1
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Bhat MS, Cullen TM. Growth and life history of freshwater chelydrid turtles (Testudines: Cryptodira): A bone histological approach. J Anat 2024. [PMID: 39169639 DOI: 10.1111/joa.14130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2024] [Revised: 07/25/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The current study examines the growth pattern and lifestyle habits of the freshwater snapping turtles Chelydra and Macrochelys based on limb bone histology. Femora, humeri, and tibiae of 25 individuals selected from a range of ontogenetic stages were assessed to determine inter-element and intraskeletal histological variation. Osteohistological assessment of multiple elements is consistent with overall moderate growth rates as revealed by the dominance of parallel-fibered bone. However, the growth was cyclical as shown by deposition of multiple lines of arrested growths in the compacta. It appears that the bone tissue of C. serpentina is more variable through ontogeny with intermittent higher growth rates. M. temminckii appears to grow more slowly than C. serpentina possessing compact and thick cortices in accordance with their larger size. Overall, vascularization decreases through ontogeny with humeri and femora being well-vascularized in both species. Contrarily, epipodials are poorly vascularized, though simple longitudinal and radial canals are present, suggesting differences in growth patterns when compared with associated diaphyseal sections. The tibiae were found to be the least remodeled of the limb bones and therefore better suited for skeletochronology for snapping turtles. Intra-elementally, femora and humeri preserved higher cortical vascularity ventrally, suggestive of faster relative growth. We hypothesize that the differential growth pattern in limb bones of snapping turtles may relate to differential functional constraints, where forelimbs are operational in swimming while the hindlimbs provide stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohd Shafi Bhat
- Department of Geosciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA
| | - Thomas M Cullen
- Department of Geosciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA
- Auburn University Museum of Natural History, Auburn, Alabama, USA
- Department of Earth Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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2
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Woodruff DC, Curtice BD, Foster JR. Seis-ing up the Super-Morrison formation sauropods. J Anat 2024. [PMID: 38978276 DOI: 10.1111/joa.14108] [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: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation sauropods Diplodocus (formerly "Seismosaurus") hallorum and Supersaurus vivianae are quantifiably the largest dinosaurian taxa from the formation, as well as being among the largest dinosaurs in the world. Their extreme body size (in particular body length, c. 50+ m) has fascinated the paleontological community since their discoveries and has sparked an ongoing discussion on the trends and limits of Morrison Formation sauropod body size. Although not an undeviating proxy, often the largest and skeletally most mature specimens are among the rarest (as exemplified in Triceratops). While their body size has no phylogenetic bearing, the extreme size and potential eco and biological significance of these two sauropod taxa are frequently discussed. Whether these rare and titanically proportioned sauropod specimens are large-bodied, senescent or both is an often-repeating rhetoric. To definitively make maturational inferences about these taxa, we osteohistologically sampled the holotype of D. hallorum (NMMNH P-25079) and the second known specimen of S. vivianae (WDC DMJ-021). Our age-determinant and maturational assessments indicate that both specimens were skeletally mature at their respective age of death. Retrocalculation methods for D. hallorum NMMNH P-25079 produce a maximum age-at-death estimation of 60 years, whereas S. vivianae WDC DMJ-021 lived well past skeletal maturity-so much so that reliable retrocalculated ages cannot be accurately determined at this time. Additionally, the rarity of such large sauropods within the Morrison Formation might be more parsimoniously explained as relating to their maturity as opposed to representing aberrant taxa on the Morrison landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Cary Woodruff
- Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science, Miami, Florida, USA
- Museum of the Rockies, Bozeman, Montana, USA
| | | | - John R Foster
- Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum, Vernal, Utah, USA
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3
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Pintore R, Hutchinson JR, Bishop PJ, Tsai HP, Houssaye A. The evolution of femoral morphology in giant non-avian theropod dinosaurs. PALEOBIOLOGY 2024; 50:308-329. [PMID: 38846629 PMCID: PMC7616063 DOI: 10.1017/pab.2024.6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Theropods are obligate bipedal dinosaurs that appeared 230 million years ago and are still extant as birds. Their history is characterized by extreme variations in body mass, with gigantism evolving convergently between many lineages. However, no quantification of hindlimb functional morphology has shown if these body mass increases led to similar specializations between distinct lineages. Here we studied femoral shape variation across 41 species of theropods (n= 68 specimens) using a high-density 3D geometric morphometric approach. We demonstrated that the heaviest theropods evolved wider epiphyses and a more distally located fourth trochanter, as previously demonstrated in early archosaurs, along with an upturned femoral head and a mediodistal crest that extended proximally along the shaft. Phylogenetically informed analyses highlighted that these traits evolved convergently within six major theropod lineages, regardless of their maximum body mass. Conversely, the most gracile femora were distinct from the rest of the dataset, which we interpret as a femoral specialization to "miniaturization" evolving close to Avialae (bird lineage). Our results support a gradual evolution of known "avian" features, such as the fusion between lesser and greater trochanters and a reduction of the epiphyses' offset, independently from body mass variations, which may relate to a more "avian" type of locomotion (more knee-than hip-driven). The distinction between body mass variations and a more "avian" locomotion is represented by a decoupling in the mediodistal crest morphology, whose biomechanical nature should be studied to better understand the importance of its functional role in gigantism, miniaturization and higher parasagittal abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romain Pintore
- Mécanismes adaptatifs et évolution (MECADEV) / UMR 7179. CNRS / Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, FR
- Structure and Motion Laboratory, Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, UK
| | | | - Peter J. Bishop
- Museum of Comparative Zoology and Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, USA
- Geosciences Program, Queensland Museum, Brisbane, Queensland, AU
| | - Henry P. Tsai
- Department of Biology, Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, USA
| | - Alexandra Houssaye
- Mécanismes adaptatifs et évolution (MECADEV) / UMR 7179. CNRS / Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, FR
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4
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Tse YT, Miller CV, Pittman M. Morphological disparity and structural performance of the dromaeosaurid skull informs ecology and evolutionary history. BMC Ecol Evol 2024; 24:39. [PMID: 38622512 PMCID: PMC11020771 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-024-02222-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Non-avialan theropod dinosaurs had diverse ecologies and varied skull morphologies. Previous studies of theropod cranial morphology mostly focused on higher-level taxa or characteristics associated with herbivory. To better understand morphological disparity and function within carnivorous theropod families, here we focus on the Dromaeosauridae, 'raptors' traditionally seen as agile carnivorous hunters.We applied 2D geometric morphometrics to quantify skull shape, performed mechanical advantage analysis to assess the efficiency of bite force transfer, and performed finite element analysis to examine strain distribution in the skull during biting. We find that dromaeosaurid skull morphology was less disparate than most non-avialan theropod groups. Their skulls show a continuum of form between those that are tall and short and those that are flat and long. We hypothesise that this narrower morphological disparity indicates developmental constraint on skull shape, as observed in some mammalian families. Mechanical advantage indicates that Dromaeosaurus albertensis and Deinonychus antirrhopus were adapted for relatively high bite forces, while Halszkaraptor escuilliei was adapted for high bite speed, and other dromaeosaurids for intermediate bite forces and speeds. Finite element analysis indicates regions of high strain are consistent within dromaeosaurid families but differ between them. Average strain levels do not follow any phylogenetic pattern, possibly due to ecological convergence between distantly-related taxa.Combining our new morphofunctional data with a re-evaluation of previous evidence, we find piscivorous reconstructions of Halszkaraptor escuilliei to be unlikely, and instead suggest an invertivorous diet and possible adaptations for feeding in murky water or other low-visibility conditions. We support Deinonychus antirrhopus as being adapted for taking large vertebrate prey, but we find that its skull is relatively less resistant to bite forces than other dromaeosaurids. Given the recovery of high bite force resistance for Velociraptor mongoliensis, which is believed to have regularly engaged in scavenging behaviour, we suggest that higher bite force resistance in a dromaeosaurid taxon may reflect a greater reliance on scavenging rather than fresh kills.Comparisons to the troodontid Gobivenator mongoliensis suggest that a gracile rostrum like that of Velociraptor mongoliensis is ancestral to their closest common ancestor (Deinonychosauria) and the robust rostra of Dromaeosaurus albertensis and Deinonychus antirrhopus are a derived condition. Gobivenator mongoliensis also displays a higher jaw mechanical advantage and lower resistance to bite force than the examined dromaeosaurids, but given the hypothesised ecological divergence of troodontids from dromaeosaurids it is unclear which group, if either, represents the ancestral condition. Future work extending sampling to troodontids would therefore be invaluable and provide much needed context to the origin of skull form and function in early birds. This study illustrates how skull shape and functional metrics can discern non-avialan theropod ecology at lower taxonomic levels and identify variants of carnivorous feeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuen Ting Tse
- School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Case Vincent Miller
- Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Michael Pittman
- School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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5
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Ponce DA, Scheyer TM, Cerda IA, Desojo JB. Palaeobiological inferences of "rauisuchians" Fasolasuchus tenax (Los Colorados Fm., Argentina) and Prestosuchus chiniquensis (Santa Maria Super sequence, Brazil) from the Middle-Upper Triassic of South America based on microstructural analyses. J Anat 2023; 243:893-909. [PMID: 37519277 PMCID: PMC10641045 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
"Rauisuchia" is a non-monophyletic group of quadrupedal and carnivorous pseudosuchians that inhabited the entire world during the Middle-Upper Triassic period (Anisian/Ladinian-Rhaetian). In South America, "rauisuchians" reached the largest sizes among continental carnivores. Despite their important ecological role, some aspects of their palaeobiology have been poorly examined. Here, we study appendicular bones, dorsal ribs and osteoderms of two genera, the Argentinean Fasolasuchus tenax (PVL 3850, holotype) and the Brazilian Prestosuchus chiniquensis (SNSB-BSPG AS XXV) respectively. The femur of F. tenax is formed by laminar fibrolamellar bone, which is composed of non-fully monorefringent woven-fibred matrix and primary osteons; the dorsal rib has a Haversian bone composition with an external fundamental system recorded and the osteoderm is formed by well-organised parallel-fibred bone. The femur, humerus and fibula of P. chiniquensis are mostly composed of strongly arranged parallel-fibred bone and a laminar vascularisation. The minimal ages obtained correspond to 9 years for F. tenax (based on the maximum number of growth marks in the osteoderm) and 4 years for P. chiniquensis (obtained from the highest count of growth marks in the femur and in the humerus). F. tenax attained somatic and skeletal maturity, while P. chiniquensis was near to reaching skeletal and sexual maturity, but it was somatically immature. The overall rapid growth rate and the high and uniform vascularisation seems to imply that these features are common in most of "rauisuchians", except in P. chiniquensis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denis A Ponce
- Instituto de Investigación en Paleobiología y Geología (IIPG), CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Río Negro, General Roca, Argentina
- Museo Provincial 'Carlos Ameghino', Cipolletti, Argentina
| | | | - Ignacio A Cerda
- Instituto de Investigación en Paleobiología y Geología (IIPG), CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Río Negro, General Roca, Argentina
| | - Julia B Desojo
- CONICET-División Paleontología Vertebrados, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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6
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Chinsamy A. Palaeoecological deductions from osteohistology. Biol Lett 2023; 19:20230245. [PMID: 37607578 PMCID: PMC10444344 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0245] [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: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Palaeoecological deductions are vital for understanding the evolution and diversification of species within prehistoric environments. This review highlights the multitude of ways in which the microanatomy and microscopic structure of bones enables palaeoecological deductions. The occurrence of growth marks in bones is discussed, and their usefulness in deducing the ontogenetic status and age of individuals is considered, as well as how such marks in bones permit the assessment of the growth dynamics of individuals and species. Here osteohistology is shown to provide insight into the structure of past populations, as well as ecological relationships between individuals. In addition, the response of bones to trauma, disease and moulting is considered. Finally, I explore how osteohistology can give insight into ecomorphological adaptations, such as filter feeding, probe feeding and saltatorial locomotion. Methodological advances in three-dimensional microtomography and synchrotron scanning bodes well for future studies in osteohistology and despite some compromises in terms of tissue identity, circumvents the crucial issue of destructive analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anusuya Chinsamy
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, John Day Building, University Avenue, Rondebosch 7700, South Africa
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7
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Farina BM, Godoy PL, Benson RBJ, Langer MC, Ferreira GS. Turtle body size evolution is determined by lineage-specific specializations rather than global trends. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10201. [PMID: 37384241 PMCID: PMC10293707 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Organisms display a considerable variety of body sizes and shapes, and macroevolutionary investigations help to understand the evolutionary dynamics behind such variations. Turtles (Testudinata) show great body size disparity, especially when their rich fossil record is accounted for. We explored body size evolution in turtles, testing which factors might influence the observed patterns and evaluating the existence of long-term directional trends. We constructed the most comprehensive body size dataset for the group to date, tested for correlation with paleotemperature, estimated ancestral body sizes, and performed macroevolutionary model-fitting analyses. We found no evidence for directional body size evolution, even when using very flexible models, thereby rejecting the occurrence of Cope's rule. We also found no significant effect of paleotemperature on overall through-time body size patterns. In contrast, we found a significant influence of habitat preference on turtle body size. Freshwater turtles display a rather homogeneous body size distribution through time. In contrast, terrestrial and marine turtles show more pronounced variation, with terrestrial forms being restricted to larger body sizes, up to the origin of testudinids in the Cenozoic, and marine turtles undergoing a reduction in body size disparity after the extinctions of many groups in the mid-Cenozoic. Our results, therefore, suggest that long-term, generalized patterns are probably explained by factors specific to certain groups and related at least partly to habitat use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruna M. Farina
- Department of BiologyUniversity of FribourgFribourgSwitzerland
- Swiss Institute of BioinformaticsFribourgSwitzerland
- Laboratório de Paleontologia de Ribeirão PretoUniversidade de São PauloRibeirão PretoBrazil
| | - Pedro L. Godoy
- Laboratório de Paleontologia de Ribeirão PretoUniversidade de São PauloRibeirão PretoBrazil
- Department of Anatomical SciencesStony Brook UniversityStony BrookNew YorkUSA
| | - Roger B. J. Benson
- Division of PaleontologyAmerican Museum of Natural HistoryNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Max C. Langer
- Laboratório de Paleontologia de Ribeirão PretoUniversidade de São PauloRibeirão PretoBrazil
| | - Gabriel S. Ferreira
- Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment (HEP)Eberhard Karls Universität TübingenTübingenGermany
- Fachbereich GeowissenschaftenEberhard Karls Universität TübingenTübingenGermany
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8
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Bhat MS, Chinsamy A, Parkington J. Bone histology of Neogene angulate tortoises (Testudines: Testudinidae) from South Africa: palaeobiological and skeletochronological implications. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:230064. [PMID: 36908987 PMCID: PMC9993054 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230064] [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: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Here we examine the tibial microstructure of modern and fossil angulate tortoises to assess the histology and growth from the late Miocene-early Pliocene, Pleistocene through to modern forms. The cross-sections of all the tibiae sampled revealed highly vascularized, uninterrupted, fibrolamellar bone tissue during early ontogeny, which suggests that early growth was fast. However, later in ontogeny, growth was slower, as indicated by the deposition of parallel-fibred bone tissue in the outer cortex, and even ceased periodically, as indicated by lines of arrested growth. Comparative analyses of the growth rates of the tortoises from different time periods showed that the tortoises from the late Miocene-early Pliocene Langebaanweg locality and from Diepkloof Rock Shelter had relatively slower growth rates under less optimal growth conditions. Additionally, these prehistoric specimens show extensive remodelling, and several generations of secondary osteons further suggest functional and/or metabolic stresses on the skeleton. Palaeoenvironmental reconstructions suggest that it was mostly cooler and drier with seasonal fluctuations in late Miocene-early Pliocene, and it is likely that Chersina responded to these conditions by having a lower rate of growth as compared with their modern counterparts, which thrive in the current prevailing more favourable Mediterranean type of climate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohd Shafi Bhat
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rhodes Gift 7701, South Africa
| | - Anusuya Chinsamy
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rhodes Gift 7701, South Africa
| | - John Parkington
- Department of Archaeology, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rhodes Gift 7701, South Africa
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D'Emic MD, O'Connor PM, Sombathy RS, Cerda I, Pascucci TR, Varricchio D, Pol D, Dave A, Coria RA, Curry Rogers KA. Developmental strategies underlying gigantism and miniaturization in non-avialan theropod dinosaurs. Science 2023; 379:811-814. [PMID: 36821658 DOI: 10.1126/science.adc8714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
In amniotes, the predominant developmental strategy underlying body size evolution is thought to be adjustments to the rate of growth rather than its duration. However, most theoretical and experimental studies supporting this axiom focus on pairwise comparisons and/or lack an explicit phylogenetic framework. We present the first large-scale phylogenetic comparative analysis examining developmental strategies underlying the evolution of body size, focusing on non-avialan theropod dinosaurs. We reconstruct ancestral states of growth rate and body mass in a taxonomically rich dataset, finding that contrary to expectations, changes in the rate and duration of growth played nearly equal roles in the evolution of the vast body size disparity present in non-avialan theropods-and perhaps that of amniotes in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael D D'Emic
- Department of Biology, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY, USA
- Department of Anatomical Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Patrick M O'Connor
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Athens, OH, USA
- Ohio Center for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
| | - Riley S Sombathy
- Department of Biology, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY, USA
- Ohio Center for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
| | - Ignacio Cerda
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, República Argentina
- Instituto de Investigación en Paleobiología y Geología, Universidad Nacional de Río Negro, Museo Carlos Ameghino, Cipolletti, Río Negro, Argentina
| | | | - David Varricchio
- Department of Earth Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Diego Pol
- CONICET-Museo Paleontológico Egidio Feruglio, Trelew, Chubut, Argentina
| | - Anjali Dave
- Department of Biology, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY, USA
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Tsogtbaatar C, Cullen T, Phillips G, Rolke R, Zanno LE. Large-bodied ornithomimosaurs inhabited Appalachia during the Late Cretaceous of North America. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0266648. [PMID: 36260601 PMCID: PMC9581415 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0266648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Reconstructing the evolution, diversity, and paleobiogeography of North America’s Late Cretaceous dinosaur assemblages require spatiotemporally contiguous data; however, there remains a spatial and temporal disparity in dinosaur data on the continent. The rarity of vertebrate-bearing sedimentary deposits representing Turonian–Santonian ecosystems, and the relatively sparse record of dinosaurs from the eastern portion of the continent, present persistent challenges for studies of North American dinosaur evolution. Here we describe an assemblage of ornithomimosaurian materials from the Santonian Eutaw Formation of Mississippi. Morphological data coupled with osteohistological growth markers suggest the presence of two taxa of different body sizes, including one of the largest ornithomimosaurians known worldwide. The regression predicts a femoral circumference and a body mass of the Eutaw individuals similar to or greater than that of large-bodied ornithomimosaurs, Beishanlong grandis, and Gallimimus bullatus. The paleoosteohistology of MMNS VP-6332 demonstrates that the individual was at least ten years of age (similar to B. grandis [~375 kg, 13–14 years old at death]). Additional pedal elements share some intriguing features with ornithomimosaurs, yet suggest a larger-body size closer to Deinocheirus mirificus. The presence of a large-bodied ornithomimosaur in this region during this time is consistent with the relatively recent discoveries of early-diverging, large-bodied ornithomimosaurs from mid-Cretaceous strata of Laurasia (Arkansaurus fridayi and B. grandis). The smaller Eutaw taxon is represented by a tibia preserving seven growth cycles, with osteohistological indicators of decreasing growth, yet belongs to an individual approaching somatic maturity, suggesting the co-existence of medium- and large-bodied ornithomimosaur taxa during the Late Cretaceous Santonian of North America. The Eutaw ornithomimosaur materials provide key information on the diversity and distribution of North American ornithomimosaurs and Appalachian dinosaurs and fit with broader evidence of multiple cohabiting species of ornithomimosaurian dinosaurs in Late Cretaceous ecosystems of Laurasia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chinzorig Tsogtbaatar
- Paleontology Research Lab, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
- Institute of Paleontology, Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
- * E-mail:
| | | | - George Phillips
- Conservation & Biodiversity Section, Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, Jackson, Mississippi, United States of America
| | - Richard Rolke
- Dow Chemical Company, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Lindsay E. Zanno
- Paleontology Research Lab, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
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11
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Barta DE, Griffin CT, Norell MA. Osteohistology of a Triassic dinosaur population reveals highly variable growth trajectories typified early dinosaur ontogeny. Sci Rep 2022; 12:17321. [PMID: 36243889 PMCID: PMC9569331 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22216-x] [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: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Intraspecific variation in growth trajectories provides a fundamental source of variation upon which natural selection acts. Recent work hints that early dinosaurs possessed elevated levels of such variation compared to other archosaurs, but comprehensive data uniting body size, bone histology, and morphological variation from a stratigraphically constrained early dinosaur population are needed to test this hypothesis. The Triassic theropod Coelophysis bauri, known from a bonebed preserving a single population of coeval individuals, provides an exceptional system to assess whether highly variable growth patterns were present near the origin of Dinosauria. Twenty-four histologically sampled individuals were less than a year to at least four years old and confirm the right-skewed age distribution of the Coelophysis assemblage. Poor correlations among size, age, and morphological maturity strongly support the presence of unique, highly variable growth trajectories in early dinosaurs relative to coeval archosaurs and their living kin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel E. Barta
- grid.465171.00000 0001 0656 6708Present Address: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine at the Cherokee Nation, Tahlequah, OK USA ,grid.241963.b0000 0001 2152 1081Richard Gilder Graduate School and Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY USA
| | - Christopher T. Griffin
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Yale University, New Haven, CT USA ,grid.47100.320000000419368710Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, Yale University, New Haven, CT USA
| | - Mark A. Norell
- grid.241963.b0000 0001 2152 1081Richard Gilder Graduate School and Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY USA
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12
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Chapelle KEJ, Barrett PM, Choiniere JN, Botha J. Interelemental osteohistological variation in Massospondylus carinatus and its implications for locomotion. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13918. [PMID: 36172498 PMCID: PMC9512004 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13918] [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: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Massospondylus carinatus Owen, 1854 is an iconic basal sauropodomorph dinosaur from the Early Jurassic of southern Africa. Over 200 specimens have been referred to this taxon, spanning the entire ontogenetic series from embryo to adult. Consequently, it provides an ideal sample for investigating dinosaur developmental biology, including growth patterns and growth rates, through osteohistological analysis. Massospondylus carinatus was the first early-branching sauropodomorph dinosaur for which a femoral growth series was sampled. Since then, growth series of other non-avian dinosaur taxa have shown that growth plasticity, interelemental variation, and ontogenetic locomotory shifts can complicate our understanding of growth curves and patterns. To investigate these questions further, it is necessary to sample multiple skeletal elements from multiple individuals across a large range of sizes, something that is often hindered by the incompleteness of the fossil record. Here, we conducted a broad, multielement osteohistological study of long bones (excluding metapodials) from 27 specimens of Massospondylus carinatus that span its ontogenetic series. Our study reveals substantial variations in growth history. A cyclical woven-parallel complex is the predominant bone tissue pattern during early and mid-ontogeny, which transitions to slower forming parallel-fibred bone during very late ontogeny. The bone tissue is interrupted by irregularly spaced cyclical growth marks (CGMs) including lines of arrested growth indicating temporary cessations in growth. These CGMs show that the previously recorded femoral growth plasticity is also visible in other long bones, with a poor correlation between body size (measured by midshaft circumference) and CGM numbers. Furthermore, we found that the growth trajectory for an individual can vary depending on which limb element is studied. This makes the establishment of an accurate growth curve and determination of the onset of reproductive maturity difficult for this taxon. Finally, we found no evidence of differential growth rates in forelimb vs hindlimb samples from the same individual, providing further evidence falsifying hypothesised ontogenetic postural shifts in Massospondylus carinatus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberley EJ Chapelle
- Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, New York City, New York, United States of America,Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
| | - Paul M. Barrett
- Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa,Science Group, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jonah N. Choiniere
- Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
| | - Jennifer Botha
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa,Karoo Palaeontology Department, National Museum, Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa
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13
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Barker CT, Lockwood JA, Naish D, Brown S, Hart A, Tulloch E, Gostling NJ. A European giant: a large spinosaurid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Vectis Formation (Wealden Group, Early Cretaceous), UK. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13543. [PMID: 35702254 PMCID: PMC9188774 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13543] [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: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Postcranial elements (cervical, sacral and caudal vertebrae, as well as ilium, rib and limb bone fragments) belonging to a gigantic tetanuran theropod were recovered from the basal unit (the White Rock Sandstone equivalent) of the Vectis Formation near Compton Chine, on the southwest coast of the Isle of Wight. These remains appear to pertain to the same individual, with enormous dimensions similar to those of the Spinosaurus holotype and exceeding those of the largest European theropods previously reported. A combination of features-including the presence of spinodiapophyseal webbing on an anterior caudal vertebra-suggest that this is a member of Spinosauridae, though a lack of convincing autapomorphies precludes the identification of a new taxon. Phylogenetic analysis supports spinosaurid affinities but we were unable to determine a more precise position within the clade weak support for a position within Spinosaurinae or an early-diverging position within Spinosauridae were found in some data runs. Bioerosion in the form of curved tubes is evident on several pieces, potentially related to harvesting behaviour by coleopteran bioeroders. This is the first spinosaurid reported from the Vectis Formation and the youngest British material referred to the clade. This Vectis Formation spinosaurid is unusual in that the majority of dinosaurs from the Lower Cretaceous units of the Wealden Supergroup are from the fluviolacustrine deposits of the underlying Barremian Wessex Formation. In contrast, the lagoonal facies of the upper Barremian-lower Aptian Vectis Formation only rarely yield dinosaur material. Our conclusions are in keeping with previous studies that emphasise western Europe as a pivotal region within spinosaurid origination and diversification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris T. Barker
- Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom,Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Jeremy A.F. Lockwood
- School of Environment, Geography and Geosciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, United Kingdom,Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
| | - Darren Naish
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Sophie Brown
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Amy Hart
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Ethan Tulloch
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Neil J. Gostling
- Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom,School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
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14
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Cullen TM, Brown CM, Chiba K, Brink KS, Makovicky PJ, Evans DC. Growth variability, dimensional scaling, and the interpretation of osteohistological growth data. Biol Lett 2021; 17:20210383. [PMID: 34755552 PMCID: PMC8580441 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2021.0383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Osteohistological data are commonly used to study the life history of extant and extinct tetrapods. While recent advances have permitted detailed reconstructions of growth patterns, physiology and other features using these data, they are most commonly used in assessments of ontogenetic stage and relative growth in extinct animals. These methods have seen widespread adoption in recent years, rapidly becoming a common component of the taxonomic description of new fossil taxa, but are often applied without close consideration of the sources of variation present or the dimensional scaling relationships that exist among different osteohistological measurements. Here, we use a combination of theoretical models and empirical data from a range of extant and extinct tetrapods to review sources of variability in common osteohistological measurements, their dimensional scaling relationships and the resulting interpretations that can be made from those data. In particular, we provide recommendations on the usage and interpretation of growth mark spacing/zonal thickness data, when these are likely to be unreliable, and under what conditions they can provide useful inferences for studies of growth and life history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas M. Cullen
- Ottawa-Carleton Geoscience Centre, Department of Earth Sciences, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1S 5B6
- Nagaunee Integrative Research Center, Field Museum of Natural History, 1400 S Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, USA
| | - Caleb M. Brown
- Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology, PO Box 7500, Drumheller, Alberta, Canada, T0J 0Y0
| | - Kentaro Chiba
- Department of Biosphere-Geosphere Science, Okayama University of Science, 1-1 Ridaicho, Kita-ku, Okayama-shi, 700-0005, Okayama, Japan
| | - Kirstin S. Brink
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Manitoba, 125 Dysart Road, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, R3T 2N2
| | - Peter J. Makovicky
- Nagaunee Integrative Research Center, Field Museum of Natural History, 1400 S Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, USA
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, 116 Church St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - David C. Evans
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S 3B2
- Department of Natural History, Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen's Park, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S 2C6
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15
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Bhat MS, Shelton CD, Chinsamy A. Inter-element variation in the bone histology of Anteosaurus (Dinocephalia, Anteosauridae) from the Tapinocephalus Assemblage Zone of the Karoo Basin of South Africa. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12082. [PMID: 34589298 PMCID: PMC8434808 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12082] [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: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite its abundance in the Permian fossil record of South Africa, little is known about the life history of Anteosaurus. Here we examine the bone microstructure of multiple skeletal elements of Anteosaurus from the Tapinocephalus Assemblage Zone of the Karoo Basin. The bone histology of Anteosaurus magnificus reveals that the cortex is composed of highly vascularized, uninterrupted fibrolamellar bone tissue surrounding the inner spongy medullary region. However, the histology of two ribs and a previously described femur of another Anteosaurus taxon revealed an interrupted growth pattern with lines of arrested growth and peripheral rest lines occurring in the compacta, indicating periodic pauses in growth possibly linked to the slowing down of growth during maturity. Given that the fibula of the same individual has well-vascularised fibrolamellar bone tissue without any growth marks in the cortex; this suggests variation in skeletal growth. Based on our histological results, three growth dynamic stages are deduced for the genus Anteosaurus: (i) the earliest growth stage is represented by the predominance of highly vascularized, uninterrupted fibrolamellar bone tissue in the inner cortex, which suggests rapid periosteal bone deposition during early ontogeny; (ii) the next stage of growth shows periodic interruptions in the bone deposition as indicated by the deposition of lines of arrested growth; (iii) the third stage shows the development of lamellar bone tissue with rest lines in the peripheral part of the cortex suggesting a slowing down of growth prior to death. Most of the skeletal elements are characterized by thick bone walls, extensive secondary reconstruction and the complete infilling of the medullary cavity. However, the radius and a previously studied femur have open medullary cavities with struts of bony trabeculae. Based on histologic structures and comparisons with extant taxa, it is likely that Anteosaurus may have been more terrestrial as its osteology point towards terrestriality, but it may have occasionally inhabited ephemeral pools like modern semi-aquatic Hippopotamus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohd Shafi Bhat
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Christen D Shelton
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.,Natural History Department, New Jersey State Museum, Trenton, New Jersey, United States.,Biology/Mathematics & Physical Science Departments, Rogers State University, Claremore, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Anusuya Chinsamy
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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16
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Słowiak J, Szczygielski T, Rothschild BM, Surmik D. Dinosaur senescence: a hadrosauroid with age-related diseases brings a new perspective of "old" dinosaurs. Sci Rep 2021; 11:11947. [PMID: 34117305 PMCID: PMC8196189 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-91366-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Senile vertebrates are extremely rare in the fossil record, making their recognition difficult. Here we present the largest known representative of the Late Cretaceous hadrosauriform Gobihadros mongoliensis showing features of cessation of growth indicating attainment of the terminal size. Moreover, this is the first non-avian dinosaur with an age-related pathology recognized as primary calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease indicating its advanced age. Because senile dinosaurs are so rare and thus "senescence" in dinosaurs is unclear, we also propose a new unified definition of a senile dinosaur: an individual which achieved the terminal size as revealed by the presence of the external fundamental system and closed transcortical channels, has completely secondary remodeled weight-bearing bones and possesses non-traumatic, non-contagious bone pathologies correlated with advanced age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justyna Słowiak
- Institute of Paleobiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 00-818, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Tomasz Szczygielski
- Institute of Paleobiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 00-818, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Bruce M Rothschild
- Carnegie Museum of Natural History, 4400 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Dawid Surmik
- Institute of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia, Będzińska 60, 41-200, Sosnowiec, Poland
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17
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Marshall CR, Latorre DV, Wilson CJ, Frank TM, Magoulick KM, Zimmt JB, Poust AW. Absolute abundance and preservation rate of Tyrannosaurus rex. Science 2021; 372:284-287. [PMID: 33859033 DOI: 10.1126/science.abc8300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Although much can be deduced from fossils alone, estimating abundance and preservation rates of extinct species requires data from living species. Here, we use the relationship between population density and body mass among living species combined with our substantial knowledge of Tyrannosaurus rex to calculate population variables and preservation rates for postjuvenile T. rex We estimate that its abundance at any one time was ~20,000 individuals, that it persisted for ~127,000 generations, and that the total number of T. rex that ever lived was ~2.5 billion individuals, with a fossil recovery rate of 1 per ~80 million individuals or 1 per 16,000 individuals where its fossils are most abundant. The uncertainties in these values span more than two orders of magnitude, largely because of the variance in the density-body mass relationship rather than variance in the paleobiological input variables.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles R Marshall
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. .,University of California Museum of Paleontology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Daniel V Latorre
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.,University of California Museum of Paleontology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Connor J Wilson
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.,University of California Museum of Paleontology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Tanner M Frank
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.,University of California Museum of Paleontology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Katherine M Magoulick
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.,University of California Museum of Paleontology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Joshua B Zimmt
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.,University of California Museum of Paleontology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Ashley W Poust
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.,University of California Museum of Paleontology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.,San Diego Natural History Museum, San Diego, CA, USA
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