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Chimento NR, Agnolín FL, García-Marsà J, Manabe M, Tsuihiji T, Novas FE. A large therian mammal from the Late Cretaceous of South America. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2854. [PMID: 38310138 PMCID: PMC10838296 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53156-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Theria represent an extant clade that comprises placental and marsupial mammals. Here we report on the discovery of a new Late Cretaceous mammal from southern Patagonia, Patagomaia chainko gen. et sp. nov., represented by hindlimb and pelvic elements with unambiguous therian features. We estimate Patagomaia chainko attained a body mass of 14 kg, which is considerably greater than the 5 kg maximum body mass of coeval Laurasian therians. This new discovery demonstrates that Gondwanan therian mammals acquired large body size by the Late Cretaceous, preceding their Laurasian relatives, which remained small-bodied until the beginning of the Cenozoic. Patagomaia supports the view that the Southern Hemisphere was a cradle for the evolution of modern mammalian clades, alongside non-therian extinct groups such as meridiolestidans, gondwanatherians and monotremes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolás R Chimento
- Laboratorio de Anatomía Comparada y Evolución de los Vertebrados (LACEV), Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia" (MACN-CONICET), Av. Ángel Gallardo 470, C1405DJR, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Federico L Agnolín
- Laboratorio de Anatomía Comparada y Evolución de los Vertebrados (LACEV), Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia" (MACN-CONICET), Av. Ángel Gallardo 470, C1405DJR, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Fundación de Historia Natural "Félix de Azara", Departamento de Ciencias Naturales y Antropología, CEBBAD - Universidad Maimónides, Hidalgo 767, C1405BDB, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jordi García-Marsà
- Laboratorio de Anatomía Comparada y Evolución de los Vertebrados (LACEV), Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia" (MACN-CONICET), Av. Ángel Gallardo 470, C1405DJR, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Makoto Manabe
- National Museum of Nature and Science, 4‑1‑1 Amakubo, Tsukuba, 305‑0005, Japan
| | - Takanobu Tsuihiji
- Department of Earth and Planetary Science, The University of Tokyo, 7‑3‑1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 305‑0005, Japan
| | - Fernando E Novas
- Laboratorio de Anatomía Comparada y Evolución de los Vertebrados (LACEV), Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia" (MACN-CONICET), Av. Ángel Gallardo 470, C1405DJR, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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2
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Prideaux GJ, Warburton NM. A review of the late Cenozoic genus Bohra (Diprotodontia: Macropodidae) and the evolution of tree-kangaroos. Zootaxa 2023; 5299:1-95. [PMID: 37518576 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5299.1.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Tree-kangaroos of the genus Dendrolagus occupy forest habitats of New Guinea and extreme northeastern Australia, but their evolutionary history is poorly known. Descriptions in the 2000s of near-complete Pleistocene skeletons belonging to larger-bodied species in the now-extinct genus Bohra broadened our understanding of morphological variation in the group and have since helped us to identify unassigned fossils in museum collections, as well as to reassign species previously placed in other genera. Here we describe these fossils and analyse tree-kangaroo systematics via comparative osteology. Including B. planei sp. nov., B. bandharr comb. nov. and B. bila comb. nov., we recognise the existence of at least seven late Cenozoic species of Bohra, with a maximum of three in any one assemblage. All tree-kangaroos (Dendrolagina subtribe nov.) exhibit skeletal adaptations reflective of greater joint flexibility and manoeuvrability, particularly in the hindlimb, compared with other macropodids. The Pliocene species of Bohra retained the stepped calcaneocuboid articulation characteristic of ground-dwelling macropodids, but this became smoothed to allow greater hindfoot rotation in the later species of Bohra and in Dendrolagus. Tree-kangaroo diversification may have been tied to the expansion of forest habitats in the early Pliocene. Following the onset of late Pliocene aridity, some tree-kangaroo species took advantage of the consequent spread of more open habitats, becoming among the largest late Cenozoic tree-dwellers on the continent. Arboreal Old World primates and late Quaternary lemurs may be the closest ecological analogues to the species of Bohra.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gavin J Prideaux
- College of Science & Engineering; Flinders University; Bedford Park; South Australia 5042; Australia.
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3
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Gross anatomy of the gluteal and posterior thigh muscles in koalas based on their innervations. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0261805. [PMID: 36103546 PMCID: PMC9473627 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261805] [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: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Morphological and functional comparison of convergently-evolved traits in marsupials and eutherians is an important aspect of studying adaptive divergence in mammals. However, the anatomy of marsupials has been particularly difficult to evaluate for multiple reasons. First, previous studies on marsupial anatomy are often uniformly old and non-exhaustive. Second, muscle identification was historically based on muscle attachment sites, but attachment sites have since been declared insufficient for muscle identification due to extensive interspecific variation. For example, different names have been used for muscles that are now thought to be equivalent among several different species, which causes confusion. Therefore, descriptions of marsupial muscles have been inconsistent among previous studies, and their anatomical knowledge itself needs updating. In this study, the koala was selected as the representative marsupial, in part because koala locomotion may comprise primate (eutherian)-like and marsupial-like mechanics, making it an interesting phylogenetic group for studying adaptive divergence in mammals. Gross dissection of the lower limb muscles (the gluteal and the posterior thigh regions) was performed to permit precise muscle identification. We first resolved discrepancies among previous studies by identifying muscles according to their innervation; this recent, more reliable technique is based on the ontogenetic origin of the muscle, and it allows for comparison with other taxa (i.e., eutherians). We compared our findings with those of other marsupials and arboreal primates and identified traits common to both arboreal primates and marsupials as well as muscle morphological features unique to koalas.
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4
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Yunus HA, Ekim O, Bakıcı C, Bakıcı M, Batur B. Morphological pattern of the pes tendons in Bennett's Wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus). Anat Histol Embryol 2022; 51:372-379. [PMID: 35201625 DOI: 10.1111/ahe.12797] [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: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Wallabies are small- to medium-sized hopping marsupials and have large and flexible tendons in their hind limbs that act like springs. This study aimed to show the morphological pattern of the pes tendons in Bennett's wallaby. Two Bennett's Wallabies (Macropus rufogriseus) that died of natural causes have been used for this study. The pes was dissected using standard dissection techniques to expose the tendons around metatarsals and digits. The crural musculature of the hind limb was also dissected to identify the origin of the tendons. Tendons of m. extensor digitorum longus, m. extensor digitorum lateralis, m. extensor digiti II et III longus, m. flexor digitorum superficialis, m. flexor digitorum profundus and mm. interossei were the main identified tendons. Tendons of m. extensor digitorum longus attached to the distal phalanx of the fourth digit. The tendon of m. extensor digitorum lateralis had two insertion points, on the fourth and the fifth digits. The tendon of m. flexor digitorum superficialis bifurcates at the level proximal one-third of the metatarsus. The relatively thinner branch inserted into the phalanx of the fifth digit, while the thicker splits and inserted to the medial and lateral surface of the distal end of the proximal phalanx of the fourth digit. Tendon of m. flexor digitorum profundus was the thickest tendon on the plantar surface, and it had four insertion points, which were the distal phalanges of the second, third, fourth and fifth digits. This study provides detailed information for future studies on the biomechanical and functional morphology of tendons in marsupials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hasen Awel Yunus
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey.,Mizan-Tepi University, MizanTeferi, Ethiopia
| | - Okan Ekim
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Caner Bakıcı
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Merve Bakıcı
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kirikkale University, Kirikkale, Turkey
| | - Barış Batur
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
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5
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Day Time Activity Budgets, Height Utilization and Husbandry of Two Zoo-Housed Goodfellow’s Tree Kangaroos (Dendrolagus goodfellowi buergersi). JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGICAL AND BOTANICAL GARDENS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/jzbg3010009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Goodfellow’s tree kangaroos (Dendrolagus goodfellowi) are an endangered, arboreal macropod native to the lower, mid-montane rainforests of Papua New Guinea. Despite a number of holders keeping D. goodfellowi in zoos across the world, there is a lack of recent published work on this species. Here, we present daytime activity budgets, document height use and provide husbandry information for two Goodfellow’s tree kangaroos (Dendrolagus goodfellowi buergersi) housed at Chester Zoo, UK. Throughout the observation period, both individuals spent the majority of their time resting within the environment but also spent time engaging in vigilance, travel and feeding behaviour. Additionally, despite the age and sex differences of the study individuals, both animals used the highest height level in the indoor habitat most frequently. We aim to share our information and encourage knowledge transfer with other holders, to both increase understanding and promote evidence-based management of this species.
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6
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Wagstaffe AY, O'Driscoll AM, Kunz CJ, Rayfield EJ, Janis CM. Divergent locomotor evolution in "giant" kangaroos: Evidence from foot bone bending resistances and microanatomy. J Morphol 2022; 283:313-332. [PMID: 34997777 PMCID: PMC9303454 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.21445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The extinct sthenurine (giant, short-faced) kangaroos have been proposed to have a different type of locomotor behavior to extant (macropodine) kangaroos, based both on physical limitations (the size of many exceeds the proposed limit for hopping) and anatomical features (features of the hind limb anatomy suggestive of weight-bearing on one leg at a time). Here, we use micro computerised tomography (micro-CT) scans of the pedal bones of six kangaroos, three sthenurine, and three macropodine, ranging from ~50 to 150 kg, to investigate possible differences in bone resistances to bending and cortical bone distribution that might relate to differences in locomotion. Using second moment of area analysis, we show differences in resistance to bending between the two subfamilies. Distribution of cortical bone shows that sthenurines had less resistant calcaneal tubers, implying a different foot posture during locomotion, and the long foot bones were more resistant to the medial bending stresses. These differences were the most pronounced between Pleistocene monodactyl sthenurines (Sthenurus stirlingi and Procoptodon browneorum) and the two species of Macropus (the extant M. giganteus and the extinct M. cf. M. titan) and support the hypothesis that these derived sthenurines employed bipedal striding. The Miocene sthenurine Hadronomas retains some more macropodine-like features of bone resistance to bending, perhaps reflecting its retention of the fifth pedal digit. The Pleistocene macropodine Protemnodon has a number of unique features, possibly indicative of a type of locomotion unlike the other kangaroos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amber Y Wagstaffe
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.,Energy and Environment Institute, University of Hull, Hull, UK
| | - Adrian M O'Driscoll
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.,Center for Anatomical and Human Studies, Hull York Medical School, University of York, York, UK
| | - Callum J Kunz
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Emily J Rayfield
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Christine M Janis
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
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7
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Jin ZW, Kim JH, Suzuki D, Sugai N, Murakami G, Abe H, Rodríguez-Vázquez JF. Relationship of the fabella with the origins of the plantaris and gastrocnemius lateral head muscles in late-term fetuses: a histological study. Anat Cell Biol 2021; 54:270-279. [PMID: 33896799 PMCID: PMC8225468 DOI: 10.5115/acb.20.326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous studies of midterm fetuses indicated that a cartilaginous fabella appeared to be embedded in the plantaris (PL), and was fused with the gastrocnemius lateral head (GL). We re-examined the topographical anatomy of the fabella or its analogue (a tight fibrous mass) originating in the GL and/or PL by evaluating histological sections of the unilateral knees of 15 late-term fetuses. Regardless of whether the cartilaginous fabella was present (6 fetuses) or absent (9 fetuses), the origins of the PL and GL muscles each had three parts. In each fetus, the fabella or its analogue was embedded in a thick common tendinous origin of the GL and PL. PL1 (whose origin is similar to that of the adult PL) originated from the femoral condyle immediately above the common tendon; PL2 originated from the posteromedial aspect of the fabella or its analogue; and PL3 originated from the inferior aspect of the fabella or its analogue. The muscle fibers of PL1, PL2, and PL3 joined to provide a thick plantaris. GL1 (which is adjacent to PL2) originated from the common tendon in the superior side of the fabella or its analogue and GL2 originated from the inferior side of the fabella or its analogue. GL1 and GL2 joined to provide a thick bundle, whereas GL3 (located far below the fabella or its analogue) originated from the posterior surface aponeurosis. Therefore, drastic reconstruction at these muscle origins was necessary during development. Due to the strong mechanical stress from the GL and the space-occupying effect of the muscle, we hypothesize that PL2 and PL3 are degraded or absorbed into the GL1 and GL2 during the postnatal period, so that the remaining PL1 was likely the remaining PL in adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe-Wu Jin
- Department of Anatomy, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ji Hyun Kim
- Department of Anatomy, Jeonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, Korea
| | - Daisuke Suzuki
- Divison of Common Curriculum, Hokkaido Chitose College of Rehabilitation, Chitose, Japan
| | - Namiko Sugai
- Divison of Rehabilitation, Hitsujigaoka Hospital of Orthopedics, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Gen Murakami
- Division of Internal Medicine, Cupid Clinic, Iwamizawa, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Abe
- Emeritus Professor of Akita University School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
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8
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Warburton NM, Prideaux GJ. The skeleton of Congruus kitcheneri, a semiarboreal kangaroo from the Pleistocene of southern Australia. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 8:202216. [PMID: 33959368 PMCID: PMC8074921 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.202216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The macropodine kangaroo, Wallabia kitcheneri, was first described in 1989 from a Pleistocene deposit within Mammoth Cave, southwestern Australia, on the basis of a few partial dentaries and maxilla fragments. Here, we recognize W. kitcheneri within the Pleistocene assemblages of the Thylacoleo Caves, south-central Australia, where it is represented by several cranial specimens and two near-complete skeletons, a probable male and female. We reallocate this species to the hitherto monotypic genus Congruus. Congruus kitcheneri differs from all other macropodid species by having a highly unusual pocket within the wall of the nasal cavity. It is distinguished from C. congruus by having a longer, narrower rostrum, a taller occiput and a deeper jugal. Congruus is closest to Protemnodon in overall cranial morphology but is smaller and less robust. In most postcranial attributes, Congruus also resembles Protemnodon, including general limb robustness and the atypical ratio of 14 thoracic to five lumbar vertebrae. It is distinguished by the high mobility of its glenohumeral joints, the development of muscle attachment sites for strong adduction and mobility of the forelimb, and large, robust manual and pedal digits with strongly recurved distal phalanges. These adaptations resemble those of tree-kangaroos more than ground-dwelling macropodines. We interpret this to imply that C. kitcheneri was semiarboreal, with a propensity to climb and move slowly through trees. This is the first evidence for the secondary adoption of a climbing habit within crown macropodines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie M. Warburton
- Centre for Climate-Impacted Terrestrial Ecosystems, Harry Butler Research Institute, Murdoch University, Australia
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Western Australian Museum, Kew Street, Welshpool, WA, Australia
| | - Gavin J. Prideaux
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, South Australia 5042, Australia
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Chinsamy A, Warburton NM. Ontogenetic growth and the development of a unique fibrocartilage entheses in Macropus fuliginosus. ZOOLOGY 2020; 144:125860. [PMID: 33242741 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2020.125860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Here we examine the bone histology of the femora and humeri of the Western Grey Kangaroo, Macropus fuliginosus. Our results reveal that bone modelling in response to ontogenetic growth and the development of tuberosities on the femur, and especially in the humerus, lead to a highly complex histology. We propose that the alternating fast and slow rates of bone deposition are seasonal, and are likely correlated with heterothermy related to ecological constraints during the summer months. In females, after the fourth growth mark in the femur, there is a distinctive change to a more lamellar textured bone deposition with sparse vascularisation, directly indicating a slowdown in growth. However, in males, the zones remain woven textured and well vascularised, which is indicative of continued fast growth. Here we also report the novel occurrence of a fibrocartilaginous entheses for the attachment of the m. quadratus femoris to the caudal femoral tuberosity. Using a combination of methodologies, we show that perimeter measurements of growth marks provide a reasonable estimation of the age of kangaroos. Additionally, we observed large individuals that have ceased diaphyseal appositional growth of the femur and the humerus, as well as fusion of the distal epiphyses of both bones, though the proximal epiphyses may remain unfused.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anusuya Chinsamy
- University of Cape Town, Department of Biological Sciences, Private Bag X3, Rhodes Gift, 7701, South Africa.
| | - Natalie M Warburton
- College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
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10
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Sichting F, Holowka NB, Ebrecht F, Lieberman DE. Evolutionary anatomy of the plantar aponeurosis in primates, including humans. J Anat 2020; 237:85-104. [PMID: 32103502 PMCID: PMC7309290 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2019] [Revised: 01/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The plantar aponeurosis in the human foot has been extensively studied and thoroughly described, in part, because of the incidence of plantar fasciitis in humans. It is commonly assumed that the human plantar aponeurosis is a unique adaptation to bipedalism that evolved in concert with the longitudinal arch. However, the comparative anatomy of the plantar aponeurosis is poorly known in most mammals, even among non-human primates, hindering efforts to understand its function. Here, we review previous anatomical descriptions of 40 primate species and use phylogenetic comparative methods to reconstruct the evolution of the plantar aponeurosis and its relationship to the plantaris muscle in primates. Ancestral state reconstructions suggest that the overall organization of the human plantar aponeurosis is shared with chimpanzees and that a similar anatomical configuration evolved independently in different primate clades as an adaptation to terrestrial locomotion. The presence of a plantar aponeurosis with clearly developed lateral and central bands in the African apes suggests that this structure is not prohibitive to suspensory locomotion and that these species possess versatile feet adapted for both terrestrial and arboreal locomotion. This plantar aponeurosis configuration would have been advantageous in enhancing foot stiffness for bipedal locomotion in the earliest hominins, prior to the evolution of a longitudinal arch. Hominins may have subsequently evolved thicker and stiffer plantar aponeuroses alongside the arch to enable a windlass mechanism and elastic energy storage for bipedal walking and running, although this idea requires further testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Freddy Sichting
- Department of Human LocomotionChemnitz University of TechnologyChemnitzGermany
- Department of Human Evolutionary BiologyHarvard UniversityCambridgeMAUSA
| | - Nicholas B. Holowka
- Department of Human Evolutionary BiologyHarvard UniversityCambridgeMAUSA
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity at BuffaloBuffaloNYUSA
| | - Florian Ebrecht
- Department of Human LocomotionChemnitz University of TechnologyChemnitzGermany
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11
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Richards HL, Wells RT, Evans AR, Fitzgerald EMG, Adams JW. The extraordinary osteology and functional morphology of the limbs in Palorchestidae, a family of strange extinct marsupial giants. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0221824. [PMID: 31518353 PMCID: PMC6744111 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0221824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 08/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The Palorchestidae are a family of marsupial megafauna occurring across the eastern Australian continent from the late Oligocene through to their extinction in the Late Pleistocene. The group is known for their odd 'tapir-like' crania and distinctive clawed forelimbs, but their appendicular anatomy has never been formally described. We provide the first descriptions of the appendicular skeleton and body mass estimates for three palorchestid species, presenting newly-identified, and in some cases associated, material of mid-Miocene Propalorchestes, Plio-Pleistocene Palorchestes parvus and Pleistocene Palorchestes azael alongside detailed comparisons with extant and fossil vombatiform marsupials. We propose postcranial diagnostic characters at the family, genus and species level. Specialisation in the palorchestid appendicular skeleton evidently occurred much later than in the cranium and instead correlates with increasing body size within the lineage. We conclude that palorchestid forelimbs were highly specialised for the manipulation of their environment in the acquisition of browse, and that they may have adopted bipedal postures to feed. Our results indicate palorchestids were bigger than previously thought, with the largest species likely weighing over 1000 kg. Additionally, we show that P. azael exhibits some of the most unusual forelimb morphology of any mammal, with a uniquely fixed humeroulnar joint unlike any of their marsupial kin, living or extinct.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hazel L Richards
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.,Geosciences, Museums Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rod T Wells
- Ecology and Evolution, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Palaeontology, South Australian Museum, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Alistair R Evans
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.,Geosciences, Museums Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Justin W Adams
- Geosciences, Museums Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Anatomy & Developmental Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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12
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Abello MA, Candela AM. Paleobiology of Argyrolagus (Marsupialia, Argyrolagidae): an astonishing case of bipedalism among South American mammals. J MAMM EVOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10914-019-09470-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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13
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Warburton NM, Marchal CR. Forelimb Myology of Carnivorous Marsupials (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae): Implications for the Ancestral Body Plan of the Australidelphia. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2017; 300:1589-1608. [DOI: 10.1002/ar.23612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2016] [Revised: 12/08/2016] [Accepted: 12/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Natalie M. Warburton
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences; Murdoch University; Murdoch Western 6150 Australia
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences; Western Australian Museum; Welshpool Western Australia
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14
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Pfaff C, Czerny S, Nagel D, Kriwet J. Functional morphological adaptations of the bony labyrinth in marsupials (Mammalia, Theria). J Morphol 2017; 278:742-749. [PMID: 28345247 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.20669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2016] [Revised: 01/23/2017] [Accepted: 02/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Diprotodontia represents the largest and ecologically most distinct order of marsupials occurring in Australasian being highly divers in size, locomotion, habitat preferences, feeding, and activity pattern. The spatial orientation in the habitat and therefore the three-dimensional space is detected by the vestibular system of the inner ear, more precisely by the three semicircular canals. In this study, we investigated the bony labyrinth of diprotodontian and selected non-diprotodontian marsupial mammals of almost all genera with noninvasive micro-CT scanning and 3D-reconstructions. In principal component analyses, the subterranean taxon can be separated from gliding and saltatorial taxa, whereas arboreal species can be separated from saltatorial specimens. The highest PCA loadings of this functional distinction are clearly found in the diameter of the semicircular canals, whereas the overall shape (height, width, length) of the semicircular canals is less important. Additionally, the investigated arboreal and fossorial species of South America are nested in the morphospace of the Australasian taxa. Even if a phylogenetic signal in the anatomy of the bony labyrinth cannot be excluded entirely, the main functional morphological signal of the vestibular system is found in the diameter of the semicircular canals. With the large dataset of extant marsupial mammals analysed here, the locomotion mode of extinct taxa can be inferred in future studies independent of any evidence of postcranial material.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cathrin Pfaff
- Department of Palaeontology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Stefan Czerny
- Department of Palaeontology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Doris Nagel
- Department of Palaeontology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jürgen Kriwet
- Department of Palaeontology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Warburton NM, Malric A, Yakovleff M, Leonard V, Cailleau C. Hind limb myology of the southern brown bandicoot (Isoodon obesulus) and greater bilby (Macrotis lagotis) (Marsupialia : Peramelemorphia). AUST J ZOOL 2015. [DOI: 10.1071/zo14087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Bandicoots and bilbies (order Peramelemorphia) represent the principal group of omnivorous marsupials from a range of habitats across Australia and New Guinea. Bandicoots and bilbies most commonly use quadrupedal, asymmetrical half-bounding or bounding gaits and present an unusual combination of hind limb morphological features, including an ossified patella, a modified tibiofibular joint, and syndactylous morphology of the pes. We performed comparative dissections of the hind limb of the southern brown bandicoot (Isoodon obesulus fusciventer) (n = 13) and greater bilby (Macrotis lagotis) (n = 4), providing detailed descriptions of the muscular anatomy. These species displayed significant modification of the hind limb muscular anatomy and associated connective tissues, including emphasis on multiarticular muscles, such as the hamstrings, and extreme development of fascial structures. These patterns were more extreme in I. obesulus than in M. lagotis. Differences between the hind limb anatomy of I. obesulus and M. lagotis reflect the different ecological and environmental pressures on their locomotion and digging behaviours.
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16
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Locomotion in extinct giant kangaroos: were sthenurines hop-less monsters? PLoS One 2014; 9:e109888. [PMID: 25333823 PMCID: PMC4198187 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0109888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2014] [Accepted: 09/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Sthenurine kangaroos (Marsupialia, Diprotodontia, Macropodoidea) were an extinct subfamily within the family Macropodidae (kangaroos and rat-kangaroos). These “short-faced browsers” first appeared in the middle Miocene, and radiated in the Plio-Pleistocene into a diversity of mostly large-bodied forms, more robust than extant forms in their build. The largest (Procoptodon goliah) had an estimated body mass of 240 kg, almost three times the size of the largest living kangaroos, and there is speculation whether a kangaroo of this size would be biomechanically capable of hopping locomotion. Previously described aspects of sthenurine anatomy (specialized forelimbs, rigid lumbar spine) would limit their ability to perform the characteristic kangaroo pentapedal walking (using the tail as a fifth limb), an essential gait at slower speeds as slow hopping is energetically unfeasible. Analysis of limb bone measurements of sthenurines in comparison with extant macropodoids shows a number of anatomical differences, especially in the large species. The scaling of long bone robusticity indicates that sthenurines are following the “normal” allometric trend for macropodoids, while the large extant kangaroos are relatively gracile. Other morphological differences are indicative of adaptations for a novel type of locomotor behavior in sthenurines: they lacked many specialized features for rapid hopping, and they also had anatomy indicative of supporting their body with an upright trunk (e.g., dorsally tipped ischiae), and of supporting their weight on one leg at a time (e.g., larger hips and knees, stabilized ankle joint). We propose that sthenurines adopted a bipedal striding gait (a gait occasionally observed in extant tree-kangaroos): in the smaller and earlier forms, this gait may have been employed as an alternative to pentapedal locomotion at slower speeds, while in the larger Pleistocene forms this gait may have enabled them to evolve to body sizes where hopping was no longer a feasible form of more rapid locomotion.
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