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Toriño P, Dutel H, Soto M, Norbis W, Ezquerra V, Perea D. Reconstructing an ancient fish: Three-dimensional skeletal restoration of the head of Mawsonia (Sarcopterygii, Actinistia) using CT scan, and an adjusted model for body size estimation in fossil coelacanths. J Anat 2024; 245:467-489. [PMID: 38749764 PMCID: PMC11306766 DOI: 10.1111/joa.14054] [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: 02/11/2024] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Mawsonia constitutes one of the most conspicuous fossil coelacanth taxa, due to its unique anatomy and possible maximum body size. It typifies Mesozoic coelacanth morphology, before the putative disappearance of the group in the fossil record. In this work, the three-dimensional cranial anatomy and body size estimations of this genus are re-evaluated from a recently described specimen from Upper Jurassic deposits of Uruguay. The 3D restoration was performed directly on the material based on anatomical information provided by the living coelacanth Latimeria and previous two-dimensional restorations of the head of Mawsonia. The montage was then scanned with computed tomography and virtually adjusted to generate an interactive online resource for future anatomical, taxonomic and biomechanical research. In general terms, the model constitutes a tool to improve both the anatomical knowledge of this genus and its comparison with other coelacanths. It also facilitates the evaluation of possible evolutionary trends and the discussion of particular features with potential palaeobiological implications, such as the anterior position of the eye and the development of the pseudomaxillary fold. Regarding the body size, a previous model for body size estimation based on the gular plate was submitted to OLS, RMA, segmented linear and PGLS regressions (including the evaluation of regression statistics, variance analysis, t-tests and residual analysis). The results point to a power relationship between gular and total lengths showing a better support than a simple linear relationship. The new resulting equations were applied to the studied individual and are provided for future estimates. Although an isometric evolutionary growth cannot be rejected with the available evidence, additional models developed with other bones will be necessary to evaluate possible hidden evolutionary allometric trends in this group of fishes, thus avoiding overestimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Toriño
- Departamento de Paleontología, Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Centro Universitario Regional Noreste - sede Tacuarembó, Universidad de la República, Tacuarembó, Uruguay
- Sistema Nacional de Investigadores, Uruguay
| | - Hugo Dutel
- Bristol Palaeobiology Group, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, MCC, PACEA, UMR 5199, Pessac, France
- Craniofacial Growth and Form, Hôpital Necker - Enfants Malades, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Matías Soto
- Departamento de Paleontología, Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Sistema Nacional de Investigadores, Uruguay
| | - Walter Norbis
- Sistema Nacional de Investigadores, Uruguay
- Laboratorio de Fisiología de la Reproducción y Ecología de Peces, Departamento de Biología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Víctor Ezquerra
- Departamento Clínico de Imagenología, Hospital de Clínicas, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Daniel Perea
- Departamento de Paleontología, Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Sistema Nacional de Investigadores, Uruguay
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Duque-Correa MJ, Clements KD, Meloro C, Ronco F, Boila A, Indermaur A, Salzburger W, Clauss M. Diet and habitat as determinants of intestine length in fishes. REVIEWS IN FISH BIOLOGY AND FISHERIES 2024; 34:1017-1034. [PMID: 39104557 PMCID: PMC11297901 DOI: 10.1007/s11160-024-09853-3] [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: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
Fish biologists have long assumed a link between intestinal length and diet, and relative gut length or Zihler's index are often used to classify species into trophic groups. This has been done for specific fish taxa or specific ecosystems, but not for a global fish dataset. Here, we assess these relationships across a dataset of 468 fish species (254 marine, 191 freshwater, and 23 that occupy both habitats) in relation to body mass and fish length. Herbivores had significantly relatively stouter bodies and longer intestines than omni- and faunivores. Among faunivores, corallivores had longer intestines than invertivores, with piscivores having the shortest. There were no detectable differences between herbivore groups, possibly due to insufficient understanding of herbivorous fish diets. We propose that reasons for long intestines in fish include (i) difficult-to-digest items that require a symbiotic microbiome, and (ii) the dilution of easily digestible compounds with indigestible material (e.g., sand, wood, exoskeleton). Intestinal indices differed significantly between dietary groups, but there was substantial group overlap. Counter-intuitively, in the largest dataset, marine species had significantly shorter intestines than freshwater fish. These results put fish together with mammals as vertebrate taxa with clear convergence in intestine length in association with trophic level, in contrast to reptiles and birds, even if the peculiar feeding ecology of herbivorous fish is probably more varied than that of mammalian herbivores. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11160-024-09853-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria J. Duque-Correa
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse, 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Kendall D. Clements
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag, 92019 Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Carlo Meloro
- Research Center in Evolutionary Anthropology and Palaeoecology, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L3 3AF UK
| | - Fabrizia Ronco
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Zoological Institute, University of Basel, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
- Natural History Museum Oslo, 0562 Oslo, Norway
| | - Anna Boila
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Zoological Institute, University of Basel, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Adrian Indermaur
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Zoological Institute, University of Basel, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Walter Salzburger
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Zoological Institute, University of Basel, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Marcus Clauss
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse, 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
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Glazier DS. The Relevance of Time in Biological Scaling. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1084. [PMID: 37626969 PMCID: PMC10452035 DOI: 10.3390/biology12081084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
Various phenotypic traits relate to the size of a living system in regular but often disproportionate (allometric) ways. These "biological scaling" relationships have been studied by biologists for over a century, but their causes remain hotly debated. Here, I focus on the patterns and possible causes of the body-mass scaling of the rates/durations of various biological processes and life-history events, i.e., the "pace of life". Many biologists have regarded the rate of metabolism or energy use as the master driver of the "pace of life" and its scaling with body size. Although this "energy perspective" has provided valuable insight, here I argue that a "time perspective" may be equally or even more important. I evaluate various major ways that time may be relevant in biological scaling, including as (1) an independent "fourth dimension" in biological dimensional analyses, (2) a universal "biological clock" that synchronizes various biological rates/durations, (3) a scaling method that uses various biological time periods (allochrony) as scaling metrics, rather than various measures of physical size (allometry), as traditionally performed, (4) an ultimate body-size-related constraint on the rates/timing of biological processes/events that is set by the inevitability of death, and (5) a geological "deep time" approach for viewing the evolution of biological scaling patterns. Although previously proposed universal four-dimensional space-time and "biological clock" views of biological scaling are problematic, novel approaches using allochronic analyses and time perspectives based on size-related rates of individual mortality and species origination/extinction may provide new valuable insights.
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Sherratt E, McCullough EL, Painting CJ. Commentary: The ecological and evolutionary implications of allometry. Evol Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-022-10201-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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