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Mancini IAD, Levato R, Ksiezarczyk MM, Castilho MD, Chen M, van Rijen MHP, IJsseldijk LL, Kik M, van Weeren PR, Malda J. Microstructural differences in the osteochondral unit of terrestrial and aquatic mammals. eLife 2023; 12:e80936. [PMID: 38009703 PMCID: PMC10781421 DOI: 10.7554/elife.80936] [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: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
During evolution, animals have returned from land to water, adapting with morphological modifications to life in an aquatic environment. We compared the osteochondral units of the humeral head of marine and terrestrial mammals across species spanning a wide range of body weights, focusing on microstructural organization and biomechanical performance. Aquatic mammals feature cartilage with essentially random collagen fiber configuration, lacking the depth-dependent, arcade-like organization characteristic of terrestrial mammalian species. They have a less stiff articular cartilage at equilibrium with a significantly lower peak modulus, and at the osteochondral interface do not have a calcified cartilage layer, displaying only a thin, highly porous subchondral bone plate. This totally different constitution of the osteochondral unit in aquatic mammals reflects that accommodation of loading is the primordial function of the osteochondral unit. Recognizing the crucial importance of the microarchitecture-function relationship is pivotal for understanding articular biology and, hence, for the development of durable functional regenerative approaches for treatment of joint damage, which are thus far lacking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina AD Mancini
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht UniversityUtrechtNetherlands
- Regenerative Medicine Utrecht, Utrecht UniversityUtrechtNetherlands
| | - Riccardo Levato
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht UniversityUtrechtNetherlands
- Regenerative Medicine Utrecht, Utrecht UniversityUtrechtNetherlands
- Department of Orthopedics, University Medical Centre UtrechtUtrechtNetherlands
| | - Marlena M Ksiezarczyk
- Regenerative Medicine Utrecht, Utrecht UniversityUtrechtNetherlands
- Department of Orthopedics, University Medical Centre UtrechtUtrechtNetherlands
| | - Miguel Dias Castilho
- Regenerative Medicine Utrecht, Utrecht UniversityUtrechtNetherlands
- Department of Orthopedics, University Medical Centre UtrechtUtrechtNetherlands
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of TechnologyEindhovenNetherlands
| | - Michael Chen
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of AdelaideAdelaideAustralia
| | - Mattie HP van Rijen
- Regenerative Medicine Utrecht, Utrecht UniversityUtrechtNetherlands
- Department of Orthopedics, University Medical Centre UtrechtUtrechtNetherlands
| | - Lonneke L IJsseldijk
- Division of Pathology, Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht UniversityUtrechtNetherlands
| | - Marja Kik
- Division of Pathology, Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht UniversityUtrechtNetherlands
| | - P René van Weeren
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht UniversityUtrechtNetherlands
- Regenerative Medicine Utrecht, Utrecht UniversityUtrechtNetherlands
| | - Jos Malda
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht UniversityUtrechtNetherlands
- Regenerative Medicine Utrecht, Utrecht UniversityUtrechtNetherlands
- Department of Orthopedics, University Medical Centre UtrechtUtrechtNetherlands
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2
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Bach NH, Vu LH, Nguyen VD, Pham DP. Classifying marine mammals signal using cubic splines interpolation combining with triple loss variational auto-encoder. Sci Rep 2023; 13:19984. [PMID: 37968440 PMCID: PMC10651895 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47320-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023] Open
Abstract
In practical applications of passive sonar principles for extracting characteristic frequencies of acoustic signals, scientists typically employ traditional time-frequency domain transformation methods such as Mel-frequency, Short time Fourier transform (STFT), and Wavelet transform (WT). However, these solutions still face limitations in resolution and information loss when transforming data collected over extended periods. In this paper, we present a study using a two-stage approach that combines pre-processing by Cubic-splines interpolation (CSI) with a probability distribution in the hidden space with Siamese triple loss network model for classifying marine mammal (MM) communication signals. The Cubic-splines interpolation technique is tested with the STFT transformation to generate STFT-CSI spectrograms, which enforce stronger relationships between characteristic frequencies, enhancing the connectivity of spectrograms and highlighting frequency-based features. Additionally, stacking spectrograms generated by three consecutive methods, Mel, STFT-CSI, and Wavelet, into a feature spectrogram optimizes the advantages of each method across different frequency bands, resulting in a more effective classification process. The proposed solution using an Siamese Neural Network-Variational Auto Encoder (SNN-VAE) model also overcomes the drawbacks of the Auto-Encoder (AE) structure, including loss of discontinuity and loss of completeness during decoding. The classification accuracy of marine mammal signals using the SNN-VAE model increases by 11% and 20% compared to using the AE model (2013), and by 6% compared to using the Resnet model (2022) on the same actual dataset NOAA from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - United State of America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nhat Hoang Bach
- Institutes of Science and Technology, Institute of Electronics, Hanoi, 10000, Vietnam
| | - Le Ha Vu
- Institutes of Science and Technology, Institute of Electronics, Hanoi, 10000, Vietnam.
| | - Van Duc Nguyen
- School of Electricity-Electronics, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Hanoi, 10000, Vietnam
| | - Duy Phong Pham
- Faculty of Electronics-Telecommunications, Electric Power University, Hanoi, 10000, Vietnam
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3
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Klein N, Sander PM, Liu J, Druckenmiller P, Metz ET, Kelley NP, Scheyer TM. Comparative bone histology of two thalattosaurians (Diapsida: Thalattosauria): Askeptosaurus italicus from the Alpine Triassic (Middle Triassic) and a Thalattosauroidea indet. from the Carnian of Oregon (Late Triassic). SWISS JOURNAL OF PALAEONTOLOGY 2023; 142:15. [PMID: 37601161 PMCID: PMC10432342 DOI: 10.1186/s13358-023-00277-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
Here, we present the first bone histological and microanatomical study of thalattosaurians, an enigmatic group among Triassic marine reptiles. Two taxa of thalattosaurians, the askeptosauroid Askeptosaurus italicus and one as yet undescribed thalattosauroid, are examined. Both taxa have a rather different microanatomy, tissue type, and growth pattern. Askeptosaurus italicus from the late Anisian middle Besano Formation of the southern Alpine Triassic shows very compact tissue in vertebrae, rib, a gastralium, and femora, and all bones are without medullary cavities. The tissue shows moderate to low vascularization, dominated by highly organized and very coarse parallel-fibred bone, resembling interwoven tissue. Vascularization is dominated by simple longitudinal vascular canals, except for the larger femur of Askeptosaurus, where simple vascular canals dominate in a radial arrangement. Growth marks stratify the cortex of femora. The vertebrae and humeri from the undescribed thalattosauroid from the late Carnian of Oregon have primary and secondary cancellous bone, resulting in an overall low bone compactness. Two dorsal vertebral centra show dominantly secondary trabeculae, whereas a caudal vertebral centrum shows much primary trabecular bone, globuli ossei, and cartilage, indicating an earlier ontogenetic stage of the specimens or paedomorphosis. The humeri of the thalattosauroid show large, simple vascular canals that are dominantly radially oriented in a scaffold of woven and loosely organized parallel-fibred tissue. Few of the simple vascular canals are thinly but only incompletely lined by parallel-fibered tissue. In the Oregon material, changes in growth rate are only indicated by changes in vascular organization but no distinct growth marks were identified. The compact bone of Askeptosaurus is best comparable to some pachypleurosaurs, whereas its combination of tissue and vascularity is similar to eosauropterygians in general, except for the coarse nature of its parallel-fibred tissue. The cancellous bone of the Oregon thalattosauroid resembles what is documented in ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs. However, in contrast to these its tissue does not consist of fibro-lamellar bone type. Tissue types of both thalattosaurian taxa indicate rather different growth rates and growth patterns, associated with different life history strategies. The microanatomy reflects different life styles that fit to the different environments in which they had been found (intraplatform basin vs. open marine). Both thalattosaurian taxa differ from each other but in sum also from all other marine reptile taxa studied so far. Thalattosaurian bone histology documents once more that bone histology provides for certain groups (i.e., Triassic Diapsida) only a poor phylogenetic signal and is more influenced by exogenous factors. Differences in lifestyle, life history traits, and growth rate and pattern enabled all these Triassic marine reptiles to live contemporaneously in the same habitat managing to avoid substantial competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- N. Klein
- Department of Palaeontology, University of Zurich, Karl Schmid-Strasse 4, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Palaeontology, Institute of Geosciences, University of Bonn, Nußallee 8, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - P. M. Sander
- Department of Palaeontology, Institute of Geosciences, University of Bonn, Nußallee 8, 53115 Bonn, Germany
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, 193 Tunxi Road, Hefei, 230009 China
| | - J. Liu
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, 193 Tunxi Road, Hefei, 230009 China
| | - P. Druckenmiller
- University of Alaska Museum, 1962 Yukon Dr., Fairbanks, AK 99775 USA
- Department of Geosciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 1930 Yukon Dr., Fairbanks, AK 99775 USA
| | - E. T. Metz
- Museum of the Rockies, Montana State University, 600 W Kagy Blvd., Bozeman, MT 59717 USA
| | - N. P. Kelley
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240 USA
| | - T. M. Scheyer
- Department of Palaeontology, University of Zurich, Karl Schmid-Strasse 4, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland
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4
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Bianucci G, Lambert O, Urbina M, Merella M, Collareta A, Bennion R, Salas-Gismondi R, Benites-Palomino A, Post K, de Muizon C, Bosio G, Di Celma C, Malinverno E, Pierantoni PP, Villa IM, Amson E. A heavyweight early whale pushes the boundaries of vertebrate morphology. Nature 2023; 620:824-829. [PMID: 37532931 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06381-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
The fossil record of cetaceans documents how terrestrial animals acquired extreme adaptations and transitioned to a fully aquatic lifestyle1,2. In whales, this is associated with a substantial increase in maximum body size. Although an elongate body was acquired early in cetacean evolution3, the maximum body mass of baleen whales reflects a recent diversification that culminated in the blue whale4. More generally, hitherto known gigantism among aquatic tetrapods evolved within pelagic, active swimmers. Here we describe Perucetus colossus-a basilosaurid whale from the middle Eocene epoch of Peru. It displays, to our knowledge, the highest degree of bone mass increase known to date, an adaptation associated with shallow diving5. The estimated skeletal mass of P. colossus exceeds that of any known mammal or aquatic vertebrate. We show that the bone structure specializations of aquatic mammals are reflected in the scaling of skeletal fraction (skeletal mass versus whole-body mass) across the entire disparity of amniotes. We use the skeletal fraction to estimate the body mass of P. colossus, which proves to be a contender for the title of heaviest animal on record. Cetacean peak body mass had already been reached around 30 million years before previously assumed, in a coastal context in which primary productivity was particularly high.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Bianucci
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Olivier Lambert
- D.O. Terre et Histoire de la Vie, Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Mario Urbina
- Departamento de Paleontología de Vertebrados, Museo de Historia Natural-Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Perú
| | - Marco Merella
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alberto Collareta
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Rebecca Bennion
- D.O. Terre et Histoire de la Vie, Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique, Brussels, Belgium
- Evolution & Diversity Dynamics Lab, UR Geology, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Rodolfo Salas-Gismondi
- Departamento de Paleontología de Vertebrados, Museo de Historia Natural-Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Perú
- Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía/Centro de Investigación para el Desarrollo Integral y Sostenible, Laboratorios de Investigación y Desarrollo, Universitad Peruana Cayetano Heredia Lima, Lima, Perú
| | - Aldo Benites-Palomino
- Departamento de Paleontología de Vertebrados, Museo de Historia Natural-Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Perú
- Department of Paleontology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Klaas Post
- Natuurhistorisch Museum Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Christian de Muizon
- Département Origines et Évolution, CR2P (CNRS, MNHN, Sorbonne Université), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Giulia Bosio
- Dipartimento di Scienze dell'Ambiente e della Terra, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy
| | - Claudio Di Celma
- School of Science and Technology, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Elisa Malinverno
- Dipartimento di Scienze dell'Ambiente e della Terra, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy
| | | | | | - Eli Amson
- Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany.
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5
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Kalita S, Teschner EM, Sander PM, Konietzko-Meier D. To be or not to be heavier: The role of dermal bones in the buoyancy of the Late Triassic temnospondyl amphibian Metoposaurus krasiejowensis. J Anat 2022; 241:1459-1476. [PMID: 36165276 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13755] [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: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Stereospondyli are a clade of large aquatic temnospondyls known to have evolved a large dermal pectoral girdle. Among the Stereospondyli, metoposaurids in particular possess large interclavicles and clavicles relative to the rest of the postcranial skeleton. Because of the large size of these dermal bones, it was first proposed that they served as ballast during hydrostatic buoyancy control which assisted metoposaurids to live a bottom-dwelling mode of life. However, a large bone need not necessarily be heavy, for which determining the bone compactness becomes crucial for understanding any such adaptation in these dermal bones. Previous studies on the evolution of bone adaptations to aquatic lifestyles such as osteosclerosis, pachyostosis, osteoporotic-like pattern and pachyosteosclerosis have been observed in the long bones of secondarily aquatic amniotes. However, there are no known studies on the analysis of bone compactness in the dermal pectoral girdle of non-amniote taxa including Temnospondyli. This study looks at evidence of changes in bone mass adaptations in the dermal bones of the pectoral girdle of two stereospondyls occurring in the Late Triassic Krasiejόw locality (Southwestern Poland), namely: Metoposaurus krasiejowensis and Cyclotosaurus intermedius. However, because of lack of research on bone compactness of temnospondyls in general, there is no existent frame of reference to infer bone mass increase (BMI) in the M. krasiejowensis samples, and thus the bone compactness results of this taxon are compared with that of the samples of C. intermedius. Results of this study indicate that the interclavicles of M. krasiejowensis partially evolved BMI-like condition rendering these bones to be heavy enough to get selected as ballast during hydrostatic buoyancy control. Additionally, M. krasiejowensis shared its habitat with C. intermedius, however, the dermal pectoral girdle sample of the latter taxon does not display signs of BMI-like condition. Furthermore, the absence of variation in hydrostatic buoyancy control in the ontogenetic series of interclavicles of M. krasiejowensis could imply lack of ontogenetic niche shift along the water column.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudipta Kalita
- Division of Paleontology, Institute of Geosciences, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Elżbieta M Teschner
- Division of Paleontology, Institute of Geosciences, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.,Institute of Biology, Opole University, Opole, Poland
| | - P Martin Sander
- Division of Paleontology, Institute of Geosciences, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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Ingle DN, Porter ME. Vertebral trabecular bone mechanical properties vary among functional groups of cetaceans. Integr Org Biol 2022; 4:obab036. [PMID: 35155991 PMCID: PMC8832228 DOI: 10.1093/iob/obab036] [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: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Since their appearance in the fossil record 34 million years ago, modern cetaceans (dolphins, whales, and porpoises) have radiated into diverse habitats circumglobally, developing vast phenotypic variations among species. Traits such as skeletal morphology and ecologically linked behaviors denote swimming activity; trade-offs in flexibility and rigidity along the vertebral column determine patterns of caudal oscillation. Here, we categorized 10 species of cetaceans (families Delphinidae and Kogiidae; N = 21 animals) into functional groups based on vertebral centra morphology, swimming speeds, diving behavior, and inferred swimming patterns. We quantified trabecular bone mechanical properties (yield strength, apparent stiffness, and resilience) among functional groups and regions of the vertebral column (thoracic, lumbar, and caudal). We extracted 6 mm3 samples from vertebral bodies and tested them in compression in 3 orientations (rostrocaudal, dorsoventral, and mediolateral) at 2 mm min−1. Overall, bone from the pre-fluke/fluke boundary had the greatest yield strength and resilience, indicating that the greatest forces are translated to the tail during caudal oscillatory swimming. Group 1, composed of 5 shallow-diving delphinid species, had the greatest vertebral trabecular bone yield strength, apparent stiffness, and resilience of all functional groups. Conversely, Group 3, composed of 2 deep-diving kogiid species, had the least strong, stiff, and resilient bone, while Group 2 (3 deep-diving delphinid species) exhibited intermediate values. These data suggest that species that incorporate prolonged glides during deep descents in the water column actively swim less, and place relatively smaller loads on their vertebral columns, compared with species that execute shallower dives. We found that cetacean vertebral trabecular bone properties differed from the properties of terrestrial mammals; for every given bone strength, cetacean bone was less stiff by comparison. This relative lack of material rigidity within vertebral bone may be attributed to the non-weight-bearing locomotor modes of fully aquatic mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- D N Ingle
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL 33431
- Department of Marine Biology, Texas A&M University at Galveston, Galveston, Texas 77554
| | - M E Porter
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL 33431
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7
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Houssaye A, de Perthuis A, Houée G. Sesamoid bones also show functional adaptation in their microanatomy-The example of the patella in Perissodactyla. J Anat 2022; 240:50-65. [PMID: 34402049 PMCID: PMC8655183 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The patella is the largest sesamoid bone of the skeleton. It is strongly involved in the knee, improving output force and velocity of the knee extensors, and thus plays a major role in locomotion and limb stability. However, the relationships between its structure and functional constraints, that would enable a better understanding of limb bone functional adaptations, are poorly known. This contribution proposes a comparative analysis, both qualitative and quantitative, of the microanatomy of the whole patella in perissodactyls, which show a wide range of morphologies, masses, and locomotor abilities, in order to investigate how the microanatomy of the patella adapts to evolutionary constraints. The inner structure of the patella consists of a spongiosa surrounded by a compact cortex. Contrary to our expectations, there is no increase in compactness with bone size, and thus body size and weight, but only an increase in the tightness of the spongiosa. No particular thickening of the cortex associated with muscle insertions is noticed but a strong thickening is observed anteriorly at about mid-length, where the strong intermediate patellar ligament inserts. The trabeculae are mainly oriented perpendicularly to the posterior articular surface, which highlights that the main stress is anteroposteriorly directed, maintaining the patella against the femoral trochlea. Conversely, anteriorly, trabeculae are rather circumferentially oriented, following the insertion of the patellar ligament and, possibly also, of the quadriceps tendon. A strong variation is observed among perissodactyl families but also intraspecifically, which is in accordance with previous studies suggesting a higher variability in sesamoid bones. Clear trends are nevertheless observed between the three families. Equids have a much thinner cortex than ceratomorphs. Rhinos and equids, both characterized by a development of the medial border, show an increase in trabecular density laterally suggesting stronger stresses laterally. The inner structure in tapirs is more homogeneous despite the absence of medial development of the medial border with no "compensation" of the inner structure, which suggests different stresses on their knees associated with a different morphology of their patellofemoral joint.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Houssaye
- Département Adaptations du vivantUMR 7179 CNRS/Muséum National d'Histoire NaturelleParisFrance
| | - Adrien de Perthuis
- Département Adaptations du vivantUMR 7179 CNRS/Muséum National d'Histoire NaturelleParisFrance
| | - Guillaume Houée
- Département Adaptations du vivantUMR 7179 CNRS/Muséum National d'Histoire NaturelleParisFrance
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Amson E, Bibi F. Differing effects of size and lifestyle on bone structure in mammals. BMC Biol 2021; 19:87. [PMID: 33926429 PMCID: PMC8086358 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-01016-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mammals are a highly diverse group, with body mass ranging from 2 g to 170 t, and encompassing species with terrestrial, aquatic, aerial, and subterranean lifestyles. The skeleton is involved in most aspects of vertebrate life history, but while previous macroevolutionary analyses have shown that structural, phylogenetic, and functional factors influence the gross morphology of skeletal elements, their inner structure has received comparatively little attention. Here we analysed bone structure of the humerus and mid-lumbar vertebrae across mammals and their correlations with different lifestyles and body size. RESULTS We acquired bone structure parameters in appendicular and axial elements (humerus and mid-lumbar vertebra) from 190 species across therian mammals (placentals + marsupials). Our sample captures all transitions to aerial, fully aquatic, and subterranean lifestyles in extant therian clades. We found that mammalian bone structure is highly disparate and we show that the investigated vertebral structure parameters mostly correlate with body size, but not lifestyle, while the opposite is true for humeral parameters. The latter also show a high degree of convergence among the clades that have acquired specialised (non-terrestrial) lifestyles. CONCLUSIONS In light of phylogenetic, size, and functional factors, the distribution of each investigated structural parameter reveals patterns explaining the construction of appendicular and axial skeletal elements in mammalian species spanning most of the extant diversity of the clade in terms of body size and lifestyle. These patterns should be further investigated with analyses focused on specific lifestyle transitions that would ideally include key fossils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eli Amson
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstraße 43, 10115, Berlin, Germany.
- Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart, Rosenstein 1, 70191, Stuttgart, Germany.
| | - Faysal Bibi
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstraße 43, 10115, Berlin, Germany
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9
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Houssaye A, Martin F, Boisserie JR, Lihoreau F. Paleoecological Inferences from Long Bone Microanatomical Specializations in Hippopotamoidea (Mammalia, Artiodactyla). J MAMM EVOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10914-021-09536-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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10
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Ingle DN, Porter ME. Microarchitecture of cetacean vertebral trabecular bone among swimming modes and diving behaviors. J Anat 2021; 238:643-652. [PMID: 33058161 PMCID: PMC7855079 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Cetaceans (dolphins, whales, and porpoises) are fully aquatic mammals that are supported by water's buoyancy and swim through axial body bending. Swimming is partially mediated by variations in vertebral morphology that creates trade-offs in body flexibility and rigidity between axial regions that either enhance or reduce displacement between adjacent vertebrae. Swimming behavior is linked to foraging ecology, where deep-diving cetaceans glide a greater proportion of the time compared to their shallow-diving counterparts. In this study, we categorized 10 species of cetaceans (Families Delphinidae and Kogiidae) into functional groups determined by swimming patterns (rigid vs. flexible torso) and diving behavior (shallow vs. deep). Here, we quantify vertebral trabecular microarchitecture (a) among functional groups (rigid-torso shallow diver (RS), rigid-torso deep diver (RD), and flexible-torso deep diver (FD)), and (b) among vertebral column regions (posterior thoracic, lumbar, caudal peduncle, and fluke insertion). We microCT scanned vertebral bodies, from which 1-5 volumes of interest were selected to quantify bone volume fraction (BV/TV), specific bone surface (BS/BV), trabecular thickness (TbTh), trabecular number (TbN), trabecular separation (TbSp), and degree of anisotropy (DA). We found that BV/TV was greatest in the rigid-torso shallow-diving functional group, smallest in flexible-torso deep-diving species, and intermediate in the rigid-torso deep-diving group. DA was significantly greater in rigid-torso caudal oscillators than in their flexible-torso counterparts. We found no variation among vertebral regions for any microarchitectural variables. Despite having osteoporotic skeletons, cetacean vertebrae had greater BV/TV, TbTh, and DA than previously documented in terrestrial mammalian bone. Cetacean species are an ideal model to investigate the long-term adaptations, over an animal's lifetime and over evolutionary time, of trabecular bone in non-weight-bearing conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle N. Ingle
- Department of Biological SciencesFlorida Atlantic UniversityBoca RatonFLUSA
| | - Marianne E. Porter
- Department of Biological SciencesFlorida Atlantic UniversityBoca RatonFLUSA
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11
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Ebel R, Müller J, Ramm T, Hipsley C, Amson E. First evidence of convergent lifestyle signal in reptile skull roof microanatomy. BMC Biol 2020; 18:185. [PMID: 33250048 PMCID: PMC7702674 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-020-00908-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The study of convergently acquired adaptations allows fundamental insight into life's evolutionary history. Within lepidosaur reptiles-i.e. lizards, tuatara, and snakes-a fully fossorial ('burrowing') lifestyle has independently evolved in most major clades. However, despite their consistent use of the skull as a digging tool, cranial modifications common to all these lineages are yet to be found. In particular, bone microanatomy, although highly diagnostic for lifestyle, remains unexplored in the lepidosaur cranium. This constitutes a key gap in our understanding of their complexly interwoven ecology, morphology, and evolution. In order to bridge this gap, we reconstructed the acquisition of a fossorial lifestyle in 2813 lepidosaurs and assessed the skull roof compactness from microCT cross-sections in a representative subset (n = 99). We tested this and five macroscopic morphological traits for their convergent evolution. RESULTS We found that fossoriality evolved independently in 54 lepidosaur lineages. Furthermore, a highly compact skull roof, small skull diameter, elongate cranium, and low length ratio of frontal and parietal were repeatedly acquired in concert with a fossorial lifestyle. CONCLUSIONS We report a novel case of convergence that concerns lepidosaur diversity as a whole. Our findings further indicate an early evolution of fossorial modifications in the amphisbaenian 'worm-lizards' and support a fossorial origin for snakes. Nonetheless, our results suggest distinct evolutionary pathways between fossorial lizards and snakes through different contingencies. We thus provide novel insights into the evolutionary mechanisms and constraints underlying amniote diversity and a powerful tool for the reconstruction of extinct reptile ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roy Ebel
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany.
- Institute for Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Johannes Müller
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
- Institute for Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Till Ramm
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
- Institute for Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
- Sciences Department, Museums Victoria, Carlton, Victoria, 3053, Australia
| | - Christy Hipsley
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
- Sciences Department, Museums Victoria, Carlton, Victoria, 3053, Australia
| | - Eli Amson
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
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Zadravec M, Maltar-Strmečki N, Kužir S, Gomerčić T, Mitak M, Đuras M. Aging-related histomorphometric changes in cortical bone tissue of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). ZOOMORPHOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00435-020-00487-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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13
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Sun D, Zhou X, Yu Z, Xu S, Seim I, Yang G. Accelerated evolution and diversifying selection drove the adaptation of cetacean bone microstructure. BMC Evol Biol 2019; 19:194. [PMID: 31651232 PMCID: PMC6813995 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-019-1509-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The transition from land to sea by the ancestor of cetaceans approximately 50 million years ago was an incredible evolutionary event that led to a series of morphological, physiological, and behavioral adaptations. During this transition, bone microstructure evolved from the typical terrestrial form to the specialized structure found in modern cetaceans. While the bone microstructure of mammals has been documented before, investigations of its genetic basis lag behind. The increasing number of cetaceans with whole-genome sequences available may shed light on the mechanism underlying bone microstructure evolution as a result of land to water transitions. Results Cetacean bone microstructure is consistent with their diverse ecological behaviors. Molecular evolution was assessed by correlating bone microstructure and gene substitution rates in terrestrial and aquatic species, and by detecting genes under positive selection along ancestral branches of cetaceans. We found that: 1) Genes involved in osteoclast function are under accelerated evolution in cetaceans, suggestive of important roles in bone remodeling during the adaptation to an aquatic environment; 2) Genes in the Wnt pathway critical for bone development and homeostasis show evidence of divergent evolution in cetaceans; 3) Several genes encoding bone collagens are under selective pressure in cetaceans. Conclusions Our results suggest that evolutionary pressures have shaped the bone microstructure of cetaceans, to facilitate life in diverse aquatic environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Sun
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Xuming Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Zoology, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenpeng Yu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Shixia Xu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Inge Seim
- Integrative Biology Laboratory, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China. .,Comparative and Endocrine Biology Laboratory, Translational Research Institute-Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, 4102, Australia.
| | - Guang Yang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
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Amson E, Kilbourne BM. Trabecular bone architecture in the stylopod epiphyses of mustelids (Mammalia, Carnivora). ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2019; 6:190938. [PMID: 31824706 PMCID: PMC6837213 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.190938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Mustelidae, a carnivoran clade that includes for instance weasels, badgers, otters and martens, has undergone several evolutionary transitions of lifestyle, resulting in specializations for fossorial, natatorial and scansorial locomotion, in addition to more generalized species. The family is therefore regarded as offering an adequate framework for morpho-functional analyses. However, the architecture of the epiphyseal trabecular bone, which is argued to be particularly responsive to the biomechanical environment, has never been studied. Here, we quantify trabecular bone parameters of the proximal and distal epiphyses of the humerus and femur in 29 species of mustelids and assess the differences of these parameters among groups defined a priori based on the aforementioned locomotor types. The parameters are assessed in a phylogenetic framework, taking into account the potential effect on an individual's body mass. The range of variation described by the acquired parameters is relatively restricted when compared to that of other clades. Generalists, however, are featuring a wider range of variation than the other types. While clear discrimination of locomotor types is difficult, some differences were highlighted by our analysis, such as a greater bone fraction associated with the natatorial taxa, which we discuss in a functional context.
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Affiliation(s)
- E. Amson
- Author for correspondence: E. Amson e-mail:
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15
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The Hind Limbs of Sobrarbesiren cardieli (Eocene, Northeastern Spain) and New Insights into the Locomotion Capabilities of the Quadrupedal Sirenians. J MAMM EVOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10914-019-09482-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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16
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Schoch RR, Klein N, Scheyer TM, Sues HD. Microanatomy of the stem-turtle Pappochelys rosinae indicates a predominantly fossorial mode of life and clarifies early steps in the evolution of the shell. Sci Rep 2019; 9:10430. [PMID: 31320733 PMCID: PMC6639533 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-46762-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Accepted: 07/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Unlike any other tetrapod, turtles form their dorsal bony shell (carapace) not from osteoderms, but by contribution of the ribs and vertebrae that expand into the dermis to form plate-like shell components. Although this was known from embryological studies in extant turtles, important steps in this evolutionary sequence have recently been highlighted by the Triassic taxa Pappochelys, Eorhynchochelys and Odontochelys, and the Permian Eunotosaurus. The discovery of Pappochelys shed light on the origin of the ventral bony shell (plastron), which formed from enlarged gastralia. A major question is whether the turtle shell evolved in the context of a terrestrial or aquatic environment. Whereas Odontochelys was controversially interpreted as aquatic, a terrestrial origin of turtles was proposed based on evidence of fossorial adaptations in Eunotosaurus. We report palaeohistological data for Pappochelys, a taxon that exemplifies earlier evolutionary stages in the formation of the bony shell than Odontochelys. Bone histological evidence reveals (1) evolutionary changes in bone microstructure in ribs and gastralia approaching the turtle condition and (2) evidence for a predominantly amphibious or fossorial mode of life in Pappochelys, which support the hypothesis that crucial steps in the evolution of the shell occurred in a terrestrial rather than fully aquatic environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rainer R Schoch
- Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart, Rosenstein 1, D-70191, Stuttgart, Germany.
| | - Nicole Klein
- Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart, Rosenstein 1, D-70191, Stuttgart, Germany
- Institut für Geowissenschaften, Abteilung Paläontologie, Nussallee 8, 53115, Bonn, Germany
| | - Torsten M Scheyer
- Universität Zürich, Paläontologisches Institut und Museum, Karl-Schmid-Strasse 4, CH-8006, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Hans-Dieter Sues
- Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, MRC 121, Washington, DC, 20560, USA
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17
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Klein N, Canoville A, Houssaye A. Microstructure of Vertebrae, Ribs, and Gastralia of Triassic Sauropterygians-New Insights into the Microanatomical Processes Involved in Aquatic Adaptations of Marine Reptiles. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2019; 302:1770-1791. [PMID: 30989828 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2018] [Revised: 11/07/2018] [Accepted: 12/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Isolated ribs and vertebrae of Middle Triassic sauropterygians are studied. The vertebrae have a well-defined large cavity in their centra, which is a unique feature and is without any modern analogue. The articular facets of vertebrae are made of endochondral bone including calcified as well as uncalcified cartilage. Vertebrae are pachyosteosclerotic in the pachypleurosaurs Neusticosaurus and Serpianosaurus from the Alpine Triassic, and osteosclerotic in the placodont, in the medium-sized Nothosaurus marchicus, and in the pachypleurosaur Anarosaurus. In large Nothosaurus specimens, the vertebrae are cavernous. The ribs of all sampled specimens are osteosclerotic, which resembles the microanatomy of long bones in all studied taxa. The proximal to medial part of ribs mainly consists of a compact periosteal cortex surrounding an inner endosteal territory. Toward the distal end of the ribs, the periosteal thickness decreases whereas the endosteal territory increases. Despite a shift from periosteal versus endosteal tissues, global rib compactness remains relatively constant. Osteosclerosis in ribs and vertebrae is reached by the same processes as in the long bones: by a relative increase in cortex thickness that is coupled by a reduction of the medullary cavity, by the persistence of calcified cartilage, and by an inhibition of remodeling although some resorption may occur but without complete redeposition of bone. Processes differ from those observed in Permian marine reptiles and some mosasaurines, where either extensive remodeling or inhibition of bone resorption leads to osteosclerosis. Besides differences regarding the microanatomy, all studied bones of a taxon are consistent in their bone tissue type. Anat Rec, 302:1770-1791, 2019. © 2019 American Association for Anatomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Klein
- Division of Paleontology, Steinmann Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Aurore Canoville
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University and Paleontology, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh, North Carolina
| | - Alexandra Houssaye
- UMR 7179 CNRS/Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Département Adaptations du Vivant, Paris, France
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Houssaye A, Botton-Divet L. From land to water: evolutionary changes in long bone microanatomy of otters (Mammalia: Mustelidae). Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/bly118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Houssaye
- UMR 7179 CNRS/Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Département Adaptations du vivant, Paris, France
| | - Léo Botton-Divet
- UMR 7179 CNRS/Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Département Adaptations du vivant, Paris, France
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Legendre LJ, Botha-Brink J. Digging the compromise: investigating the link between limb bone histology and fossoriality in the aardvark ( Orycteropus afer). PeerJ 2018; 6:e5216. [PMID: 30018860 PMCID: PMC6045922 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Bone microstructure has long been known as a powerful tool to investigate lifestyle-related biomechanical constraints, and many studies have focused on identifying such constraints in the limb bones of aquatic or arboreal mammals in recent years. The limb bone microstructure of fossorial mammals, however, has not been extensively described. Furthermore, so far, studies on this subject have always focused on the bone histology of small burrowers, such as subterranean rodents or true moles. Physiological constraints associated with digging, however, are known to be strongly influenced by body size, and larger burrowers are likely to exhibit a histological profile more conspicuously influenced by fossorial activity. Here, we describe for the first time the limb bone histology of the aardvark (Orycteropus afer), the largest extant burrowing mammal. The general pattern is very similar for all six sampled limb bones (i.e., humerus, radius, ulna, femur, tibia, and fibula). Most of the cortex at midshaft is comprised of compacted coarse cancellous bone (CCCB), an endosteal tissue formed in the metaphyses through the compaction of bony trabeculae. Conversely, the periosteal bone is highly resorbed in all sections, and is reduced to a thin outer layer, suggesting a pattern of strong cortical drift. This pattern contrasts with that of most large mammals, in which cortical bone is of mostly periosteal origin, and CCCB, being a very compliant bone tissue type, is usually resorbed or remodeled during ontogeny. The link between histology and muscle attachment sites, as well as the influence of the semi-arid environment and ant-eating habits of the aardvark on its bone microstructure, are discussed. We hypothesize that the unusual histological profile of the aardvark is likely the outcome of physiological constraints due to both extensive digging behavior and strong metabolic restrictions. Adaptations to fossoriality are thus the result of a physiological compromise between limited food availability, an environment with high temperature variability, and the need for biomechanical resistance during digging. These results highlight the difficulties of deciphering all factors potentially involved in bone formation in fossorial mammals. Even though the formation and maintaining of CCCB through ontogeny in the aardvark cannot be unambiguously linked with its fossorial habits, a high amount of CCCB has been observed in the limb bones of other large burrowing mammals. The inclusion of such large burrowers in future histological studies is thus likely to improve our understanding of the functional link between bone growth and fossorial lifestyle in an evolutionary context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas J Legendre
- Karoo Palaeontology Department, National Museum, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - Jennifer Botha-Brink
- Karoo Palaeontology Department, National Museum, Bloemfontein, South Africa.,Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
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20
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Dewaele L, Lambert O, Laurin M, De Kock T, Louwye S, de Buffrénil V. Generalized Osteosclerotic Condition in the Skeleton of Nanophoca vitulinoides, a Dwarf Seal from the Miocene of Belgium. J MAMM EVOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10914-018-9438-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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21
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Amson E, Arnold P, van Heteren AH, Canoville A, Nyakatura JA. Trabecular architecture in the forelimb epiphyses of extant xenarthrans (Mammalia). Front Zool 2017; 14:52. [PMID: 29213295 PMCID: PMC5707916 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-017-0241-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2017] [Accepted: 11/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Bone structure has a crucial role in the functional adaptations that allow vertebrates to conduct their diverse lifestyles. Much has been documented regarding the diaphyseal structure of long bones of tetrapods. However, the architecture of trabecular bone, which is for instance found within the epiphyses of long bones, and which has been shown experimentally to be extremely plastic, has received little attention in the context of lifestyle adaptations (virtually only in primates). We therefore investigated the forelimb epiphyses of extant xenarthrans, the placental mammals including the sloths, anteaters, and armadillos. They are characterised by several lifestyles and degrees of fossoriality involving distinct uses of their forelimb. We used micro computed tomography data to acquire 3D trabecular parameters at regions of interest (ROIs) for all extant genera of xenarthrans (with replicates). Traditional, spherical, and phylogenetically informed statistics (including the consideration of size effects) were used to characterise the functional signal of these parameters. Results Several trabecular parameters yielded functional distinctions. The main direction of the trabeculae distinguished lifestyle categories for one ROI (the radial trochlea). Among the other trabecular parameters, it is the degree of anisotropy (i.e., a preferential alignment of the trabeculae) that yielded the clearest functional signal. For all ROIs, the armadillos, which represent the fully terrestrial and fossorial category, were found as characterised by a greater degree of anisotropy (i.e., more aligned trabeculae). Furthermore, the trabeculae of the humeral head of the most fossorial armadillos were also found to be more anisotropic than in the less fossorial species. Conclusions Most parameters were marked by an important intraspecific variability and by a size effect, which could, at least partly, be masking the functional signal. But for some parameters, the degree of anisotropy in particular, a clear functional distinction was recovered. Along with data on primates, our findings suggest that a trabecular architecture characterised by a greater degree of anisotropy is to be expected in species in which the relevant epiphyses withstand a restricted range of load directions. Trabecular architecture therefore is a promising research avenue for the reconstruction of lifestyles in extinct or cryptic species. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12983-017-0241-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eli Amson
- AG Morphologie und Formengeschichte, Institut für Biologie, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Philippstraße 13, 10115 Berlin, Germany.,Bild Wissen Gestaltung. Ein Interdisziplinäres Labor, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Sophienstraße 22a, 10178 Berlin, Germany
| | - Patrick Arnold
- Institut für Spezielle Zoologie und Evolutionsbiologie mit Phyletischem Museum, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Erbertstraße 1, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Anneke H van Heteren
- Sektion Mammalogie, Zoologische Staatssammlung München, Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns, Münchhausenstraße 21, 81247 Munich, Germany
| | - Aurore Canoville
- Steinmann Institute for Geology, Mineralogy, and Paleontology, University of Bonn, Nußallee 8, D-53113 Bonn, Germany
| | - John A Nyakatura
- AG Morphologie und Formengeschichte, Institut für Biologie, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Philippstraße 13, 10115 Berlin, Germany.,Bild Wissen Gestaltung. Ein Interdisziplinäres Labor, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Sophienstraße 22a, 10178 Berlin, Germany
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Rolvien T, Hahn M, Siebert U, Püschel K, Wilke HJ, Busse B, Amling M, Oheim R. Vertebral bone microarchitecture and osteocyte characteristics of three toothed whale species with varying diving behaviour. Sci Rep 2017; 7:1604. [PMID: 28487524 PMCID: PMC5431672 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-01926-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2016] [Accepted: 04/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Although vertebral bone microarchitecture has been studied in various tetrapods, limited quantitative data are available on the structural and compositional changes of vertebrae in marine mammals. Whales exhibit exceptional swimming and diving behaviour, and they may not be immune to diving-associated bone pathologies. Lumbar vertebral bodies were analysed in three toothed whale species: the sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), orca (Orcinus orca) and harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). The bone volume fraction (BV/TV) did not scale with body size, although the trabeculae were thicker, fewer in number and further apart in larger whale species than in the other two species. These parameters had a negative allometric scaling relationship with body length. In sperm whales and orcas, the analyses revealed a central ossification zone (“bone-within-bone”) with an increased BV/TV and trabecular thickness. Furthermore, a large number of empty osteocyte lacunae was observed in the sperm whales. Quantitative backscattered electron imaging showed that the lacunae were significantly smaller and less densely packed. Our results indicate that whales have a unique vertebral bone morphology with an inside-out appearance and that deep diving may result in a small number of viable osteocytes because of diving depth-related osteocyte death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Rolvien
- Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Lottestr. 59, 22529, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Michael Hahn
- Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Lottestr. 59, 22529, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ursula Siebert
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Werftstrasse 6, 25761, Buesum, Germany
| | - Klaus Püschel
- Department of Forensic Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Butenfeld 34, 22529, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Hans-Joachim Wilke
- Institute of Orthopedic Research and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Ulm, Helmholtzstraße 14 D, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Björn Busse
- Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Lottestr. 59, 22529, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Michael Amling
- Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Lottestr. 59, 22529, Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Ralf Oheim
- Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Lottestr. 59, 22529, Hamburg, Germany
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Houssaye A, Martin Sander P, Klein N. Adaptive Patterns in Aquatic Amniote Bone Microanatomy-More Complex than Previously Thought. Integr Comp Biol 2016; 56:1349-1369. [PMID: 27794536 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icw120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous amniote groups adapted to an aquatic life. This change of habitat naturally led to numerous convergences. The various adaptive traits vary depending on the degree of adaptation to an aquatic life, notably between shallow water taxa still able to occasionally locomote on land and open-marine forms totally independent from the terrestrial environment, but also between surface swimmers and deep divers. As a consequence, despite convergences, there is a high diversity within aquatic amniotes in e.g., shape, size, physiology, swimming mode. Bone microanatomy is considered to be strongly associated with bone biomechanics and is thus a powerful tool to understand bone adaptation to functional constraints and to make functional inferences on extinct taxa. Two opposing major microanatomical specializations have been described in aquatic amniotes, referred to as bone mass increase and a spongious organization, respectively. They are assumed to be essentially linked with the hydrostatic or hydrodynamic control of buoyancy and body trim and with swimming abilities and velocity. However, between extremes in these specializations, a wide range of intermediary patterns occurs. The present study provides a state-of-the-art review of these inner bone adaptations in semi-aquatic and aquatic amniotes. The analysis of the various microanatomical patterns observed in long bones, vertebrae, and ribs of a large sample of (semi-)aquatic extant and extinct amniotes reveals the wide diversity in microanatomical patterns and the variation in combination of these different patterns within a single skeleton. This enables us to discuss the link between microanatomical features and habitat, swimming abilities, and thus functional requirements in the context of amniote adaptation to an aquatic lifestyle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Houssaye
- *Département Ecologie et Gestion de la Biodiversité, UMR 7179 CNRS/Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 57 rue Cuvier CP-55, Paris 75000, France;
| | - P Martin Sander
- Division of Paleontology, Steinmann-Institute, University of Bonn, Nußallee 8, Bonn 53115, Germany
| | - Nicole Klein
- Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart, Rosenstein 1, Stuttgart 70191, Germany
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Canoville A, de Buffrénil V, Laurin M. Microanatomical diversity of amniote ribs: an exploratory quantitative study. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/bij.12779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Aurore Canoville
- Bonn University; Steinmann Institute for Geology; Mineralogy and Paleontology; Nußallee 8 53115 Bonn Germany
| | - Vivian de Buffrénil
- CR2P; Centre de Recherches sur la Paléobiodiversité et les Paléoenvironnements; Sorbonne Universités; CNRS/MNHN/UPMC; Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle; Bâtiment de Géologie; Case postale 48, 43 rue Buffon, F-75231 Paris Cedex 05 Paris France
| | - Michel Laurin
- CR2P; Centre de Recherches sur la Paléobiodiversité et les Paléoenvironnements; Sorbonne Universités; CNRS/MNHN/UPMC; Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle; Bâtiment de Géologie; Case postale 48, 43 rue Buffon, F-75231 Paris Cedex 05 Paris France
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Kolb C, Scheyer TM, Veitschegger K, Forasiepi AM, Amson E, Van der Geer AAE, Van den Hoek Ostende LW, Hayashi S, Sánchez-Villagra MR. Mammalian bone palaeohistology: a survey and new data with emphasis on island forms. PeerJ 2015; 3:e1358. [PMID: 26528418 PMCID: PMC4627922 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.1358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2015] [Accepted: 10/07/2015] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The interest in mammalian palaeohistology has increased dramatically in the last two decades. Starting in 1849 via descriptive approaches, it has been demonstrated that bone tissue and vascularisation types correlate with several biological variables such as ontogenetic stage, growth rate, and ecology. Mammalian bone displays a large variety of bone tissues and vascularisation patterns reaching from lamellar or parallel-fibred to fibrolamellar or woven-fibred bone, depending on taxon and individual age. Here we systematically review the knowledge and methods on cynodont and mammalian bone microstructure as well as palaeohistology and discuss potential future research fields and techniques. We present new data on the bone microstructure of two extant marsupial species and of several extinct continental and island placental mammals. Extant marsupials display mainly parallel-fibred primary bone with radial and oblique but mainly longitudinal vascular canals. Three juvenile specimens of the dwarf island hippopotamid Hippopotamus minor from the Late Pleistocene of Cyprus show reticular to plexiform fibrolamellar bone. The island murid Mikrotia magna from the Late Miocene of Gargano, Italy displays parallel-fibred primary bone with reticular vascularisation and strong remodelling in the middle part of the cortex. Leithia sp., the dormouse from the Pleistocene of Sicily, is characterised by a primary bone cortex consisting of lamellar bone and a high amount of compact coarse cancellous bone. The bone cortex of the fossil continental lagomorph Prolagus oeningensis and three fossil species of insular Prolagus displays mainly parallel-fibred primary bone and reticular, radial as well as longitudinal vascularisation. Typical for large mammals, secondary bone in the giant rhinocerotoid Paraceratherium sp. from the Late Oligocene of Turkey is represented by dense Haversian bone. The skeletochronological features of Sinomegaceros yabei, a large-sized deer from the Pleistocene of Japan closely related to Megaloceros, indicate a high growth rate. These examples and the synthesis of existing data show the potential of bone microstructure to reveal essential information on life history evolution. The bone tissue and the skeletochronological data of the sampled island species suggest the presence of various modes of bone histological modification and mammalian life history evolution on islands to depend on factors of island evolution such as island size, distance from mainland, climate, phylogeny, and time of evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Kolb
- Paläontologisches Institut und Museum, Universität Zürich , Zürich , Switzerland
| | - Torsten M Scheyer
- Paläontologisches Institut und Museum, Universität Zürich , Zürich , Switzerland
| | - Kristof Veitschegger
- Paläontologisches Institut und Museum, Universität Zürich , Zürich , Switzerland
| | - Analia M Forasiepi
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales, Centro Científico y Tecnológico , Mendoza , Argentina
| | - Eli Amson
- Paläontologisches Institut und Museum, Universität Zürich , Zürich , Switzerland
| | - Alexandra A E Van der Geer
- Department of Geology, Naturalis Biodiversity Center , Leiden , The Netherlands ; Department of Historical Geology and Palaeontology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens , Zografou , Greece
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Houssaye A, Waskow K, Hayashi S, Cornette R, Lee AH, Hutchinson JR. Biomechanical evolution of solid bones in large animals: a microanatomical investigation. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/bij.12660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Houssaye
- Département Ecologie et Gestion de la Biodiversité; UMR 7179, CNRS/Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle; 57 rue Cuvier, CP-55 Paris 75000 France
| | - Katja Waskow
- Steinmann Institut für Geologie; Mineralogie und Paläontologie; Universität Bonn; Nussallee 8 Bonn 53115 Germany
| | - Shoji Hayashi
- Osaka Museum of Natural History; Higashi-sumiyoshi-ku Osaka 546-0034 Japan
| | - Raphaël Cornette
- UMR CNRS/MNHN/UPMC/EPHE 7205; Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB); Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle; 45 rue Buffon Paris 75005 France
| | - Andrew H. Lee
- Department of Anatomy; Midwestern University; 19555 N 59th Avenue Glendale AZ 85308 USA
| | - John R. Hutchinson
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences; Structure and Motion Laboratory; The Royal Veterinary College; Hawkshead Lane Hatfield AL9 7TA UK
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Houssaye A, Tafforeau P, de Muizon C, Gingerich PD. Transition of Eocene whales from land to sea: evidence from bone microstructure. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0118409. [PMID: 25714394 PMCID: PMC4340927 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0118409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2014] [Accepted: 01/14/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Cetacea are secondarily aquatic amniotes that underwent their land-to-sea transition during the Eocene. Primitive forms, called archaeocetes, include five families with distinct degrees of adaptation to an aquatic life, swimming mode and abilities that remain difficult to estimate. The lifestyle of early cetaceans is investigated by analysis of microanatomical features in postcranial elements of archaeocetes. We document the internal structure of long bones, ribs and vertebrae in fifteen specimens belonging to the three more derived archaeocete families--Remingtonocetidae, Protocetidae, and Basilosauridae--using microtomography and virtual thin-sectioning. This enables us to discuss the osseous specializations observed in these taxa and to comment on their possible swimming behavior. All these taxa display bone mass increase (BMI) in their ribs, which lack an open medullary cavity, and in their femora, whereas their vertebrae are essentially spongious. Humeri and femora show opposite trends in microanatomical specialization in the progressive independence of cetaceans from a terrestrial environment. Humeri change from very compact to spongious, which is in accordance with the progressive loss of propulsive role for the forelimbs, which were used instead for steering and stabilizing. Conversely, hind-limbs in basilosaurids became strongly reduced with no involvement in locomotion but display strong osteosclerosis in the femora. Our study confirms that Remingtonocetidae and Protocetidae were almost exclusively aquatic in locomotion for the taxa sampled, which probably were shallow water suspended swimmers. Basilosaurids display osseous specializations similar to those of modern cetaceans and are considered more active open-sea swimmers. This study highlights the strong need for homologous sections in comparative microanatomical studies, and the importance of combining information from several bones of the same taxon for improved functional interpretation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Houssaye
- UMR 7179 CNRS/Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Département Ecologie et Gestion de la Biodiversité, Paris, France
- Steinmann Institut für Geologie, Paläontologie und Mineralogie, Universität Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Paul Tafforeau
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Grenoble, France
| | - Christian de Muizon
- Sorbonne Universités, CR2P—CNRS, MNHN, UPMC-Paris 6, Département Histoire de la Terre, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Philip D. Gingerich
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Museum of Paleontology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
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Houssaye A, Tafforeau P, Herrel A. Amniote vertebral microanatomy - what are the major trends? Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/bij.12311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Houssaye
- Steinmann Institut für Geologie; Paläontologie und Mineralogie; Universität Bonn; Nussallee 8 53115 Bonn Germany
- UMR 7179 du CNRS; Département Ecologie et Gestion de la Biodiversité; Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle; 57 rue Cuvier CP-55 75000 Paris France
| | - Paul Tafforeau
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility; BP220, 6 rue Jules Horowitz 38043 Grenoble Cedex France
| | - Anthony Herrel
- UMR 7179 du CNRS; Département Ecologie et Gestion de la Biodiversité; Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle; 57 rue Cuvier CP-55 75000 Paris France
- Evolutionary Morphology of Vertebrates; Ghent University; K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35 B-9000 Ghent Belgium
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Konietzko-Meier D, Danto M, Gądek K. The microstructural variability of the intercentra among temnospondyl amphibians. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/bij.12301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dorota Konietzko-Meier
- Steinmann Institut; Universität Bonn; Nussallee 8 53115 Bonn Germany
- Department of Biosystematics; University of Opole; Oleska 22 45-052 Opole Poland
| | - Marylène Danto
- Museum für Naturkunde; Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions- und Biodiversitätsforschung; Invalidenstraße 43 10115 Berlin Germany
| | - Kamil Gądek
- Department of Biosystematics; University of Opole; Oleska 22 45-052 Opole Poland
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Marín-Moratalla N, Cubo J, Jordana X, Moncunill-Solé B, Köhler M. Correlation of quantitative bone histology data with life history and climate: a phylogenetic approach. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/bij.12302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nekane Marín-Moratalla
- Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; 08193 Bellaterra Spain
| | - Jorge Cubo
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, UMR 7193; Institut des Sciences de la Terre Paris (iSTeP); F-75005 Paris France
- CNRS, UMR 7193; Institut des Sciences de la Terre Paris (iSTeP); F-75005 Paris France
| | - Xavier Jordana
- Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; 08193 Bellaterra Spain
| | - Blanca Moncunill-Solé
- Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; 08193 Bellaterra Spain
| | - Meike Köhler
- ICREA at the Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; 08193 Bellaterra Spain
- Departament d'Ecologia, Facultat de Biologia; Universitat de Barcelona; Diagonal 645 E-08028 Barcelona Spain
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Legendre LJ, Bourdon E, Scofield RP, Tennyson AJD, Lamrous H, de Ricqlès A, Cubo J. Bone histology, phylogeny, and palaeognathous birds (Aves: Palaeognathae). Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/bij.12312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lucas J. Legendre
- Sorbonne Universités; UPMC Univ Paris 06; UMR 7193; Institut des Sciences de la Terre Paris (iSTeP); F-75005 Paris France
- CNRS; UMR 7193; Institut des Sciences de la Terre Paris (iSTeP); F-75005 Paris France
| | - Estelle Bourdon
- Natural History Museum of Denmark; Section of Biosystematics; Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen Denmark
| | - R. Paul Scofield
- Canterbury Museum; Rolleston Avenue Christchurch 8013 New Zealand
| | - Alan J. D. Tennyson
- Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa; PO Box 467 Wellington 6140 New Zealand
| | - Hayat Lamrous
- Sorbonne Universités; UPMC Univ Paris 06; UMR 7193; Institut des Sciences de la Terre Paris (iSTeP); F-75005 Paris France
- CNRS; UMR 7193; Institut des Sciences de la Terre Paris (iSTeP); F-75005 Paris France
| | - Armand de Ricqlès
- Sorbonne Universités; UPMC Univ Paris 06; UMR 7193; Institut des Sciences de la Terre Paris (iSTeP); F-75005 Paris France
- CNRS; UMR 7193; Institut des Sciences de la Terre Paris (iSTeP); F-75005 Paris France
| | - Jorge Cubo
- Sorbonne Universités; UPMC Univ Paris 06; UMR 7193; Institut des Sciences de la Terre Paris (iSTeP); F-75005 Paris France
- CNRS; UMR 7193; Institut des Sciences de la Terre Paris (iSTeP); F-75005 Paris France
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Paleohistology and lifestyle inferences of a dyrosaurid (Archosauria: Crocodylomorpha) from Paraíba Basin (northeastern Brazil). PLoS One 2014; 9:e102189. [PMID: 25032965 PMCID: PMC4102515 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0102189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2013] [Accepted: 06/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Among the few vertebrates that survived the mass extinction event documented at the Cretaceous-Paleocene boundary are dyrosaurid crocodylomorphs. Surprisingly, there is little information regarding the bone histology of dyrosaurids, despite their relatively common occurrence in the fossil record, and the potential to gain insight about their biology and lifestyle. We provide the first description of the long bone histology of the dyrosaurids. Specimens were collected from the Maria Farinha Formation, in the Paraíba Basin of northeast Brazil. Thin sections of a right femur and left tibia were made. In the left tibia, the cortex consists of lamellar-zonal bone with five lines of arrested growth (LAGs), spaced ∼300 µm apart. The tibia contains a small to medium-sized organized vascular network of both simple vascular canals and primary osteons that decrease in density periostially. The femur exhibits a similar histological pattern overall but has double-LAGs, and an EFS layer (the latter is rare in living crocodylians). Secondary osteons occur in the deep cortex near and inside the spongiosa as a result of remodeling in both bones. This tissue pattern is fairly common among slow-growing animals. These specimens were a sub-adult and a senescent. Patterns in the distribution of bone consistent with osteosclerosis suggest that these animals probably hada fast-swimming ecology. Although these results are consistent with the histology in anatomically convergent taxa, it will be necessary to make additional sections from the mid-diaphysis in order to assign their ecology.
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Houssaye A, Scheyer TM, Kolb C, Fischer V, Sander PM. A new look at ichthyosaur long bone microanatomy and histology: implications for their adaptation to an aquatic life. PLoS One 2014; 9:e95637. [PMID: 24752508 PMCID: PMC3994080 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0095637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2014] [Accepted: 03/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ichthyosaurs are Mesozoic reptiles considered as active swimmers highly adapted to a fully open-marine life. They display a wide range of morphologies illustrating diverse ecological grades. Data concerning their bone microanatomical and histological features are rather limited and suggest that ichthyosaurs display a spongious, "osteoporotic-like" bone inner structure, like extant cetaceans. However, some taxa exhibit peculiar features, suggesting that the analysis of the microanatomical and histological characteristics of various ichthyosaur long bones should match the anatomical diversity and provide information about their diverse locomotor abilities and physiology. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS The material analyzed for this study essentially consists of mid-diaphyseal transverse sections from stylopod bones of various ichthyosaurs and of a few microtomographic (both conventional and synchrotron) data. The present contribution discusses the histological and microanatomical variation observed within ichthyosaurs and the peculiarities of some taxa (Mixosaurus, Pessopteryx). Four microanatomical types are described. If Mixosaurus sections differ from those of the other taxa analyzed, the other microanatomical types, characterized by the relative proportion of compact and loose spongiosa of periosteal and endochondral origin respectively, seem to rather especially illustrate variation along the diaphysis in taxa with similar microanatomical features. Our analysis also reveals that primary bone in all the ichthyosaur taxa sampled (to the possible exception of Mixosaurus) is spongy in origin, that cyclical growth is a common pattern among ichthyosaurs, and confirms the previous assumptions of high growth rates in ichthyosaurs. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE The occurrence of two types of remodelling patterns along the diaphysis, characterized by bone mass decrease and increase respectively is described for the first time. It raises questions about the definition of the osseous microanatomical specializations bone mass increase and osteoporosis, notably based on the processes involved, and reveals the difficulty in determining the true occurrence of these osseous specializations in ichthyosaurs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Houssaye
- Steinmann-Institut für Geologie, Mineralogie und Paläontologie, Universität Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Torsten M. Scheyer
- Paläontologisches Institut und Museum der Universität Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Christian Kolb
- Paläontologisches Institut und Museum der Universität Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | - P. Martin Sander
- Steinmann-Institut für Geologie, Mineralogie und Paläontologie, Universität Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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Quemeneur S, de Buffrénil V, Laurin M. Microanatomy of the amniote femur and inference of lifestyle in limbed vertebrates. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/bij.12066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Quemeneur
- UMR 7207, CNRS/MNHN/UPMC; Département Histoire de la Terre; Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle; 43 rue Buffon; 75005; Paris; France
| | - Vivian de Buffrénil
- UMR 7207, CNRS/MNHN/UPMC; Département Histoire de la Terre; Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle; 43 rue Buffon; 75005; Paris; France
| | - Michel Laurin
- UMR 7207, CNRS/MNHN/UPMC; Département Histoire de la Terre; Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle; 43 rue Buffon; 75005; Paris; France
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