On the sequence heterochrony of cranial ossification of bats in light of Haeckel's recapitulation theory

Embryonic development and cranial ossification of the Japanese Aodaishō, Elaphe climacophora (Serpentes: Colubridae): with special reference to the prootic bone and auditory evolution in snakes

Snakes show remarkably deviated "body plan" from other squamate reptiles. In addition to limb loss, they have accomplished enormous anatomical specialization of the skull associated with the pit organs and the reduction of the tympanic membranes and auditory canals in the outer ears. Despite being the most diverse group of snakes, our knowledge of the embryonic staging for organogenesis and cranial ossification has been minimal for Colubridae. Therefore, in the present observation, we provide the first embryonic description of the Japanese rat snake Elaphe climacophora. We based our study on the Standard Event System (SES) for external anatomical characters and on a description of the cranial ossification during post-ovipositional development. We further estimated the relative ossification timing of each cranial bony element and compared it with that of selected other snakes, lizards, turtles, and crocodilians. The present study shows that the relative ossification timing of the palatine and pterygoid bones is relatively early in squamates when compared to other reptiles, implying the developmental integration as the palate-pterygoid complex in this clade and functional demands for the unique feeding adaptation to swallow large prey with the help of their large palatine and pterygoid teeth. Furthermore, unlike in species with pit organs, the prootic bone of Ela. climacophora is expanded to provide articulation with the supratemporal, thereby contributing to the hearing system by detecting substrate vibration. We also demonstrate that the relative timing of the prootic ossification is significantly accelerated in colubrids compared to snakes with pit organs. Our finding suggests that the temporal changes of the prootic ossification underpin the evolution of the perception of the ground-bourne sound signals among snakes.

Anatomical and Morphological Structure of the Skull of a Juvenile Specimen of Myotis myotis (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)

Few studies analyze the morphology and anatomy of the bat skull, and most of them are incomplete. Some of the difficulties stem from the fact that, in the representatives of the order Chiroptera, the interosseous sutures disappear by fusing together before active flight begins, which takes place over only a few months. This study presents a detailed morphological and anatomical description of the skull of a juvenile specimen of Myotis myotis (Borkhausen, 1797). Juvenile skulls are difficult to preserve and often incomplete. Previously inconsistent terminology related to bones, sutures, and other cranial structures was unified, which will provide insight on the distribution of each structure in both juvenile and adult specimens to be investigated. The description fill in the gaps in knowledge about the cranial structures of Myotis myotis and the representatives of the family Vespertilionidae. This will allow for precise descriptions of the skulls of bats.

Development of the hyolaryngeal architecture in horseshoe bats: insights into the evolution of the pulse generation for laryngeal echolocation

BACKGROUND

The hyolaryngeal apparatus generates biosonar pulses in the laryngeally echolocating bats. The cartilage and muscles comprising the hyolarynx of laryngeally echolocating bats are morphologically modified compared to those of non-bat mammals, as represented by the hypertrophied intrinsic laryngeal muscle. Despite its crucial contribution to laryngeal echolocation, how the development of the hyolarynx in bats differs from that of other mammals is poorly documented. The genus Rhinolophus is one of the most sophisticated laryngeal echolocators, with the highest pulse frequency in bats. The present study provides the first detailed description of the three-dimensional anatomy and development of the skeleton, cartilage, muscle, and innervation patterns of the hyolaryngeal apparatus in two species of rhinolophid bats using micro-computed tomography images and serial tissue sections and compares them with those of laboratory mice. Furthermore, we measured the peak frequency of the echolocation pulse in active juvenile and adult individuals to correspond to echolocation pulses with hyolaryngeal morphology at each postnatal stage.

RESULTS

We found that the sagittal crests of the cricoid cartilage separated the dorsal cricoarytenoid muscle in horseshoe bats, indicating that this unique morphology may be required to reinforce the repeated closure movement of the glottis during biosonar pulse emission. We also found that the cricothyroid muscle is ventrally hypertrophied throughout ontogeny, and that the cranial laryngeal nerve has a novel branch supplying the hypertrophied region of this muscle. Our bioacoustic analyses revealed that the peak frequency shows negative allometry against skull growth, and that the volumetric growth of all laryngeal cartilages is correlated with the pulse peak frequency.

CONCLUSIONS

The unique patterns of muscle and innervation revealed in this study appear to have been obtained concomitantly with the acquisition of tracheal chambers in rhinolophids and hipposiderids, improving sound intensity during laryngeal echolocation. In addition, significant protrusion of the sagittal crest of the cricoid cartilage and the separated dorsal cricoarytenoid muscle may contribute to the sophisticated biosonar in this laryngeally echolocating lineage. Furthermore, our bioacoustic data suggested that the mineralization of these cartilages underpins the ontogeny of echolocation pulse generation. The results of the present study provide crucial insights into how the anatomy and development of the hyolaryngeal apparatus shape the acoustic diversity in bats.

Evolution, conservatism and overlooked homologies of the mammalian skull

In the last decade, studies integrating palaeontology, embryology and experimental developmental biology have markedly altered our homological understanding of the mammalian skull. Indeed, new evidence suggests that we should revisit and restructure the conventional anatomical terminology applied to the components of the mammalian skull. Notably, these are classical problems that have remained unresolved since the ninteenth century. In this review, I offer perspectives on the overlooked problems associated with the homology, development, and conservatism of the mammalian skull, aiming to encourage future studies in these areas. I emphasise that ossification patterns, bone fusion, cranial sutures and taxon-specific neomorphic bones in the skull are virtually unexplored, and further studies would improve our homological understanding of the mammalian skull. Lastly, I highlight that overlooked bones may exist in the skull that are not yet known to science and suggest that further search is needed. This article is part of the theme issue 'The mammalian skull: development, structure and function'.