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Whitney MR, Otoo BKA, Angielczyk KD, Pierce SE. Fossil bone histology reveals ancient origins for rapid juvenile growth in tetrapods. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1280. [PMID: 36443424 PMCID: PMC9705711 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04079-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Patterns of growth throughout the lifetime of an animal reflect critical life history traits such as reproductive timing, physiology, and ecological interactions. The ancestral growth pattern for tetrapods has traditionally been described as slow-to-moderately paced, akin to modern amphibians, with fast growth and high metabolic rates considered a specialized physiological trait of amniotes. Here, we present bone histology from an ontogenetic series of the Early Carboniferous stem tetrapod Whatcheeria deltae, and document evidence of fibrolamellar bone-primary bone tissue associated with fast growth. Our data indicate that Whatcheeria juveniles grew rapidly and reached skeletal maturity quickly, allowing them to occupy a large-bodied predator niche in their paleoenvironment. This life history strategy contrasts with those described for other stem tetrapods and indicates that a diversity of growth patterns existed at the origins of tetrapod diversification. Importantly, Whatcheeria marks an unexpectedly early occurrence of fibrolamellar bone in Tetrapoda, both temporally and phylogenetically. These findings reveal that elevated juvenile growth is not limited to amniotes, but has a deep history in the tetrapod clade and may have played a previously unrecognized role in the tetrapod invasion of land.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan R. Whitney
- grid.38142.3c000000041936754XMuseum of Comparative Zoology and Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
| | - Benjamin K. A. Otoo
- grid.170205.10000 0004 1936 7822Committee on Evolutionary Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637 USA ,grid.299784.90000 0001 0476 8496Negaunee Integrative Research Center, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL 60605-2496 USA
| | - Kenneth D. Angielczyk
- grid.170205.10000 0004 1936 7822Committee on Evolutionary Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637 USA ,grid.299784.90000 0001 0476 8496Negaunee Integrative Research Center, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL 60605-2496 USA
| | - Stephanie E. Pierce
- grid.38142.3c000000041936754XMuseum of Comparative Zoology and Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
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Mondéjar Fernández J, Meunier FJ, Cloutier R, Clément G, Laurin M. Life history and ossification patterns in Miguashaia bureaui reveal the early evolution of osteogenesis in coelacanths. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13175. [PMID: 35411253 PMCID: PMC8994491 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13175] [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: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The study of development is critical for revealing the evolution of major vertebrate lineages. Coelacanths have one of the longest evolutionary histories among osteichthyans, but despite access to extant representatives, the onset of their weakly ossified endoskeleton is still poorly understood. Here we present the first palaeohistological and skeletochronological study of Miguashaia bureaui from the Upper Devonian of Canada, pivotal for exploring the palaeobiology and early evolution of osteogenesis in coelacanths. Cross sections of the caudal fin bones show that the cortex is made of layers of primary bone separated by lines of arrested growth, indicative of a cyclical growth. The medullary cavity displays remnants of calcified cartilage associated with bony trabeculae, characteristic of endochondral ossification. A skeletochronological analysis indicates that rapid growth during a short juvenile period was followed by slower growth in adulthood. Our new analysis highlights the life history and palaeoecology of Miguashaia bureaui and reveals that, despite differences in size and habitat, the poor endoskeletal ossification known in the extant Latimeria chalumnae can be traced back at least 375 million years ago.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Mondéjar Fernández
- Division Paleontology and Historical Geology, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum, Frankfurt am Main, Germany,Centre de Recherche en Paléontologie—Paris (CR2P), UMR 7207, MNHN, CNRS, SU, Département Origines et Évolution, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - François J. Meunier
- Laboratoire de Biologie des Organismes et des Écosystèmes Aquatiques (BOREA), UMR 8067, MNHN, CNRS, SU, Département Adaptations du Vivant, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Richard Cloutier
- Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, Canada
| | - Gaël Clément
- Centre de Recherche en Paléontologie—Paris (CR2P), UMR 7207, MNHN, CNRS, SU, Département Origines et Évolution, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Michel Laurin
- Centre de Recherche en Paléontologie—Paris (CR2P), UMR 7207, MNHN, CNRS, SU, Département Origines et Évolution, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
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Whitney MR, Pierce SE. Osteohistology of Greererpeton provides insight into the life history of an early Carboniferous tetrapod. J Anat 2021; 239:1256-1272. [PMID: 34310687 PMCID: PMC8602017 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The vertebrate transition to land is one of the most consequential, yet poorly understood periods in tetrapod evolution. Despite the importance of the water-land transition in establishing modern ecosystems, we still know very little about the life histories of the earliest tetrapods. Bone histology provides an exceptional opportunity to study the biology of early tetrapods and has the potential to reveal new insights into their life histories. Here, we examine the femoral bone histology from an ontogenetic series of Greererpeton, an early tetrapod from the Middle-Late Mississippian (early Carboniferous) of North America. Thin-sections and micro-CT data show a moderately paced rate of bone deposition with significant cortical thickening through development. An interruption to regular bone deposition, as indicated by a zone of avascular tissue and growth marks, is notable at the same late juvenile stage of development throughout our sample. This suggests that an inherent aspect to the life history of juvenile Greererpeton resulted in a temporary reduction in bone deposition. We review several possible life history correlates for this bony signature including metamorphosis, an extended juvenile phase, environmental stress, and movement (migration/dispersal) between habitats. We argue that given the anatomy of Greererpeton, it is unlikely that events related to polymorphism (metamorphosis, extended juvenile phase) can explain the bony signature observed in our sample. Furthermore, the ubiquity of this signal in our sample indicates a taxon-level rather than a population-level trait, which is expected for an environmental stress. We conclude that movement via dispersal represents a likely correlate, as such events are a common life history strategy of aquatically bound vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan R. Whitney
- Museum of Comparative Zoology and Department of Organismic and Evolutionary BiologyHarvard UniversityCambridgeMAUSA
| | - Stephanie E. Pierce
- Museum of Comparative Zoology and Department of Organismic and Evolutionary BiologyHarvard UniversityCambridgeMAUSA
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Mondéjar‐Fernández J, Meunier FJ, Cloutier R, Clément G, Laurin M. A microanatomical and histological study of the scales of the Devonian sarcopterygian Miguashaia bureaui and the evolution of the squamation in coelacanths. J Anat 2021; 239:451-478. [PMID: 33748974 PMCID: PMC8273612 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Coelacanths have traditionally been described as morphologically conservative throughout their long evolutionary history, which spans more than 400 million years. After an initial burst during the Devonian, a morphological stasis was long thought to have prevailed since the Carboniferous, as shown by the extant Latimeria. New fossil discoveries have challenged this view, with punctual and sometimes unusual departures from the general coelacanth Bauplan. The dermal skeleton is considered to represent one, if not the main, example of morphological stasis in coelacanth evolution and as a consequence, has remained poorly surveyed. The lack of palaeohistological data on the dermoskeleton has resulted in a poor understanding of the early establishment and evolution of the coelacanth squamation. Here we describe the scales of Miguashaia bureaui from the Upper Devonian of Miguasha, Québec (Canada), revealing histological data for a Palaeozoic coelacanth in great detail and adding to our knowledge on the dermal skeleton of sarcopterygians. Miguashaia displays rounded scales ornamented by tubercules and narrow ridges made of dentine and capped with enamel. At least two generations of superimposed odontodes occur, which is reminiscent of the primitive condition of stem osteichthyans like Andreolepis or Lophosteus, and onychodonts like Selenodus. The middle vascular layer is well developed and shows traces of osteonal remodelling. The basal plate consists of a fully mineralised lamellar bone with a repetitive rotation pattern every five layers indicating a twisted plywood-like arrangement of the collagen plies. Comparisons with the extant Latimeria and other extinct taxa show that these features are consistently conserved across coelacanth evolution with only minute changes in certain taxa. The morphological and histological features displayed in the scales of Miguashaia enable us to draw a comprehensive picture of the onset of the coelacanth squamation and to propose and discuss evolutionary scenarios for the coelacanth dermoskeleton.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Mondéjar‐Fernández
- Département Origines & ÉvolutionUMR 7207 (MNHN–Sorbonne Université–CNRS), CR2P, Centre de Recherche en Paléontologie—ParisMuséum national d’Histoire naturelleParisFrance
- Senckenberg Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum FrankfurtFrankfurt am MainGermany
| | - François J. Meunier
- Département Adaptations du VivantFRE BOREA 2030, (MNHN–Sorbonne Université–Univ. Caen Normandie–Univ. Antilles–CNRS–IRD)Muséum national d'Histoire naturelleParisFrance
| | | | - Gaël Clément
- Département Origines & ÉvolutionUMR 7207 (MNHN–Sorbonne Université–CNRS), CR2P, Centre de Recherche en Paléontologie—ParisMuséum national d’Histoire naturelleParisFrance
| | - Michel Laurin
- Département Origines & ÉvolutionUMR 7207 (MNHN–Sorbonne Université–CNRS), CR2P, Centre de Recherche en Paléontologie—ParisMuséum national d’Histoire naturelleParisFrance
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Skutschas P, Stein K. Long bone histology of the stem salamander Kokartus honorarius (Amphibia: Caudata) from the Middle Jurassic of Kyrgyzstan. J Anat 2015; 226:334-47. [PMID: 25682890 DOI: 10.1111/joa.12281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Kokartus honorarius from the Middle Jurassic (Bathonian) of Kyrgyzstan is one of the oldest salamanders in the fossil record, characterized by a mixture of plesiomorphic morphological features and characters shared with crown-group salamanders. Here we present a detailed histological analysis of its long bones. The analysis of a growth series demonstrates a significant histological maturation during ontogeny, expressed by the progressive appearance of longitudinally oriented primary vascular canals, primary osteons, growth marks, remodelling features in primary bone tissues, as well as progressive resorption of the calcified cartilage, formation of endochondral bone and development of cartilaginous to bony trabeculae in the epiphyses. Apart from the presence of secondary osteons, the long bone histology of Kokartus is very similar to that of miniaturized temnospondyls, other Jurassic stem salamanders, miniaturized seymouriamorphs and modern crown-group salamanders. We propose that the presence of secondary osteons in Kokartus honorarius is a plesiomorphic feature, and the loss of secondary osteons in the long bones of crown-group salamanders as well as in those of miniaturized temnospondyls is the result of miniaturization processes. Hitherto, all stem salamander long bong histology (Kokartus, Marmorerpeton and 'salamander A') has been generally described as having paedomorphic features (i.e. the presence of Katschenko's Line and a layer of calcified cartilage), these taxa were thus most likely neotenic forms. The absence of clear lines of arrested growth and annuli in long bones of Kokartus honorarius suggests that the animals lived in an environment with stable local conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel Skutschas
- Vertebrate Zoology Department, Biological Faculty, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation
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Legreneur P, Bels V, Monteil K, Laurin M. Movement in a gravitational field: The question of limb interarticular coordination in terrestrial vertebrates. THE EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL. E, SOFT MATTER 2013; 36:49. [PMID: 23677448 DOI: 10.1140/epje/i2013-13049-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2012] [Revised: 04/19/2013] [Accepted: 04/19/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
In this paper, we demonstrated that interarticular coordination of terrestrial tetrapods emerges from an environment highly constrained by friction and the gravitational field. We briefly review recent works on the jumping behavior in squamates, lemurs and amphibians. We then explore previously published work as well as some unpublished experimental data on human jumping. Finally, we end by inferring locomotion in some of the first limbed vertebrates using a simulation procedure. All these data show that despite changes in shape, structure, and motor controls of taxa, the same spatio-temporal sequence of joint displacements always occurs when the movement is executed in a terrestrial environment. Comparison with aquatic locomotion argues for the hypothesis that this pattern emerged in early terrestrial tetrapods as a response to the gravitational constraint and the terrestrial frictional environment.
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