencesSam Houston State UniversityHuntsvilleTexasUSA,Department of Earth ScienceUniversity of OregonEugeneOregonUSA
| | - Emma I. Eldridge
- Department of Biological SciencesNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighNorth CarolinaUSA,College of Veterinary MedicineNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighNorth CarolinaUnited States
| | - Michael C. Granatosky
- Department of AnatomyNew York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic MedicineOld WestburyNew YorkUSA
| | - Adam Hartstone‐Rose
- Department of Biological SciencesNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighNorth CarolinaUSA
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9
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Aquatic birds have middle ears adapted to amphibious lifestyles. Sci Rep 2022; 12:5251. [PMID: 35347167 PMCID: PMC8960762 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-09090-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Birds exhibit wide variation in their use of aquatic environments, on a spectrum from entirely terrestrial, through amphibious, to highly aquatic. Although there are limited empirical data on hearing sensitivity of birds underwater, mounting evidence indicates that diving birds detect and respond to sound underwater, suggesting that some modifications of the ear may assist foraging or other behaviors below the surface. In air, the tympanic middle ear acts as an impedance matcher that increases sound pressure and decreases sound vibration velocity between the outside air and the inner ear. Underwater, the impedance-matching task is reversed and the ear is exposed to high hydrostatic pressures. Using micro- and nano-CT (computerized tomography) scans of bird ears in 127 species across 26 taxonomic orders, we measured a suite of morphological traits of importance to aerial and aquatic hearing to test predictions relating to impedance-matching in birds with distinct aquatic lifestyles, while accounting for allometry and phylogeny. Birds that engage in underwater pursuit and deep diving showed the greatest differences in ear structure relative to terrestrial species. In these heavily modified ears, the size of the input areas of both the tympanic membrane and the columella footplate of the middle ear were reduced. Underwater pursuit and diving birds also typically had a shorter extrastapedius, a reduced cranial air volume and connectivity and several modifications in line with reversals of low-to-high impedance-matching. The results confirm adaptations of the middle ear to aquatic lifestyles in multiple independent bird lineages, likely facilitating hearing underwater and baroprotection, while potentially constraining the sensitivity of aerial hearing.
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10
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Laitman JT, Albertine KH. From specialized skin to sensing whiskers to unique depth perception mechanisms to novel eyes and much, much more: The distinctive ways marine mammals interact with their world are explored in a Special Issue of the The Anatomical Record. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2022; 305:503-508. [PMID: 35146950 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey T Laitman
- The Anatomical Record, Center for Anatomy and Functional Morphology Box 1007, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Kurt H Albertine
- The Anatomical Record, Center for Anatomy and Functional Morphology Box 1007, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
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11
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Lanzetti A, Crouch N, Portela Miguez R, Fernandez V, Goswami A. Developing echolocation: distinctive patterns in the ontogeny of the tympanoperiotic complex in baleen and toothed whales (Cetacea). Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blab160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Cetaceans (baleen and toothed whales) present a unique set of adaptations for life in water. Among other abilities, the two living groups can hear and produce different sound frequencies: baleen whales use low frequencies primarily for communication, whereas toothed whales acquired the ability to echolocate using high-frequency sounds. Both groups exhibit modifications to the morphology of the ear bones (tympanic bulla and periotic) that closely track their behaviour and ecology. The evolution of sound reception in whales is being investigated thoroughly, whereas the changes in prenatal development (ontogeny) that generate these disparate ear bone morphologies remain mostly unknown. In this study, we characterize the ontogeny of the ear bones in Cetacea by looking at the progression of ossification and associated changes in morphology using a combination of traditional measurements and an innovative landmark-free method to quantify shape on a newly assembled three-dimensional dataset spanning the ontogeny and phylogeny of extant Cetacea. We have found that the two groups of Cetacea share some aspects of ear ontogeny, such as a common growth trajectory of the periotic. However, differences in ossification, allometry and growth trajectory, particularly in the periotic bone, reflect their divergent inner ear morphology and hearing abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnese Lanzetti
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, Kensington, London, UK
| | - Natasha Crouch
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, Kensington, London, UK
| | - Roberto Portela Miguez
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, Kensington, London, UK
| | - Vincent Fernandez
- Imaging and Analysis Centre, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, Kensington, London, UK
| | - Anjali Goswami
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, Kensington, London, UK
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12
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Terranova F, Gnone G, Friard O, Bellingeri M, Giacoma C, Favaro L. Signature whistles of the demographic unit of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) inhabiting the Eastern Ligurian Sea: characterisation and comparison with the literature. THE EUROPEAN ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/24750263.2021.1936225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- F. Terranova
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Italy
| | - G. Gnone
- Acquario di Genova, Area Porto Antico, Ponte Spinola, Italy
| | - O. Friard
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Italy
| | - M. Bellingeri
- Fondazione Acquario di Genova, Area Porto Antico, Ponte Spinola, Italy
| | - C. Giacoma
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Italy
| | - L. Favaro
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Italy
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13
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Asynchronous Chirp Slope Keying for Underwater Acoustic Communication. SENSORS 2021; 21:s21093282. [PMID: 34068628 PMCID: PMC8126164 DOI: 10.3390/s21093282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
We propose an asynchronous acoustic chirp slope keying to map short bit sequences on single or multiple bands without preamble or error correction coding on the physical layer. We introduce a symbol detection scheme in the demodulator that uses the superposed matched filter results of up and down chirp references to estimate the symbol timing, which removes the requirement of a preamble for symbol synchronization. Details of the implementation are disclosed and discussed, and the performance is verified in a pool measurement on laboratory scale, as well as the simulation for a channel containing Rayleigh fading and Additive White Gaussian Noise. For time-bandwidth products (TB) of 50 in single band mode, a raw data rate of 100 bit/s is simulated to achieve bit error rates (BER) below 0.001 for signal-to-noise ratios above −6 dB. In dual-band mode, for TB of 25 and a data rate of 200 bit/s, the same bit error level was achieved for signal-to-noise ratios above 0 dB. The simulated packet error rates (PER) follow the general behavior of the BER, but with a higher error probability, which increases with the length of bits in each packet.
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14
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The Endocranial Cast of Indohyus (Artiodactyla, Raoellidae): The Origin of the Cetacean Brain. J MAMM EVOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10914-021-09552-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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15
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Groves SL, Peredo CM, Pyenson ND. What are the limits on whale ear bone size? Non-isometric scaling of the cetacean bulla. PeerJ 2021; 9:e10882. [PMID: 33604200 PMCID: PMC7869665 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The history of cetaceans demonstrates dramatic macroevolutionary changes that have aided their transformation from terrestrial to obligate aquatic mammals. Their fossil record shows extensive anatomical modifications that facilitate life in a marine environment. To better understand the constraints on this transition, we examined the physical dimensions of the bony auditory complex, in relation to body size, for both living and extinct cetaceans. We compared the dimensions of the tympanic bulla, a conch-shaped ear bone unique to cetaceans, with bizygomatic width—a proxy for cetacean body size. Our results demonstrate that cetacean ears scale non-isometrically with body size, with about 70% of variation explained by increases in bizygomatic width. Our results, which encompass the breadth of the whale fossil record, size diversity, and taxonomic distribution, suggest that functional auditory capacity is constrained by congruent factors related to cranial morphology, as opposed to allometrically scaling with body size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina L Groves
- Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA, USA
| | - Carlos Mauricio Peredo
- Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, USA.,Department of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.,Department of Marine Biology, Texas A&M University - Galveston, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Nicholas D Pyenson
- Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, USA.,Department of Paleontology and Geology, Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, Seattle, WA, USA
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16
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Assessing the Behavioural Responses of Small Cetaceans to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. REMOTE SENSING 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/rs13010156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), or drones, have recently emerged as a relatively affordable and accessible method for studying wildlife. Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) UAVs are appropriate for morphometric, behavioural, abundance and demographic studies of marine mammals, providing a stable, nonintrusive and highly manoeuvrable platform. Previous studies using VTOL UAVs have been conducted on various marine mammal species, but specific studies regarding behavioural responses to these devices are limited and scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate the immediate behavioural responses of common (Delphinus delphis) and bottlenose (Tursiops truncatus) dolphins to a VTOL UAV flown at different altitudes. A multirotor (quadcopter) UAV with an attached GoPro camera was used. Once a dolphin group was located, the UAV was flown at a starting height of 50 m directly above the group, subsequently descending 5 m every 30 s until reaching 5 m. We assessed three behavioural responses to a VTOL UAV at different heights: (i) direction changes, (ii) swimming speed and (iii) diving. Responses by D. delphis (n = 15) and T. truncatus (n = 10) groups were analysed separately. There were no significant responses of T. truncatus to any of the studied variables. For D. delphis, however, there were statistically significant changes in direction when the UAV was flown at a height of 5 m. Our results indicate that UAVs do not induce immediate behavioural responses in common or bottlenose dolphins when flown at heights > 5 m, demonstrating that the use of VTOL UAVs to study dolphins has minimal impact on the animals. However, we advise the use of the precautionary principle when interpreting these results as characteristics of this study site (e.g., high whale-watching activity) may have habituated dolphins to anthropogenic disturbance.
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17
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Wysokowski M, Zaslansky P, Ehrlich H. Macrobiomineralogy: Insights and Enigmas in Giant Whale Bones and Perspectives for Bioinspired Materials Science. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2020; 6:5357-5367. [PMID: 33320547 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.0c00364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The giant bones of whales (Cetacea) are the largest extant biomineral-based constructs known. The fact that such mammalian bones can grow up to 7 m long raises questions about differences and similarities to other smaller bones. Size and exposure to environmental stress are good reasons to suppose that an unexplored level of hierarchical organization may be present that is not needed in smaller bones. The existence of such a macroscopic naturally grown structure with poorly described mechanisms for biomineralization is an example of the many yet unexplored phenomena in living organisms. In this article, we describe key observations in macrobiomineralization and suggest that the large scale of biomineralization taking place in selected whale bones implies they may teach us fundamental principles of the chemistry, biology, and biomaterials science governing bone formation, from atomistic to the macrolevel. They are also associated with a very lipid rich environment on those bones. This has implications for bone development and damage sensing that has not yet been fully addressed. We propose that whale bone construction poses extreme requirements for inorganic material storage, mediated by biomacromolecules. Unlike extinct large mammals, cetaceans still live deep in large terrestrial water bodies following eons of adaptation. The nanocomposites from which the bones are made, comprising biomacromolecules and apatite nanocrystals, must therefore be well adapted to create the macroporous hierarchically structured architectures of the bones, with mechanical properties that match the loads imposed in vivo. This massive skeleton directly contributes to the survival of these largest mammals in the aquatic environments of Earth, with structural refinements being the result of 60 million years of evolution. We also believe that the concepts presented in this article highlight the beneficial uses of multidisciplinary and multiscale approaches to study the structural peculiarities of both organic and inorganic phases as well as mechanisms of biomineralization in highly specialized and evolutionarily conserved hard tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcin Wysokowski
- Institute of Chemical Technology and Engineering, Faculty of Chemical Technology, Poznan University of Technology, Berdychowo 4, Poznan 60965, Poland.,Institute of Electronics and Sensor Materials, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Gustav-Zeuner Strasse 3, Freiberg 09599, Germany
| | - Paul Zaslansky
- Department for Restorative and Preventive Dentistry, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin 10117, Germany
| | - Hermann Ehrlich
- Institute of Electronics and Sensor Materials, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Gustav-Zeuner Strasse 3, Freiberg 09599, Germany
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18
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Assemat A, Mourlam MJ, Weppe R, Maugoust J, Antoine P, Orliac MJ. The ossicular chain of Cainotheriidae (Mammalia, Artiodactyla). J Anat 2020; 237:250-262. [PMID: 32255213 PMCID: PMC7369187 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Revised: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
This work describes an unparalleled sample of isolated fossil auditory ossicles of cainotheriid artiodactyls from the Paleogene karstic infillings of Dams (Tarn-et-Garonne, Quercy, France). This collection comprises a total of 18 mallei, 28 incudes and three stapedes. It allows the documentation of both intra- and interspecific variability of ossicular morphology within Cainotheriidae. We show that despite considerable intraspecific variability, the malleus, the incus and the stapes appear to be taxonomically informative at the Cainotheriidae scale. This work further provides the first description of a reconstructed ossicular chain of a terrestrial Paleogene artiodactyl species, found in a basicranium of the late Oligocene cainotheriine Caenomeryx filholi (Pech Desse locality).
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Assemat
- Institut des Sciences de l’EvolutionCNRS, IRD, EPHE, Université de MontpellierMontpellierFrance
| | - Mickaël J. Mourlam
- Institut des Sciences de l’EvolutionCNRS, IRD, EPHE, Université de MontpellierMontpellierFrance
| | - Romain Weppe
- Institut des Sciences de l’EvolutionCNRS, IRD, EPHE, Université de MontpellierMontpellierFrance
| | - Jacob Maugoust
- Institut des Sciences de l’EvolutionCNRS, IRD, EPHE, Université de MontpellierMontpellierFrance
| | - Pierre‐Olivier Antoine
- Institut des Sciences de l’EvolutionCNRS, IRD, EPHE, Université de MontpellierMontpellierFrance
| | - Maeva Judith Orliac
- Institut des Sciences de l’EvolutionCNRS, IRD, EPHE, Université de MontpellierMontpellierFrance
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19
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Heffner RS, Koay G, Heffner HE. Hearing and sound localization in Cottontail rabbits, Sylvilagus floridanus. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2020; 206:543-552. [PMID: 32488424 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-020-01424-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Cottontail rabbits represent the first wild species of the order of lagomorphs whose hearing abilities have been determined. Cottontails, Sylvilagus floridanus, evolved in the New World, but have spread worldwide. Their hearing was tested behaviorally using a conditioned-avoidance procedure. At a level of 60 dB SPL, their hearing ranged from 300 Hz to 32 kHz, a span of 7.5 octaves. Mammalian low-frequency hearing is bimodally distributed and Cottontail rabbits fall into the group that hears below 400 Hz. However, their 300-Hz limit puts them near the gap that separates the two populations. The minimum audible angle of cottontails is 27.6°, making them less acute than most other species of mammals. Their large sound-localization threshold is consistent with the observation that mammals with broad fields of best vision require less acuity to direct their eyes to the sources of sound.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rickye S Heffner
- Department of Psychology, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43606, USA.
| | - Gimseong Koay
- Department of Psychology, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43606, USA
| | - Henry E Heffner
- Department of Psychology, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43606, USA
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20
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Park T, Mennecart B, Costeur L, Grohé C, Cooper N. Convergent evolution in toothed whale cochleae. BMC Evol Biol 2019; 19:195. [PMID: 31651234 PMCID: PMC6813997 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-019-1525-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Odontocetes (toothed whales) are the most species-rich marine mammal lineage. The catalyst for their evolutionary success is echolocation - a form of biological sonar that uses high-frequency sound, produced in the forehead and ultimately detected by the cochlea. The ubiquity of echolocation in odontocetes across a wide range of physical and acoustic environments suggests that convergent evolution of cochlear shape is likely to have occurred. To test this, we used SURFACE; a method that fits Ornstein-Uhlenbeck (OU) models with stepwise AIC (Akaike Information Criterion) to identify convergent regimes on the odontocete phylogeny, and then tested whether convergence in these regimes was significantly greater than expected by chance. RESULTS We identified three convergent regimes: (1) True's (Mesoplodon mirus) and Cuvier's (Ziphius cavirostris) beaked whales; (2) sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) and all other beaked whales sampled; and (3) pygmy (Kogia breviceps) and dwarf (Kogia sima) sperm whales and Dall's porpoise (Phocoenoides dalli). Interestingly the 'river dolphins', a group notorious for their convergent morphologies and riverine ecologies, do not have convergent cochlear shapes. The first two regimes were significantly convergent, with habitat type and dive type significantly correlated with membership of the sperm whale + beaked whale regime. CONCLUSIONS The extreme acoustic environment of the deep ocean likely constrains cochlear shape, causing the cochlear morphology of sperm and beaked whales to converge. This study adds support for cochlear morphology being used to predict the ecology of extinct cetaceans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Travis Park
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, SW7 5BD, London, UK.
| | - Bastien Mennecart
- Naturhistorisches Museum Basel, Augustinergasse 2, 4001, Basel, Switzerland
- Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Burgring 7, 1010, Vienna, Austria
| | - Loïc Costeur
- Naturhistorisches Museum Basel, Augustinergasse 2, 4001, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Camille Grohé
- Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY, 10024, USA
- Laboratory Paleontology Evolution Paleoecosystems Paleoprimatology (PALEVOPRIM) - UMR 7262, CNRS-INEE/University of Poitiers, 86073, Poitiers Cedex 9, France
| | - Natalie Cooper
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, SW7 5BD, London, UK
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21
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Wohlsein P, Seibel H, Beineke A, Baumgärtner W, Siebert U. Morphological and Pathological Findings in the Middle and Inner Ears of Harbour Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena). J Comp Pathol 2019; 172:93-106. [PMID: 31690422 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcpa.2019.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2019] [Revised: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 09/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Hearing represents the major sense in harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) and impairment of hearing has a great impact on the survival of these animals. In this communication, some anatomical and histological aspects of the tympanoperiotic complex of harbour porpoises are presented. In addition, the ears of 21 incidentally bycaught or stranded freshly dead harbour porpoises of different age groups and sex were investigated histologically. At the entrance to the middle ear cavity, mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue was present that was often hyperplastic in juvenile (9/10) and adult individuals (7/8). Solitary lymphoid follicles were additionally found in the corpus cavernosum and adjacent to the stapedius muscle in single porpoises. The nematode Stenurus minor represented the most common pathogen observed in the middle ear cavity of juvenile and adult harbour porpoises and the parasite was associated with chronic inflammation with metaplastic and hyperplastic epithelial changes. An unusual bone formation at the attachment of the corpus cavernosum to the perioticum was a common finding, even in young individuals. Whether this represents a normal structure or a metaplastic change remains undetermined. Acute haemorrhages in the cochlea and/or the tympanic cavity occurred in all animals and were most likely agonal changes. Single porpoises suffered from purulent otitis media, mycotic otitis media with osteolysis or chronically fractured tympanic bones, likely causing impairment of hearing that may have contributed to by-catch. There was no evidence that stranding in five porpoises was associated with the aural changes. Histological examination of the ears in harbour porpoises is a valuable part of the assessment of their health status. Damage to hearing structures may explain starvation due to impaired ability to catch prey or unusual behaviour such as stranding or entanglement in nets.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Wohlsein
- Department of Pathology, Hannover, Germany.
| | - H Seibel
- Institute of Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany
| | - A Beineke
- Department of Pathology, Hannover, Germany
| | | | - U Siebert
- Institute of Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany
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22
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Mourlam MJ, Orliac MJ. Early evolution of the ossicular chain in Cetacea: into the middle ear gears of a semi-aquatic protocetid whale. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20191417. [PMID: 31575370 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.1417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Modifications of the morphology and acoustic properties of the ossicular chain are among the major changes that accompanied the adaptation of Cetacea to the aquatic environment. Thus, data on the middle ear ossicles of early whales are crucial clues to understand the first steps of the emblematic terrestrial/aquatic transition that occurred in that group. Yet, the delicate nature and very small size of these bones make their preservation in the fossil record extremely rare. Due to the scarcity of available data, major questions remain concerning the sound transmission pathways in early non-fully aquatic whales. Virtual reconstruction of a partially complete ossicular chain of an Eocene protocetid whale documents for the first time the three ossicles of a semi-aquatic archaeocete. Contrary to previous hypotheses, these ossicles present different evolutionary patterns, showing that the ossicular chain does not act as a single morphological module. Functional analyses of the different middle ear units highlight a mosaic pattern of terrestrial and aquatic signatures. This integrative anatomical and functional study brings strong evidence that protocetids were adapted to their dual acoustic environment with efficient hearing in both air and water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mickaël J Mourlam
- Institut des Sciences de l'Évolution, UMR 5554 CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Université de Montpellier, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier cedex 5, France
| | - Maeva J Orliac
- Institut des Sciences de l'Évolution, UMR 5554 CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Université de Montpellier, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier cedex 5, France
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23
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Schmidt FN, Delsmann MM, Mletzko K, Yorgan TA, Hahn M, Siebert U, Busse B, Oheim R, Amling M, Rolvien T. Ultra-high matrix mineralization of sperm whale auditory ossicles facilitates high sound pressure and high-frequency underwater hearing. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 285:20181820. [PMID: 30963901 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.1820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The auditory ossicles-malleus, incus and stapes-are the smallest bones in mammalian bodies and enable stable sound transmission to the inner ear. Sperm whales are one of the deepest diving aquatic mammals that produce and perceive sounds with extreme loudness greater than 180 dB and frequencies higher than 30 kHz. Therefore, it is of major interest to decipher the microstructural basis for these unparalleled hearing abilities. Using a suite of high-resolution imaging techniques, we reveal that auditory ossicles of sperm whales are highly functional, featuring an ultra-high matrix mineralization that is higher than their teeth. On a micro-morphological and cellular level, this was associated with osteonal structures and osteocyte lacunar occlusions through calcified nanospherites (i.e. micropetrosis), while the bones were characterized by a higher hardness compared to a vertebral bone of the same animals as well as to human auditory ossicles. We propose that the ultra-high mineralization facilitates the unique hearing ability of sperm whales. High matrix mineralization represents an evolutionary conserved or convergent adaptation to middle ear sound transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix N Schmidt
- 1 Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf , Lottestrasse 59, 22529 Hamburg , Germany
| | - Maximilian M Delsmann
- 1 Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf , Lottestrasse 59, 22529 Hamburg , Germany
| | - Kathrin Mletzko
- 1 Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf , Lottestrasse 59, 22529 Hamburg , Germany
| | - Timur A Yorgan
- 1 Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf , Lottestrasse 59, 22529 Hamburg , Germany
| | - Michael Hahn
- 1 Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf , Lottestrasse 59, 22529 Hamburg , Germany
| | - Ursula Siebert
- 2 Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover , Foundation, Werftstrasse 6, 25761 Buesum , Germany
| | - Björn Busse
- 1 Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf , Lottestrasse 59, 22529 Hamburg , Germany
| | - Ralf Oheim
- 1 Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf , Lottestrasse 59, 22529 Hamburg , Germany
| | - Michael Amling
- 1 Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf , Lottestrasse 59, 22529 Hamburg , Germany
| | - Tim Rolvien
- 1 Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf , Lottestrasse 59, 22529 Hamburg , Germany.,3 Department of Orthopedics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf , Martinistrasse 52, 20246 Hamburg , Germany
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24
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Popov VV, Supin AY, Nechaev DI, Lemazina AA, Sysueva EV. Position of an acoustic window in a beluga whale: Computation based on auditory evoked potential latencies. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2019; 145:3578. [PMID: 31255112 DOI: 10.1121/1.5111752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Accepted: 05/28/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
In a beluga whale, the positions of sound receiving areas on the head surface were determined by comparing the acoustic delays from different sound source positions. For this investigation, auditory evoked potentials (AEPs) in response to short tone pips were recorded. Latencies of the first AEP wave that presumably reflected the activity of the auditory nerve were measured at different sound source azimuths. For AEPs of equal amplitudes, the difference in AEP latencies was attributed to the difference in the acoustic delays. These delay differences were used to compute the azimuths of sound receiving points. Measurements were conducted at frequencies from 22.5 to 90 kHz in half-octave steps. At all stimulus frequencies, the receiving points were located 24-38 cm caudal of the melon tip, which is near a proximal part of the lower jaw. Thus, the results indicated the latero-mandibular acoustic window. Possible causes for not finding a lateral or ventro-mandibular window are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- V V Popov
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 33 Leninsky Prospect, Moscow 119071, Russia
| | - A Ya Supin
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 33 Leninsky Prospect, Moscow 119071, Russia
| | - D I Nechaev
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 33 Leninsky Prospect, Moscow 119071, Russia
| | - A A Lemazina
- Max Plank Institute for Ornitology, Eberhard-Gwinner-Straße, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - E V Sysueva
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 33 Leninsky Prospect, Moscow 119071, Russia
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25
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Laitman JT, Albertine KH. The Anatomical Record
Returns to the Sea: Exploring the Great Whales and Their Interesting Relatives. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2019; 302:659-662. [DOI: 10.1002/ar.24119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
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26
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Loza CM, Krmpotic CM, Galliari FC, Andrés Laube PF, Negrete J, Scarano AC, Loureiro J, Carlini AA, Barbeito CG. Adaptations to a semiaquatic lifestyle in the external ear of southern pinnipeds (Otariidae and Phocidae, Carnivora): Morphological evidences. ZOOLOGY 2019; 133:66-80. [PMID: 30979391 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2019.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2018] [Revised: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Pinnipeds are semiaquatic carnivorans that spend most of their lives in water and use coastal terrestrial, or ice pack, environments to breed, molt and rest. Certain characteristics of the ear have been linked to ecological aspects. In our contribution we focus on the study of the macroscopic and microscopic morphology of the external ear (with the exception of the osseous outer ear canal) of six species of Southern pinnipeds. In order to recognize the different components of tissues, sections were stained following several routine protocols. In addition, double-staining and enzymatic clearing (Alcian blue-alizarin red) was performed to assess the arrangement of skeletal elements in the OEC. The basic structure of the pinna in the southern otariids studied match those previously analyzed for Northern Hemisphere species. The cartilage macro anatomy of the OEC of Mirounga leonina and Arctocephallus gazella is different from that of the Northern Hemisphere species, with only one plate of cartilage, but markedly different between them. The histology of the otariids OEC is homogeneous along the entire extension, but phocids has three different regions (distal, middle, and proximal). The cartilage histology of most phocids is also different from that of analyzed otariids, with an elastic cartilage that resembles a myxoid-like tissue, but is not present in M. leonina, were the tissue around the OEC is very rich in adipocytes. The southern elephant seal M. leonina OEC has a combination of features similar to both the rest of the phocids and to the otariids. An auditory organ that is functional both over and under water could be essential for social behavior in these species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cleopatra M Loza
- Laboratorio de Morfología Evolutiva y Desarrollo (MORPHOS), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Paseo del Bosque s/n, 1900 La Plata, Argentina; CONICET, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Argentina; División Paleontología de Vertebrados, Museo de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Cecilia M Krmpotic
- Laboratorio de Morfología Evolutiva y Desarrollo (MORPHOS), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Paseo del Bosque s/n, 1900 La Plata, Argentina; CONICET, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Argentina; División Paleontología de Vertebrados, Museo de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Fernando C Galliari
- Laboratorio de Morfología Evolutiva y Desarrollo (MORPHOS), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Paseo del Bosque s/n, 1900 La Plata, Argentina; División Paleontología de Vertebrados, Museo de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Pedro F Andrés Laube
- Laboratorio de Histología y Embriología descriptiva, experimental y comparada (LHYEDEC), Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Javier Negrete
- Departamento Biología de Predadores Tope, Instituto Antártico Argentino, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alejo C Scarano
- Laboratorio de Morfología Evolutiva y Desarrollo (MORPHOS), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Paseo del Bosque s/n, 1900 La Plata, Argentina; CONICET, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Argentina; División Paleontología de Vertebrados, Museo de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Departamento de Ambiente y Turismo, Universidad Nacional de Avellaneda, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Julio Loureiro
- Fundación Mundo Marino, San Clemente del Tuyú, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alfredo A Carlini
- Laboratorio de Morfología Evolutiva y Desarrollo (MORPHOS), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Paseo del Bosque s/n, 1900 La Plata, Argentina; CONICET, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Argentina; División Paleontología de Vertebrados, Museo de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Claudio G Barbeito
- CONICET, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Argentina; Laboratorio de Histología y Embriología descriptiva, experimental y comparada (LHYEDEC), Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Smodlaka H, Khamas WA, Jungers H, Pan R, Al-Tikriti M, Borovac JA, Palmer L, Bukac M. A Novel Understanding of Phocidae Hearing Adaptations Through a Study of Northern Elephant Seal (Mirounga angustirostris) Ear Anatomy and Histology. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2018; 302:1605-1614. [PMID: 30417986 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Revised: 08/07/2018] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The most conspicuous aural adaptation in northern elephant seals (NES) is complete absence of an auricle and a tortuous collapsed external acoustic meatus. The NES epitympanic recess contains massive ossicles immersed in the middle ear cavernous sinuses. Engorgement of the cavernous sinuses would make ossicles fully buoyant during deep diving. NES have a comparatively larger cochlear nerve, which carries a significantly larger number of axons than in terrestrial mammals, which would give them auditory ability similar to the obligate marine mammals such as cetaceans. Our calculations show that the traditional "air-dependent" impedance matching mechanism in NES functions to just half of the capacity compared with the one described in terrestrial mammals. Impedance matching would be further hindered in NES while diving due to fully collapsed external acoustic meatus. Thanks to similarities of acoustic impedance between the sea water, soft tissues, and blood sinuses, very little sound energy would be reflected and lost. When sound is generated underwater, the large ossicles, buoyant in the cavernous sinus, would not move due to oscillation of tympanic membrane. Rather, they would be oscillating due to their inertia and process of acoustic streaming. Our mathematical simulation shows that an increase in sound frequency would cause increased displacement of the stapedial footplate and thus transmit the sound energy to the inner ear. We contend that during diving, impedance matching and sound signal amplification in the middle ear courses through the cavernous sinuses and oscillates the enlarged ossicles, thus enabling a high-frequency ultrasonic hearing range in Phocidae. Anat Rec, 302:1605-1614, 2019. © 2018 American Association for Anatomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hrvoje Smodlaka
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California
| | - Wael A Khamas
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California
| | - Hali Jungers
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California
| | - Roman Pan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California
| | - Mohammed Al-Tikriti
- College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California
| | | | - Lauren Palmer
- Marine Mammal Care Center Los Angeles, San Pedro, California
| | - Martina Bukac
- Department of Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana
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Kelkar N, Dey S, Deshpande K, Choudhary SK, Dey S, Morisaka T. Foraging and feeding ecology ofPlatanista: an integrative review. Mamm Rev 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nachiket Kelkar
- Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE); Royal Enclave, Srirampura, Jakkur PO Bangalore 560064 Karnataka India
| | - Subhasis Dey
- Vikramshila Biodiversity Research & Education Centre; T.M. Bhagalpur University; Bhagalpur 812007 Bihar India
| | - Kadambari Deshpande
- Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE); Royal Enclave, Srirampura, Jakkur PO Bangalore 560064 Karnataka India
| | - Sunil Kumar Choudhary
- Vikramshila Biodiversity Research & Education Centre; T.M. Bhagalpur University; Bhagalpur 812007 Bihar India
| | - Sushant Dey
- Vikramshila Biodiversity Research & Education Centre; T.M. Bhagalpur University; Bhagalpur 812007 Bihar India
| | - Tadamichi Morisaka
- Graduate School of Bioresources; Mie University; 1577 Kurimamachiya-cho Tsu City Mie Prefecture 514-8507 Japan
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Rambaldi A, Cozzi B, Grandis A, Canova M, Mazzoni M, Bombardi C. Distribution of Calretinin Immunoreactivity in the Lateral Nucleus of the Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus
) Amygdala. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2017; 300:2008-2016. [DOI: 10.1002/ar.23634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2016] [Revised: 04/05/2017] [Accepted: 04/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- A.M. Rambaldi
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences (UNI EN ISO 9001:2008); University of Bologna; Bologna Italy
| | - B. Cozzi
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science; University of Padova; Padova Italy
| | - A. Grandis
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences (UNI EN ISO 9001:2008); University of Bologna; Bologna Italy
| | - M. Canova
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences (UNI EN ISO 9001:2008); University of Bologna; Bologna Italy
| | - M. Mazzoni
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences (UNI EN ISO 9001:2008); University of Bologna; Bologna Italy
| | - C. Bombardi
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences (UNI EN ISO 9001:2008); University of Bologna; Bologna Italy
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Infrasonic and Ultrasonic Hearing Evolved after the Emergence of Modern Whales. Curr Biol 2017; 27:1776-1781.e9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.04.061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Revised: 03/31/2017] [Accepted: 04/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Park T, Fitzgerald EMG, Evans AR. Ultrasonic hearing and echolocation in the earliest toothed whales. Biol Lett 2017; 12:rsbl.2016.0060. [PMID: 27072406 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2016.0060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2016] [Accepted: 03/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The evolution of biosonar (production of high-frequency sound and reception of its echo) was a key innovation of toothed whales and dolphins (Odontoceti) that facilitated phylogenetic diversification and rise to ecological predominance. Yet exactly when high-frequency hearing first evolved in odontocete history remains a fundamental question in cetacean biology. Here, we show that archaic odontocetes had a cochlea specialized for sensing high-frequency sound, as exemplified by an Oligocene xenorophid, one of the earliest diverging stem groups. This specialization is not as extreme as that seen in the crown clade. Paired with anatomical correlates for high-frequency signal production in Xenorophidae, this is strong evidence that the most archaic toothed whales possessed a functional biosonar system, and that this signature adaptation of odontocetes was acquired at or soon after their origin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Travis Park
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia Geosciences, Museum Victoria, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Erich M G Fitzgerald
- Geosciences, Museum Victoria, Melbourne, Australia National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Alistair R Evans
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia Geosciences, Museum Victoria, Melbourne, Australia
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Nam K, Lee KW, Chung O, Yim HS, Cha SS, Lee SW, Jun J, Cho YS, Bhak J, Magalhães JPD, Lee JH, Jeong JY. Analysis of the FGF gene family provides insights into aquatic adaptation in cetaceans. Sci Rep 2017; 7:40233. [PMID: 28074842 PMCID: PMC5225608 DOI: 10.1038/srep40233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2016] [Accepted: 12/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Cetacean body structure and physiology exhibit dramatic adaptations to their aquatic environment. Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are a family of essential factors that regulate animal development and physiology; however, their role in cetacean evolution is not clearly understood. Here, we sequenced the fin whale genome and analysed FGFs from 8 cetaceans. FGF22, a hair follicle-enriched gene, exhibited pseudogenization, indicating that the function of this gene is no longer necessary in cetaceans that have lost most of their body hair. An evolutionary analysis revealed signatures of positive selection for FGF3 and FGF11, genes related to ear and tooth development and hypoxia, respectively. We found a D203G substitution in cetacean FGF9, which was predicted to affect FGF9 homodimerization, suggesting that this gene plays a role in the acquisition of rigid flippers for efficient manoeuvring. Cetaceans utilize low bone density as a buoyancy control mechanism, but the underlying genes are not known. We found that the expression of FGF23, a gene associated with reduced bone density, is greatly increased in the cetacean liver under hypoxic conditions, thus implicating FGF23 in low bone density in cetaceans. Altogether, our results provide novel insights into the roles of FGFs in cetacean adaptation to the aquatic environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiwoong Nam
- INRA, UMR 1333 Diversité, Génomes &Interactions Microorganismes-Insectes, 2 place E. Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier, France.,Université Montpellier, 2 place E. Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier, France
| | - Kyeong Won Lee
- Marine Biotechnology Research Center, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Haeanro 787, Ansan 15627, Republic of Korea
| | - Oksung Chung
- Personal Genomics Institute, Genome Research Foundation, Osong 28160, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyung-Soon Yim
- Marine Biotechnology Research Center, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Haeanro 787, Ansan 15627, Republic of Korea.,Department of Marine Biotechnology, Korea University of Science and Technology, Daejeon 306-350, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun-Shin Cha
- Department of Chemistry and Nano Science, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, 03760, Republic of Korea
| | - Sae-Won Lee
- Biomedical Research Institute and IRICT, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul 110-744, Republic of Korea
| | - JeHoon Jun
- Personal Genomics Institute, Genome Research Foundation, Osong 28160, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun Sung Cho
- Personal Genomics Institute, Genome Research Foundation, Osong 28160, Republic of Korea.,The Genomics Institute, Biomedical Engineering Department, UNIST, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong Bhak
- Personal Genomics Institute, Genome Research Foundation, Osong 28160, Republic of Korea.,The Genomics Institute, Biomedical Engineering Department, UNIST, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea.,Geromics, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - João Pedro de Magalhães
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, United Kingdom
| | - Jung-Hyun Lee
- Marine Biotechnology Research Center, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Haeanro 787, Ansan 15627, Republic of Korea.,Department of Marine Biotechnology, Korea University of Science and Technology, Daejeon 306-350, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Yeon Jeong
- Marine Biotechnology Research Center, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Haeanro 787, Ansan 15627, Republic of Korea.,Department of Marine Biotechnology, Korea University of Science and Technology, Daejeon 306-350, Republic of Korea
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Najrana T, Sanchez-Esteban J. Mechanotransduction as an Adaptation to Gravity. Front Pediatr 2016; 4:140. [PMID: 28083527 PMCID: PMC5183626 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2016.00140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2016] [Accepted: 12/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Gravity has played a critical role in the development of terrestrial life. A key event in evolution has been the development of mechanisms to sense and transduce gravitational force into biological signals. The objective of this manuscript is to review how living organisms on Earth use mechanotransduction as an adaptation to gravity. Certain cells have evolved specialized structures, such as otoliths in hair cells of the inner ear and statoliths in plants, to respond directly to the force of gravity. By conducting studies in the reduced gravity of spaceflight (microgravity) or simulating microgravity in the laboratory, we have gained insights into how gravity might have changed life on Earth. We review how microgravity affects prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells at the cellular and molecular levels. Genomic studies in yeast have identified changes in genes involved in budding, cell polarity, and cell separation regulated by Ras, PI3K, and TOR signaling pathways. Moreover, transcriptomic analysis of late pregnant rats have revealed that microgravity affects genes that regulate circadian clocks, activate mechanotransduction pathways, and induce changes in immune response, metabolism, and cells proliferation. Importantly, these studies identified genes that modify chromatin structure and methylation, suggesting that long-term adaptation to gravity may be mediated by epigenetic modifications. Given that gravity represents a modification in mechanical stresses encounter by the cells, the tensegrity model of cytoskeletal architecture provides an excellent paradigm to explain how changes in the balance of forces, which are transmitted across transmembrane receptors and cytoskeleton, can influence intracellular signaling pathways and gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanbir Najrana
- Department of Pediatrics, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island , Providence, RI , USA
| | - Juan Sanchez-Esteban
- Department of Pediatrics, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island , Providence, RI , USA
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Byl JA, Miersch L, Wieskotten S, Dehnhardt G. Underwater sound localization of pure tones in the median plane by harbor seals (Phoca vitulina). THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2016; 140:4490. [PMID: 28040008 DOI: 10.1121/1.4972531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
In an underwater environment the physical characteristics of sound propagation differ considerably from those in air. For this reason, sound localization underwater is associated with difficulties, especially in the median plane. It was the approach of the present study to investigate whether harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) are able to determine the direction of a tonal signal form above or below in the underwater environment. Minimum audible angles (MAAs) or the angular range in which the animals could localize a pure tone stimulus in the vertical plane were obtained for frequencies from 0.35 up to 16 kHz. Testing was conducted with four male harbor seals in a semi-circle area of 6 m in diameter in about 2.5 m depth, by using a two alternative forced choice method. The results show that harbor seals are able to localize a pure tone in the median plane under water with a high performance for low frequency stimuli between 350 Hz and 2 kHz with MAAs ranging from below 2.5° up to about 25°. For higher frequencies the animals show strong individual differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny Ann Byl
- Sensory and Cognitive Ecology, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein Strasse 3, 18059 Rostock, Germany
| | - Lars Miersch
- Sensory and Cognitive Ecology, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein Strasse 3, 18059 Rostock, Germany
| | - Sven Wieskotten
- Sensory and Cognitive Ecology, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein Strasse 3, 18059 Rostock, Germany
| | - Guido Dehnhardt
- Sensory and Cognitive Ecology, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein Strasse 3, 18059 Rostock, Germany
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36
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Mooney TA, Kaplan MB, Lammers MO. Singing whales generate high levels of particle motion: implications for acoustic communication and hearing? Biol Lett 2016; 12:rsbl.2016.0381. [PMID: 27807249 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2016.0381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2016] [Accepted: 10/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Acoustic signals are fundamental to animal communication, and cetaceans are often considered bioacoustic specialists. Nearly all studies of their acoustic communication focus on sound pressure measurements, overlooking the particle motion components of their communication signals. Here we characterized the levels of acoustic particle velocity (and pressure) of song produced by humpback whales. We demonstrate that whales generate acoustic fields that include significant particle velocity components that are detectable over relatively long distances sufficient to play a role in acoustic communication. We show that these signals attenuate predictably in a manner similar to pressure and that direct particle velocity measurements can provide bearings to singing whales. Whales could potentially use such information to determine the distance of signalling animals. Additionally, the vibratory nature of particle velocity may stimulate bone conduction, a hearing modality found in other low-frequency specialized mammals, offering a parsimonious mechanism of acoustic energy transduction into the massive ossicles of whale ears. With substantial concerns regarding the effects of increasing anthropogenic ocean noise and major uncertainties surrounding mysticete hearing, these results highlight both an unexplored pathway that may be available for whale acoustic communication and the need to better understand the biological role of acoustic particle motion.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Aran Mooney
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Road, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - Maxwell B Kaplan
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Road, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - Marc O Lammers
- Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, 46-007 Lilipuna Road, Kaneohe, HI, USA.,Oceanwide Science Institute, PO Box 61692, Honolulu, HI, USA
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Popov VV, Sysueva EV, Nechaev DI, Lemazina AA, Supin AY. Auditory sensitivity to local stimulation of the head surface in a beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas). THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2016; 140:1218. [PMID: 27586750 DOI: 10.1121/1.4961014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Using the auditory evoked response technique, sensitivity to local acoustic stimulation of the ventro-lateral head surface was investigated in a beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas). The stimuli were tone pip trains of carrier frequencies ranging from 16 to 128 kHz with a pip rate of 1 kHz. For higher frequencies (90-128 kHz), the low-threshold point was located next to the medial side of the middle portion of the lower jaw. For middle (32-64 kHz) and lower (16-22.5 kHz) frequencies, the low-threshold point was located at the lateral side of the middle portion of the lower jaw. For lower frequencies, there was an additional low-threshold point next to the bulla-meatus complex. Based on these data, several frequency-specific paths of sound conduction to the auditory bulla are suggested: (i) through an area on the lateral surface of the lower jaw and further through the intra-jaw fat-body channel (for a wide frequency range); (ii) through an area on the ventro-lateral head surface and further through the medial opening of the lower jaw and intra-jaw fat-body channel (for a high-frequency range); and (iii) through an area on the lateral (near meatus) head surface and further through the lateral fat-body channel (for a low-frequency range).
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir V Popov
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Evgeniya V Sysueva
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Dmitry I Nechaev
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alena A Lemazina
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander Ya Supin
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
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Boessenecker RW, Fordyce RE. Anatomy, feeding ecology, and ontogeny of a transitional baleen whale: a new genus and species of Eomysticetidae (Mammalia: Cetacea) from the Oligocene of New Zealand. PeerJ 2015; 3:e1129. [PMID: 26380800 PMCID: PMC4570844 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.1129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2015] [Accepted: 07/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The Eocene history of cetacean evolution is now represented by the expansive fossil record of archaeocetes elucidating major morphofunctional shifts relating to the land to sea transition, but the change from archaeocetes to modern cetaceans is poorly established. New fossil material of the recently recognized family Eomysticetidae from the upper Oligocene Otekaike Limestone includes a new genus and species, Waharoa ruwhenua, represented by skulls and partial skeletons of an adult, juvenile, and a smaller juvenile. Ontogenetic status is confirmed by osteohistology of ribs. Waharoa ruwhenua is characterized by an elongate and narrow rostrum which retains vestigial alveoli and alveolar grooves. Palatal foramina and sulci are present only on the posterior half of the palate. The nasals are elongate, and the bony nares are positioned far anteriorly. Enormous temporal fossae are present adjacent to an elongate and narrow intertemporal region with a sharp sagittal crest. The earbones are characterized by retaining inner and outer posterior pedicles, lacking fused posterior processes, and retaining a separate accessory ossicle. Phylogenetic analysis supports inclusion of Waharoa ruwhenua within a monophyletic Eomysticetidae as the earliest diverging clade of toothless mysticetes. This eomysticetid clade also included Eomysticetus whitmorei, Micromysticetus rothauseni, Tohoraata raekohao, Tokarahia kauaeroa, Tokarahia lophocephalus, and Yamatocetus canaliculatus. Detailed study of ontogenetic change demonstrates postnatal elaboration of the sagittal and nuchal crests, elongation of the intertemporal region, inflation of the zygomatic processes, and an extreme proportional increase in rostral length. Tympanic bullae are nearly full sized during early postnatal ontogeny indicating precocial development of auditory structures, but do increase slightly in size. Positive allometry of the rostrum suggests an ontogenetic change in feeding ecology, from neonatal suckling to a more specialized adult feeding behaviour. Possible absence of baleen anteriorly, a delicate temporomandibular joint with probable synovial capsule, non-laterally deflected coronoid process, and anteroposteriorly expanded palate suggests skim feeding as likely mode of adult feeding for zooplankton. Isotopic data in concert with preservation of young juveniles suggests the continental shelf of Zealandia was an important calving ground for latitudinally migrating Oligocene baleen whales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert W Boessenecker
- Department of Geology, University of Otago , Dunedin , New Zealand ; University of California Museum of Paleontology, University of California , Berkeley, CA , USA ; Current affiliation: Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences, College of Charleston , Charleston, SC , USA
| | - R Ewan Fordyce
- Department of Geology, University of Otago , Dunedin , New Zealand
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Springer MS, Signore AV, Paijmans JLA, Vélez-Juarbe J, Domning DP, Bauer CE, He K, Crerar L, Campos PF, Murphy WJ, Meredith RW, Gatesy J, Willerslev E, MacPhee RDE, Hofreiter M, Campbell KL. Interordinal gene capture, the phylogenetic position of Steller's sea cow based on molecular and morphological data, and the macroevolutionary history of Sirenia. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2015; 91:178-93. [PMID: 26050523 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2015.05.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2015] [Revised: 05/22/2015] [Accepted: 05/28/2015] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The recently extinct (ca. 1768) Steller's sea cow (Hydrodamalis gigas) was a large, edentulous North Pacific sirenian. The phylogenetic affinities of this taxon to other members of this clade, living and extinct, are uncertain based on previous morphological and molecular studies. We employed hybridization capture methods and second generation sequencing technology to obtain >30kb of exon sequences from 26 nuclear genes for both H. gigas and Dugong dugon. We also obtained complete coding sequences for the tooth-related enamelin (ENAM) gene. Hybridization probes designed using dugong and manatee sequences were both highly effective in retrieving sequences from H. gigas (mean=98.8% coverage), as were more divergent probes for regions of ENAM (99.0% coverage) that were designed exclusively from a proboscidean (African elephant) and a hyracoid (Cape hyrax). New sequences were combined with available sequences for representatives of all other afrotherian orders. We also expanded a previously published morphological matrix for living and fossil Sirenia by adding both new taxa and nine new postcranial characters. Maximum likelihood and parsimony analyses of the molecular data provide robust support for an association of H. gigas and D. dugon to the exclusion of living trichechids (manatees). Parsimony analyses of the morphological data also support the inclusion of H. gigas in Dugongidae with D. dugon and fossil dugongids. Timetree analyses based on calibration density approaches with hard- and soft-bounded constraints suggest that H. gigas and D. dugon diverged in the Oligocene and that crown sirenians last shared a common ancestor in the Eocene. The coding sequence for the ENAM gene in H. gigas does not contain frameshift mutations or stop codons, but there is a transversion mutation (AG to CG) in the acceptor splice site of intron 2. This disruption in the edentulous Steller's sea cow is consistent with previous studies that have documented inactivating mutations in tooth-specific loci of a variety of edentulous and enamelless vertebrates including birds, turtles, aardvarks, pangolins, xenarthrans, and baleen whales. Further, branch-site dN/dS analyses provide evidence for positive selection in ENAM on the stem dugongid branch where extensive tooth reduction occurred, followed by neutral evolution on the Hydrodamalis branch. Finally, we present a synthetic evolutionary tree for living and fossil sirenians showing several key innovations in the history of this clade including character state changes that parallel those that occurred in the evolutionary history of cetaceans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark S Springer
- Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
| | - Anthony V Signore
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Johanna L A Paijmans
- Department of Biology, The University of York, Wentworth Way, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Jorge Vélez-Juarbe
- Department of Mammalogy, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA
| | - Daryl P Domning
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Biology, Department of Anatomy, Howard University, Washington, DC 20059, USA; Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20013, USA
| | - Cameron E Bauer
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Kai He
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Lorelei Crerar
- Department of Biology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA
| | - Paula F Campos
- Center for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5-7, 1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark; CIMAR/CIIMAR, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, Rua dos Bragas 289, 4050-123 Porto, Portugal
| | - William J Murphy
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Robert W Meredith
- Department of Biology and Molecular Biology, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ 07043, USA
| | - John Gatesy
- Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Eske Willerslev
- Center for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5-7, 1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark
| | - Ross D E MacPhee
- Department of Mammalogy, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY 10024, USA
| | - Michael Hofreiter
- Department of Biology, The University of York, Wentworth Way, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK; Adaptive and Evolutionary Genomics, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse 24-24, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Kevin L Campbell
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada.
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Cozzi B, Podestà M, Vaccaro C, Poggi R, Mazzariol S, Huggenberger S, Zotti A. Precocious Ossification of the Tympanoperiotic Bone in Fetal and Newborn Dolphins: An Evolutionary Adaptation to the Aquatic Environment? Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2015; 298:1294-300. [DOI: 10.1002/ar.23120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2014] [Accepted: 12/01/2014] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Cozzi
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science; University of Padova; Legnaro (PD) 35020 Italy
| | | | - Calogero Vaccaro
- Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health; University of Padova; Legnaro (PD) 35020 Italy
| | - Roberto Poggi
- Civic Museum of Natural History “G; Doria,”; Genova 16121 Italy
| | - Sandro Mazzariol
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science; University of Padova; Legnaro (PD) 35020 Italy
| | | | - Alessandro Zotti
- Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health; University of Padova; Legnaro (PD) 35020 Italy
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Cranford TW, Krysl P. Fin whale sound reception mechanisms: skull vibration enables low-frequency hearing. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0116222. [PMID: 25633412 PMCID: PMC4310601 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0116222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2014] [Accepted: 12/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Hearing mechanisms in baleen whales (Mysticeti) are essentially unknown but their vocalization frequencies overlap with anthropogenic sound sources. Synthetic audiograms were generated for a fin whale by applying finite element modeling tools to X-ray computed tomography (CT) scans. We CT scanned the head of a small fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) in a scanner designed for solid-fuel rocket motors. Our computer (finite element) modeling toolkit allowed us to visualize what occurs when sounds interact with the anatomic geometry of the whale's head. Simulations reveal two mechanisms that excite both bony ear complexes, (1) the skull-vibration enabled bone conduction mechanism and (2) a pressure mechanism transmitted through soft tissues. Bone conduction is the predominant mechanism. The mass density of the bony ear complexes and their firmly embedded attachments to the skull are universal across the Mysticeti, suggesting that sound reception mechanisms are similar in all baleen whales. Interactions between incident sound waves and the skull cause deformations that induce motion in each bony ear complex, resulting in best hearing sensitivity for low-frequency sounds. This predominant low-frequency sensitivity has significant implications for assessing mysticete exposure levels to anthropogenic sounds. The din of man-made ocean noise has increased steadily over the past half century. Our results provide valuable data for U.S. regulatory agencies and concerned large-scale industrial users of the ocean environment. This study transforms our understanding of baleen whale hearing and provides a means to predict auditory sensitivity across a broad spectrum of sound frequencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ted W. Cranford
- San Diego State University, Department of Biology, San Diego, California, United States of America, and Quantitative Morphology Consulting, Inc., San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Petr Krysl
- University of California San Diego, Department of Structural Engineering, La Jolla, California, United States of America
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Ekdale EG, Racicot RA. Anatomical evidence for low frequency sensitivity in an archaeocete whale: comparison of the inner ear of Zygorhiza kochii with that of crown Mysticeti. J Anat 2014; 226:22-39. [PMID: 25400023 DOI: 10.1111/joa.12253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The evolution of hearing in cetaceans is a matter of current interest given that odontocetes (toothed whales) are sensitive to high frequency sounds and mysticetes (baleen whales) are sensitive to low and potentially infrasonic noises. Earlier diverging stem cetaceans (archaeocetes) were hypothesized to have had either low or high frequency sensitivity. Through CT scanning, the morphology of the bony labyrinth of the basilosaurid archaeocete Zygorhiza kochii is described and compared to novel information from the inner ears of mysticetes, which are less known than the inner ears of odontocetes. Further comparisons are made with published information for other cetaceans. The anatomy of the cochlea of Zygorhiza is in line with mysticetes and supports the hypothesis that Zygorhiza was sensitive to low frequency noises. Morphological features that support the low frequency hypothesis and are shared by Zygorhiza and mysticetes include a long cochlear canal with a high number of turns, steeply graded curvature of the cochlear spiral in which the apical turn is coiled tighter than the basal turn, thin walls separating successive turns that overlap in vestibular view, and reduction of the secondary bony lamina. Additional morphology of the vestibular system indicates that Zygorhiza was more sensitive to head rotations than extant mysticetes are, which likely indicates higher agility in the ancestral taxon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric G Ekdale
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Paleontology, San Diego Natural History Museum, San Diego, CA, USA
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Guidarelli G, Nicolosi P, Fusco G, de Francesco MC, Loy A. Morphological variation and modularity in the mandible of three Mediterranean dolphin species. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014. [DOI: 10.1080/11250003.2014.943685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Kim SL, Thewissen JGM, Churchill MM, Suydam RS, Ketten DR, Clementz MT. Unique biochemical and mineral composition of whale ear bones. Physiol Biochem Zool 2014; 87:576-84. [PMID: 24940922 DOI: 10.1086/676309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Abstract Cetaceans are obligate aquatic mammals derived from terrestrial artiodactyls. The defining characteristic of cetaceans is a thick and dense lip (pachyosteosclerotic involucrum) of an ear bone (the tympanic). This unique feature is absent in modern terrestrial artiodactyls and is suggested to be important in underwater hearing. Here, we investigate the mineralogical and biochemical properties of the involucrum, as these may hold clues to the aquatic adaptations of cetaceans. We compared bioapatites (enamel, dentine, cementum, and skeletal bone) of cetaceans with those of terrestrial artiodactyls and pachyosteosclerotic ribs of manatees (Sirenia). We investigated organic, carbonate, and mineral composition as well as crystal size and crystallinity index. In all studied variables, bioapatites of the cetacean involucrum were intermediate in composition and structure between those of tooth enamel on the one hand and those of dentine, cementum, and skeletal bone on the other. We also studied the amino acid composition of the cetacean involucrum relative to that of other skeletal bone. The central involucrum had low glycine and hydroxyproline concentrations but high concentrations of nonessential amino acids, unlike most bone samples but similar to the tympanic of hippos and the (pachyosteosclerotic) ribs of manatees. These amino acid results are evidence of rapid bone development. We hypothesize that the mineralogical and amino acid composition of cetacean bullae differs from that of other bone because of (1) functional modifications for underwater sound reception and (2) structural adaptations related to rapid ossification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sora L Kim
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Wyoming, 1000 East University Avenue 3006, Laramie, Wyoming 82071; 2Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, Ohio 44272; 3Program in Ecology, University of Wyoming, 1000 East University Avenue 3622, Laramie, Wyoming 82071; 4Department of Wildlife Management, North Slope Borough, Barrow, Alaska 99753; 5Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543; and Department of Otology and Laryngology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114
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Lomas KF, Greenwood DR, Windmill JFC, Jackson JC, Corfield J, Parsons S. Discovery of a lipid synthesising organ in the auditory system of an insect. PLoS One 2012; 7:e51486. [PMID: 23251553 PMCID: PMC3520794 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0051486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2012] [Accepted: 11/06/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Weta possess typical Ensifera ears. Each ear comprises three functional parts: two equally sized tympanal membranes, an underlying system of modified tracheal chambers, and the auditory sensory organ, the crista acustica. This organ sits within an enclosed fluid-filled channel-previously presumed to be hemolymph. The role this channel plays in insect hearing is unknown. We discovered that the fluid within the channel is not actually hemolymph, but a medium composed principally of lipid from a new class. Three-dimensional imaging of this lipid channel revealed a previously undescribed tissue structure within the channel, which we refer to as the olivarius organ. Investigations into the function of the olivarius reveal de novo lipid synthesis indicating that it is producing these lipids in situ from acetate. The auditory role of this lipid channel was investigated using Laser Doppler vibrometry of the tympanal membrane, which shows that the displacement of the membrane is significantly increased when the lipid is removed from the auditory system. Neural sensitivity of the system, however, decreased upon removal of the lipid-a surprising result considering that in a typical auditory system both the mechanical and auditory sensitivity are positively correlated. These two results coupled with 3D modelling of the auditory system lead us to hypothesize a model for weta audition, relying strongly on the presence of the lipid channel. This is the first instance of lipids being associated with an auditory system outside of the Odentocete cetaceans, demonstrating convergence for the use of lipids in hearing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn F. Lomas
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - David R. Greenwood
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - James FC. Windmill
- Centre for Ultrasonic Engineering, Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Joseph C. Jackson
- Centre for Ultrasonic Engineering, Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Jeremy Corfield
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Stuart Parsons
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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48
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Gatesy J, Geisler JH, Chang J, Buell C, Berta A, Meredith RW, Springer MS, McGowen MR. A phylogenetic blueprint for a modern whale. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2012; 66:479-506. [PMID: 23103570 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2012.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 142] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2012] [Revised: 10/10/2012] [Accepted: 10/12/2012] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The emergence of Cetacea in the Paleogene represents one of the most profound macroevolutionary transitions within Mammalia. The move from a terrestrial habitat to a committed aquatic lifestyle engendered wholesale changes in anatomy, physiology, and behavior. The results of this remarkable transformation are extant whales that include the largest, biggest brained, fastest swimming, loudest, deepest diving mammals, some of which can detect prey with a sophisticated echolocation system (Odontoceti - toothed whales), and others that batch feed using racks of baleen (Mysticeti - baleen whales). A broad-scale reconstruction of the evolutionary remodeling that culminated in extant cetaceans has not yet been based on integration of genomic and paleontological information. Here, we first place Cetacea relative to extant mammalian diversity, and assess the distribution of support among molecular datasets for relationships within Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates, including Cetacea). We then merge trees derived from three large concatenations of molecular and fossil data to yield a composite hypothesis that encompasses many critical events in the evolutionary history of Cetacea. By combining diverse evidence, we infer a phylogenetic blueprint that outlines the stepwise evolutionary development of modern whales. This hypothesis represents a starting point for more detailed, comprehensive phylogenetic reconstructions in the future, and also highlights the synergistic interaction between modern (genomic) and traditional (morphological+paleontological) approaches that ultimately must be exploited to provide a rich understanding of evolutionary history across the entire tree of Life.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Gatesy
- Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
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Evolutionary paths to mammalian cochleae. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol 2012; 13:733-43. [PMID: 22983571 DOI: 10.1007/s10162-012-0349-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2012] [Accepted: 08/27/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Evolution of the cochlea and high-frequency hearing (>20 kHz; ultrasonic to humans) in mammals has been a subject of research for many years. Recent advances in paleontological techniques, especially the use of micro-CT scans, now provide important new insights that are here reviewed. True mammals arose more than 200 million years (Ma) ago. Of these, three lineages survived into recent geological times. These animals uniquely developed three middle ear ossicles, but these ossicles were not initially freely suspended as in modern mammals. The earliest mammalian cochleae were only about 2 mm long and contained a lagena macula. In the multituberculate and monotreme mammalian lineages, the cochlea remained relatively short and did not coil, even in modern representatives. In the lineage leading to modern therians (placental and marsupial mammals), cochlear coiling did develop, but only after a period of at least 60 Ma. Even Late Jurassic mammals show only a 270 ° cochlear coil and a cochlear canal length of merely 3 mm. Comparisons of modern organisms, mammalian ancestors, and the state of the middle ear strongly suggest that high-frequency hearing (>20 kHz) was not realized until the early Cretaceous (~125 Ma). At that time, therian mammals arose and possessed a fully coiled cochlea. The evolution of modern features of the middle ear and cochlea in the many later lineages of therians was, however, a mosaic and different features arose at different times. In parallel with cochlear structural evolution, prestins in therian mammals evolved into effective components of a new motor system. Ultrasonic hearing developed quite late-the earliest bat cochleae (~60 Ma) did not show features characteristic of those of modern bats that are sensitive to high ultrasonic frequencies.
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Xu S, Chen Y, Cheng Y, Yang D, Zhou X, Xu J, Zhou K, Yang G. Positive selection at the ASPM gene coincides with brain size enlargements in cetaceans. Proc Biol Sci 2012; 279:4433-40. [PMID: 22977148 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2012.1729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The enlargement of cetacean brain size represents an enigmatic event in mammalian evolution, yet its genetic basis remains poorly explored. One candidate gene associated with brain size evolution is the abnormal spindle-like microcephaly associated (ASPM), as mutations in this gene cause severe reductions in the cortical size of humans. Here, we investigated the ASPM gene in representative cetacean lineages and previously published sequences from other mammals to test whether the expansion of the cetacean brain matched adaptive ASPM evolution patterns. Our analyses yielded significant evidence of positive selection on the ASPM gene during cetacean evolution, especially for the Odontoceti and Delphinoidea lineages. These molecular patterns were associated with two major events of relative brain size enlargement in odontocetes and delphinoids. It is of particular interest to find that positive selection was restricted to cetaceans and primates, two distant lineages both characterized by a massive expansion of brain size. This result is suggestive of convergent molecular evolution, although no site-specific convergence at the amino acid level was found.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shixia Xu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
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