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Sarasa JL, Okamoto AS, Wright MA, Pierce SE, Capellini TD. Lions & sea lions & bears, oh my: utilizing museum specimens to study the ossification sequence of carnivoran taxa. BMC ZOOL 2024; 9:10. [PMID: 38685130 PMCID: PMC11057098 DOI: 10.1186/s40850-024-00201-3] [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: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mammalian skeletons are largely formed before birth. Heterochronic changes in skeletal formation can be investigated by comparing the order of ossification for different elements of the skeleton. Due to the challenge of collecting prenatal specimens in viviparous taxa, opportunistically collected museum specimens provide the best material for studying prenatal skeletal development across many mammalian species. Previous studies have investigated ossification sequence in a range of mammalian species, but little is known about the pattern of bone formation in Carnivora. Carnivorans have diverse ecologies, diets, and biomechanical specializations and are well-suited for investigating questions in evolutionary biology. Currently, developmental data on carnivorans is largely limited to domesticated species. To expand available data on carnivoran skeletal development, we used micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) to non-invasively evaluate the degree of ossification in all prenatal carnivoran specimens housed in the Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology. By coding the presence or absence of bones in each specimen, we constructed ossification sequences for each species. Parsimov-based genetic inference (PGi) was then used to identify heterochronic shifts between carnivoran lineages and reconstruct the ancestral ossification sequence of Carnivora. RESULTS We used micro-CT to study prenatal ossification sequence in six carnivora species: Eumetopias jubatus (Steller sea lion, n = 6), Herpestes javanicus (small Indian mongoose, n = 1), Panthera leo (lion, n = 1), Urocyon cinereoargenteus (gray fox, n = 1), Ursus arctos arctos (Eurasian brown bear, n = 1), and Viverricula indica (small Indian civet, n = 5). Due to the relatively later stage of collection for the available specimens, few heterochronic shifts were identified. Ossification sequences of feliform species showed complete agreement with the domestic cat. In caniforms, the bear and fox ossification sequences largely matched the dog, but numerous heterochronic shifts were identified in the sea lion. CONCLUSIONS We use museum specimens to generate cranial and postcranial micro-CT data on six species split between the two major carnivoran clades: Caniformia and Feliformia. Our data suggest that the ossification sequence of domestic dogs and cats are likely good models for terrestrial caniforms and feliforms, respectively, but not pinnipeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan L Sarasa
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Mark A Wright
- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Stephanie E Pierce
- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Terence D Capellini
- Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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2
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Koyabu D. Evolution, conservatism and overlooked homologies of the mammalian skull. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220081. [PMID: 37183902 PMCID: PMC10184252 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
In the last decade, studies integrating palaeontology, embryology and experimental developmental biology have markedly altered our homological understanding of the mammalian skull. Indeed, new evidence suggests that we should revisit and restructure the conventional anatomical terminology applied to the components of the mammalian skull. Notably, these are classical problems that have remained unresolved since the ninteenth century. In this review, I offer perspectives on the overlooked problems associated with the homology, development, and conservatism of the mammalian skull, aiming to encourage future studies in these areas. I emphasise that ossification patterns, bone fusion, cranial sutures and taxon-specific neomorphic bones in the skull are virtually unexplored, and further studies would improve our homological understanding of the mammalian skull. Lastly, I highlight that overlooked bones may exist in the skull that are not yet known to science and suggest that further search is needed. This article is part of the theme issue 'The mammalian skull: development, structure and function'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Koyabu
- Research and Development Center for Precision Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China
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3
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Nojiri T, Werneburg I, Tu VT, Fukui D, Takechi M, Iseki S, Furutera T, Koyabu D. Timing of organogenesis underscores the evolution of neonatal life histories and powered flight in bats. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20221928. [PMID: 36629110 PMCID: PMC9832570 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.1928] [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: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Bats have undergone one of the most drastic limb innovations in vertebrate history, associated with the evolution of powered flight. Knowledge of the genetic basis of limb organogenesis in bats has increased but little has been documented regarding the differences between limb organogenesis in bats and that of other vertebrates. We conducted embryological comparisons of the timelines of limb organogenesis in 24 bat species and 72 non-bat amniotes. In bats, the time invested for forelimb organogenesis has been considerably extended and the appearance timing of the forelimb ridge has been significantly accelerated, whereas the timing of the finger and first appearance of the claw development has been delayed, facilitating the enlargement of the manus. Furthermore, we discovered that bats initiate the development of their hindlimbs earlier than their forelimbs compared with other placentals. Bat neonates are known to be able to cling continuously with their well-developed foot to the maternal bodies or habitat substrates soon after birth. We suggest that this unique life history of neonates, which possibly coevolved with powered flight, has driven the accelerated development of the hindlimb and precocious foot.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taro Nojiri
- Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, 2-1-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
- Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, North 11, West 10, Sapporo 060-0811, Japan
- Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1, Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
| | - Ingmar Werneburg
- Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment an der Eberhard Karls Universität, Sigwartstraße 10, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Fachbereich Geowissenschaften, Eberhard Karls Universität, Hölderlinstraße 12, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Vuong Tan Tu
- Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, No. 18, Hoang Quoc Viet road, Cau Giay district, Hanoi, Vietnam
- Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Graduate University of Science and Technology, No. 18, Hoang Quac Viet road, Cau Giay district, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Dai Fukui
- The University of Tokyo Hokkaido Forest, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 9-61, Yamabe-Higashimachi, Furano, Hokkaido 079-1563, Japan
| | - Masaki Takechi
- Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, 2-1-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
- Molecular Craniofacial Embryology, Graduate School of Medicine and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8549, Japan
| | - Sachiko Iseki
- Molecular Craniofacial Embryology, Graduate School of Medicine and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8549, Japan
| | - Toshiko Furutera
- Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, 2-1-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
- Molecular Craniofacial Embryology, Graduate School of Medicine and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8549, Japan
| | - Daisuke Koyabu
- Molecular Craniofacial Embryology, Graduate School of Medicine and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8549, Japan
- Research and Development Center for Precision Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 1-2 Kasuga, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki 305-8550, Japan
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4
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Regionalization, constraints, and the ancestral ossification patterns in the vertebral column of amniotes. Sci Rep 2022; 12:22257. [PMID: 36564413 PMCID: PMC9789111 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-24983-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of the vertebral column has been studied extensively in modern amniotes, yet many aspects of its evolutionary history remain enigmatic. Here we expand the existing data on four major vertebral developmental patterns in amniotes based on exceptionally well-preserved specimens of the early Permian mesosaurid reptile Mesosaurus tenuidens: (i) centrum ossification, (ii) neural arch ossification, (iii) neural arch fusion, and (iv) neurocentral fusion. We retrace the evolutionary history of each pattern and reconstruct the ancestral condition in amniotes. Despite 300 million years of evolutionary history, vertebral development patterns show a surprisingly stability in amniotes since their common ancestor. We propose that this stability may be linked to conservatism in the constraints posed by underlying developmental processes across amniotes. We also point out that birds, mammals, and squamates each show specific trends deviating from the ancestral condition in amniotes, and that they remain rather unchanged within these lineages. The stability of their unique patterns demonstrates a certain homogeneity of vertebral developmental constraints within these lineages, which we suggest might be linked to their specific modes of regionalization. Our research provides a framework for the evolution of axial development in amniotes and a foundation for future studies.
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5
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Oliver JD, Jones KE, Pierce SE, Hautier L. Size and shape regional differentiation during the development of the spine in the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus). Evol Dev 2021; 23:496-512. [PMID: 34813149 DOI: 10.1111/ede.12393] [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: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Xenarthrans (armadillos, anteaters, sloths, and their extinct relatives) are unique among mammals in displaying a distinctive specialization of the posterior trunk vertebrae-supernumerary vertebral xenarthrous articulations. This study seeks to understand how xenarthry develops through ontogeny and if it may be constrained to appear within pre-existing vertebral regions. Using three-dimensional geometric morphometrics on the neural arches of vertebrae, we explore phenotypic, allometric, and disparity patterns of the different axial morphotypes during the ontogeny of nine-banded armadillos. Shape-based regionalization analyses showed that the adult thoracolumbar column is divided into three regions according to the presence or absence of ribs and the presence or absence of xenarthrous articulations. A three-region division was retrieved in almost all specimens through development, although younger stages (e.g., fetuses, neonates) have more region boundary variability. In size-based regionalization analyses, thoracolumbar vertebrae are separated into two regions: a prediaphragmatic, prexenarthrous region, and a postdiaphragmatic xenarthrous region. We show that posterior thoracic vertebrae grow at a slower rate, while anterior thoracics and lumbars grow at a faster rate relatively, with rates decreasing anteroposteriorly in the former and increasing anteroposteriorly in the latter. We propose that different proportions between vertebrae and vertebral regions might result from differences in growth pattern and timing of ossification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jillian D Oliver
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Katrina E Jones
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Stephanie E Pierce
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lionel Hautier
- Institut des Sciences de l'Évolution, Université Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Montpellier, France
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6
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Nojiri T, Tu VT, Sohn JH, Koyabu D. On the sequence heterochrony of cranial ossification of bats in light of Haeckel's recapitulation theory. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2021; 338:137-148. [PMID: 33773030 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.23042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Haeckel's recapitulation theory has been a controversial topic in evolutionary biology. However, we have seen some recent cases applying Haeckel's view to interpret the interspecific variation of prenatal ontogeny. To revisit the validity of Haeckel's recapitulation theory, we take bats that have undergone drastic morphological changes and possess a characteristic ecology as a case study. All members of Rhinolophoidea and Yangochiroptera can generate an ultrasonic pulse from the larynx to interpret surrounding objects (laryngeal echolocation) whereas Pteropodidae lacks such ability. It is known that the petrosal bone is particularly derived in shape and expanded in laryngeal echolocators. If Haeckel's recapitulation theory holds, the formation of this derived trait should occur later than those of other bones. Therefore, we compared the prenatal ossification timing of the petrosal in 15 bat species and five outgroup species. We found that the ossification of the petrosal is accelerated in laryngeal echolocators while it is the last bone to ossify in non-laryngeal echolocating bats and non-volant mammals, which runs counter to the prediction generated by Haeckel's recapitulation theory. We point out the evolutionarily labile nature of trait developmental timing and emphasize that Haeckel's recapitulation theory does not hold in many cases. We caution that generating predictions on ancestral conditions and evolutionary history leading from Haeckel's recapitulation theory is not well supported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taro Nojiri
- Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Vuong Tan Tu
- Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam.,Graduate University of Science and Technology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Joon Hyuk Sohn
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Tokyo, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Daisuke Koyabu
- Research and Development Center for Precision Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki, Japan.,Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong.,Department of Molecular Craniofacial Embryology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
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7
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Rose CS. Amphibian Hormones, Calcium Physiology, Bone Weight, and Lung Use Call for a More Inclusive Approach to Understanding Ossification Sequence Evolution. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.620971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Skeleton plays a huge role in understanding how vertebrate animals have diversified in phylogeny, ecology and behavior. Recent evo-devo research has used ossification sequences to compare skeletal development among major groups, to identify conserved and labile aspects of a sequence within a group, to derive ancestral and modal sequences, and to look for modularity based on embryonic origin and type of bone. However, questions remain about how to detect and order bone appearances, the adaptive significance of ossification sequences and their relationship to adult function, and the utility of categorizing bones by embryonic origin and type. Also, the singular focus on bone appearances and the omission of other tissues and behavioral, ecological and life history events limit the relevance of such analyses. Amphibians accentuate these concerns because of their highly specialized biphasic life histories and the exceptionally late timing, and high variability of their ossification sequences. Amphibians demonstrate a need for a whole-animal, whole-ontogeny approach that integrates the entire ossification process with physiology, behavior and ecology. I discuss evidence and hypotheses for how hormone mediation and calcium physiology might elicit non-adaptive variability in ossification sequence, and for adaptive strategies to partition larval habitats using bone to offset the buoyancy created by lung use. I also argue that understanding plasticity in ossification requires shifting focus away from embryonic development and adult function, and toward postembryonic mechanisms of regulating skeletal growth, especially ones that respond directly to midlife environments and behaviors.
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8
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Le Verger K, Hautier L, Bardin J, Gerber S, Delsuc F, Billet G. Ontogenetic and static allometry in the skull and cranial units of nine-banded armadillos (Cingulata: Dasypodidae: Dasypus novemcinctus). Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blaa083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
A large part of extant and past mammalian morphological diversity is related to variation in size through allometric effects. Previous studies suggested that craniofacial allometry is the dominant pattern underlying mammalian skull shape variation, but cranial allometries were rarely characterized within cranial units such as individual bones. Here, we used 3D geometric morphometric methods to study allometric patterns of the whole skull (global) and of cranial units (local) in a postnatal developmental series of nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus ssp.). Analyses were conducted at the ontogenetic and static levels, and for successive developmental stages. Our results support craniofacial allometry as the global pattern along with more local allometric trends, such as the relative posterior elongation of the infraorbital canal, the tooth row reduction on the maxillary, and the marked development of nuchal crests on the supraoccipital with increasing skull size. Our study also reports allometric proportions of shape variation varying substantially among cranial units and across ontogenetic stages. The multi-scale approach advocated here allowed unveiling previously unnoticed allometric variations, indicating an untapped complexity of cranial allometric patterns to further explain mammalian morphological evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kévin Le Verger
- Museum national d’Histoire naturelle, Centre de Recherche en Paléontologie – Paris, UMR 7207 CR2P MNHN/CNRS/UPMC, Sorbonne Universités, Paris, France
| | - Lionel Hautier
- Institut des Sciences de l’Evolution, Université de Montpellier, UMR 5554 ISEM CNRS/IRD/EPHE, Montpellier cedex, France
- Natural History Museum of London, Department of Life Sciences, Mammal Section, London, UK
| | - Jérémie Bardin
- Museum national d’Histoire naturelle, Centre de Recherche en Paléontologie – Paris, UMR 7207 CR2P MNHN/CNRS/UPMC, Sorbonne Universités, Paris, France
| | - Sylvain Gerber
- Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité, UMR 7205 ISYEB MNHN/CNRS/UPMC/EPHE, Sorbonne Universités, Paris, France
| | - Frédéric Delsuc
- Institut des Sciences de l’Evolution, Université de Montpellier, UMR 5554 ISEM CNRS/IRD/EPHE, Montpellier cedex, France
| | - Guillaume Billet
- Museum national d’Histoire naturelle, Centre de Recherche en Paléontologie – Paris, UMR 7207 CR2P MNHN/CNRS/UPMC, Sorbonne Universités, Paris, France
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9
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White HE, Clavel J, Tucker AS, Goswami A. A comparison of metrics for quantifying cranial suture complexity. J R Soc Interface 2020; 17:20200476. [PMID: 33023399 PMCID: PMC7653371 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2020.0476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Cranial sutures play critical roles in facilitating postnatal skull development and function. The diversity of function is reflected in the highly variable suture morphology and complexity. Suture complexity has seldom been studied, resulting in little consensus on the most appropriate approach for comparative, quantitative analyses. Here, we provide the first comprehensive comparison of current approaches for quantifying suture morphology, using a wide range of two-dimensional suture outlines across extinct and extant mammals (n = 79). Five complexity metrics (sinuosity index (SI), suture complexity index (SCI), fractal dimension (FD) box counting, FD madogram and a windowed short-time Fourier transform with power spectrum density (PSD) calculation) were compared with each other and with the shape variation in the dataset. Analyses of suture shape demonstrate that the primary axis of variation captured attributes other than complexity, supporting the use of a complexity metric over raw shape data for sutural complexity analyses. Each approach captured different aspects of complexity. PSD successfully discriminates different sutural features, such as looping patterns and interdigitation amplitude and number, while SCI best-captured variation in interdigitation number alone. Therefore, future studies should consider the relevant attributes for their question when selecting a metric for comparative analysis of suture variation, function and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather E. White
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, King's College LondonSE1 9RT, UK
- Division of Biosciences, University College LondonWC1E 6DE, UK
| | - Julien Clavel
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR 5023 LEHNA, F-69622, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Abigail S. Tucker
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, King's College LondonSE1 9RT, UK
| | - Anjali Goswami
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK
- Division of Biosciences, University College LondonWC1E 6DE, UK
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10
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Nasoori A. Formation, structure, and function of extra-skeletal bones in mammals. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2020; 95:986-1019. [PMID: 32338826 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2019] [Revised: 03/07/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
This review describes the formation, structure, and function of bony compartments in antlers, horns, ossicones, osteoderm and the os penis/os clitoris (collectively referred to herein as AHOOO structures) in extant mammals. AHOOOs are extra-skeletal bones that originate from subcutaneous (dermal) tissues in a wide variety of mammals, and this review elaborates on the co-development of the bone and skin in these structures. During foetal stages, primordial cells for the bony compartments arise in subcutaneous tissues. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition is assumed to play a key role in the differentiation of bone, cartilage, skin and other tissues in AHOOO structures. AHOOO ossification takes place after skeletal bone formation, and may depend on sexual maturity. Skin keratinization occurs in tandem with ossification and may be under the control of androgens. Both endochondral and intramembranous ossification participate in bony compartment formation. There is variation in gradients of density in different AHOOO structures. These gradients, which vary according to function and species, primarily reduce mechanical stress. Anchorage of AHOOOs to their surrounding tissues fortifies these structures and is accomplished by bone-bone fusion and Sharpey fibres. The presence of the integument is essential for the protection and function of the bony compartments. Three major functions can be attributed to AHOOOs: mechanical, visual, and thermoregulatory. This review provides the first extensive comparative description of the skeletal and integumentary systems of AHOOOs in a variety of mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Nasoori
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18, Nishi 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-0818, Japan
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11
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Weisbecker V, Speck C, Baker AM. A tail of evolution: evaluating body length, weight and locomotion as potential drivers of tail length scaling in Australian marsupial mammals. Zool J Linn Soc 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlz055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Although mammalian tail length relative to body length is considered indicative of locomotor mode, this association has been difficult to quantify. This could be because the counterweight function of the tail might associate it more with body weight than body length. Alternatively, relative tail length might not be evolutionarily flexible owing to its integration with the remaining skeleton, particularly the spine. Using comparative analyses of morphological means and ranges in Australian marsupials, including the first co-assessment with body weight, our study supports the second hypothesis, i.e. tail length ranges within species, and tail lengths among species are explained better by body length than by body weight. However, all three variables do not differ in phylogenetic signal or rates of evolution. Associations of tail lengths with locomotion are limited, but suggest that scaling slopes, rather than intercepts, are responsible for limited divergence between relative tail lengths at different locomotor modes. This complicates (palaeo-)ecological interpretations of tail length further. We conclude that relative tail length is not a strong predictor of locomotor mode, probably owing to strong integration of tail and body length. The many well-documented bony and soft-tissue adaptations of tails are likely to be better suited to interpretations of locomotor adaptations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vera Weisbecker
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Cruise Speck
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Andrew M Baker
- School of Earth, Environmental and Biological Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
- Natural Environments Program, Queensland Museum, South Brisbane, QLD 4101, Australia
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12
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Postnatal development of the largest subterranean mammal (Bathyergus suillus): Morphology, osteogenesis, and modularity of the appendicular skeleton. Dev Dyn 2019; 248:1101-1128. [DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.81] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Revised: 06/24/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
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13
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Ito F, Matsumoto T, Hirata T. Frequent nonrandom shifts in the temporal sequence of developmental landmark events during teleost evolutionary diversification. Evol Dev 2019; 21:120-134. [PMID: 30999390 DOI: 10.1111/ede.12288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2018] [Revised: 03/03/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Morphological transformations can be generated by evolutionary changes in the sequence of developmental events. In this study, we examined the evolutionary dynamics of the developmental sequence on a macroevolutionary scale in teleosts. Using the information from previous reports describing the development of 31 species, we extracted the developmental sequences of 19 landmark events involving the formation of phylogenetically conserved body parts; we then inferred ancestral developmental sequences by two different parsimony-based methods-event-pairing and continuous analysis. The phylogenetic comparisons of these sequences revealed event-dependent heterogeneity in the frequency of sequence changes. Most of the sequence changes occurred as exchanges of temporally neighboring events. These heterochronic changes in developmental sequences accumulated along evolutionary time, but the precise distribution of the changes over the teleostean phylogeny remains unclear due to technical limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fumihiro Ito
- Mammalian Genetics Laboratory, Genetic Strains Research Center, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan.,Department of Genetics, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Tomotaka Matsumoto
- Department of Genetics, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan.,Division of Evolutionary Genetics, Department of Population Genetics, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Tatsumi Hirata
- Department of Genetics, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan.,Division of Brain Function, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan
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Hautier L, Oliver JD, Pierce SE. An Overview of Xenarthran Developmental Studies with a Focus on the Development of the Xenarthrous Vertebrae. J MAMM EVOL 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10914-017-9412-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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15
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The hidden teeth of sloths: evolutionary vestiges and the development of a simplified dentition. Sci Rep 2016; 6:27763. [PMID: 27297516 PMCID: PMC4906291 DOI: 10.1038/srep27763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2016] [Accepted: 05/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Xenarthrans are unique among mammals in retaining simplified teeth that are rootless and homodont, which makes it difficult to determine dental homologies. We apply computerized tomography to prenatal developmental series of extant sloths, Bradypus and Choloepus, to further elucidate the patterns of morphological variation in their dentition. We also propose new criteria based on sequences of dental mineralization, and the presence of vestigial teeth, to distinguish between caniniforms and postcaniniforms. We report for the first time the presence of vestigial incisors in Bradypus. We also show the presence of a vestigial tooth in front of the lower caniniform in both extant sloth genera and the existence of two generations for the upper caniniform in Choloepus. The study of their sequence of mineralization indicates that the lower and upper caniniform teeth are not homologous in sloths, and suggests that upper caniniforms are not homologous between the two extant sloth genera. Our results show that assessing the developmental processes and functional constraints remains crucial to understand the dental variations observed in sloths, and more generally, tooth class homology issues in mammals. Applied to the tooth row of all extinct sloths, these developmental data illuminate a potentially ancestral dental formula for sloths.
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16
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Ossification sequence and genetic patterning in the mouse axial skeleton. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2014; 322:631-42. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.22590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2014] [Revised: 06/01/2014] [Accepted: 06/25/2014] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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Koyabu D, Son NT. Patterns of postcranial ossification and sequence heterochrony in bats: life histories and developmental trade-offs. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2014; 322:607-18. [PMID: 24863050 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.22581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2014] [Accepted: 05/06/2014] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The recently increased interest in studies on sequence heterochrony has uncovered developmental variation between species. However, how changes in developmental program are related to shifts in life-history parameters remains largely unsolved. Here we provide the most comprehensive data to date on postcranial ossification sequence of bats and compare them to various boreoeutherian mammals with different locomotive modes. Given that bats are equipped with an elongated manus, we expected to detect characteristic heterochronies particularly related to wing development. Although heterochronies related to wing development were confirmed as predicted, unexpected heterochronies regarding the pedal digits were also found. The timing of ossification onset of pedal phalanges is earlier than other mammals. Particularly, bats deviate from others in that pedal phalanges initiate ossification earlier than manual phalanges. It is known that the foot size of new born bats is close to that of adults, and that it takes several weeks to month until the wing is developed for flight. Given that the foot is required to be firm and stable enough at the time of birth to allow continued attachment to the mother and/or cave walls, we suggest that the accelerated development of the hind foot is linked to their unique life history. Since the forelimb is not mature enough for flight at birth and requires extended postnatal time to be large enough to be fully functional, we postulate that bats invest in earlier development of the hindlimb. We conclud that energy allocation trade-offs can play a significant role in shaping the evolution of development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Koyabu
- The University Museum, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
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18
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Hautier L, Billet G, Eastwood B, Lane J. Patterns of Morphological Variation of Extant Sloth Skulls and their Implication for Future Conservation Efforts. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2014; 297:979-1008. [DOI: 10.1002/ar.22916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2013] [Accepted: 02/18/2014] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lionel Hautier
- Laboratoire de Paléontologie; Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution de Montpellier, UMR-CNRS 5554, Cc 064, Université de Montpellier 2, place Eugène Bataillon; Montpellier Cedex France
- Museum of Zoology; University of Cambridge; Cambridge UK
| | - Guillaume Billet
- Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle; CR2P-UMR 7207 CNRS, MNHN, Univ Paris 06, 57 rue Cuvier, CP; 38 75005 Paris France
| | | | - Jemima Lane
- Museum of Zoology; University of Cambridge; Cambridge UK
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19
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Koyabu D, Werneburg I, Morimoto N, Zollikofer CPE, Forasiepi AM, Endo H, Kimura J, Ohdachi SD, Truong Son N, Sánchez-Villagra MR. Mammalian skull heterochrony reveals modular evolution and a link between cranial development and brain size. Nat Commun 2014; 5:3625. [PMID: 24704703 PMCID: PMC3988809 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms4625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2013] [Accepted: 03/11/2014] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The multiple skeletal components of the skull originate asynchronously and their developmental schedule varies across amniotes. Here we present the embryonic ossification sequence of 134 species, covering all major groups of mammals and their close relatives. This comprehensive data set allows reconstruction of the heterochronic and modular evolution of the skull and the condition of the last common ancestor of mammals. We show that the mode of ossification (dermal or endochondral) unites bones into integrated evolutionary modules of heterochronic changes and imposes evolutionary constraints on cranial heterochrony. However, some skull-roof bones, such as the supraoccipital, exhibit evolutionary degrees of freedom in these constraints. Ossification timing of the neurocranium was considerably accelerated during the origin of mammals. Furthermore, association between developmental timing of the supraoccipital and brain size was identified among amniotes. We argue that cranial heterochrony in mammals has occurred in concert with encephalization but within a conserved modular organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Koyabu
- Palaeontological Institute and Museum, University of Zürich, Karl Schmid-Strasse 4, Zürich 8006, Switzerland
- The University Museum, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Ingmar Werneburg
- Palaeontological Institute and Museum, University of Zürich, Karl Schmid-Strasse 4, Zürich 8006, Switzerland
| | - Naoki Morimoto
- Anthropological Institute and Museum, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zürich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Christoph P. E. Zollikofer
- Anthropological Institute and Museum, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zürich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Analia M. Forasiepi
- Palaeontological Institute and Museum, University of Zürich, Karl Schmid-Strasse 4, Zürich 8006, Switzerland
- Ianigla, CCT-Mendoza, CONICET, Avda. Ruiz Leal s/n, Mendoza 5500, Argentina
| | - Hideki Endo
- The University Museum, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Junpei Kimura
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 151–742, Korea
| | - Satoshi D. Ohdachi
- Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University, Kita-19 Nishi-8, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0819, Japan
| | - Nguyen Truong Son
- Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet Street, Hanoi 10000, Vietnam
| | - Marcelo R. Sánchez-Villagra
- Palaeontological Institute and Museum, University of Zürich, Karl Schmid-Strasse 4, Zürich 8006, Switzerland
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20
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Ziermann JM, Mitgutsch C, Olsson L. Analyzing developmental sequences with Parsimov--a case study of cranial muscle development in anuran larvae. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2014; 322:586-606. [PMID: 24692269 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.22566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2013] [Revised: 02/03/2014] [Accepted: 02/18/2014] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Parsimov is a parsimony-based method for identifying the minimum number of heterochronic event-shifts on all branches of a given phylogenetic framework to explain the developmental sequences seen in the species investigated, and has been used to investigate the evolution of developmental sequences in various animal groups. However, the biological interpretation of the results is difficult not least because Parsimov uses non-independent data resulting from event-pairing as the basis for its analyses. To test the applicability of Parsimov to a large data set, larval cranial muscle development was studied in 15 anurans, three caudates and the Australian lungfish. We analyzed the developmental sequences with Parsimov to investigate: if there are (1) heterochronies on deep branches of a cladogram indicating changes in the ancestral sequences, (2) heterochronies that can be related to larval life-history, and (3) the sensitivity of the analysis to different underlying cladograms. We discovered general patterns of cranial muscle development, such as an anterior-to-posterior gradient, an outside-in pattern and a tendency for cranial muscles to develop from their region of origin toward their insertion. We found most heterochronies on terminal branches and only a few shifts on deep branches in the cladograms indicating changes in the ancestral sequences. No changes could be related to larval life-history. The underlying cladogram clearly influenced the outcome of the analysis. We propose that Parsimov has the potential, combined with other methods, to find evolutionary important changes and to aid the biological interpretation of these changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janine M Ziermann
- Department of Anatomy, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, District of Columbia
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21
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22
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Rager L, Hautier L, Forasiepi A, Goswami A, Sánchez-Villagra MR. Timing of cranial suture closure in placental mammals: Phylogenetic patterns, intraspecific variation, and comparison with marsupials. J Morphol 2013; 275:125-40. [DOI: 10.1002/jmor.20203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 04/05/2013] [Accepted: 08/21/2013] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Rager
- Paläontologisches Institut und Museum; Universität Zürich, Karl Schmid-Strasse 4; CH-8006 Zürich Switzerland
| | - Lionel Hautier
- Department of Zoology; University of Cambridge; Cambridge CB2 3EJ UK
- Laboratoire de Paléontologie; Institut des Sciences de l'Évolution (ISE-M, UMR-CNRS 5554), C.c. 64, Université Montpellier 2; Place Eugène Bataillon, F-34095 Montpellier Cedex 05 France
| | - Analía Forasiepi
- Paläontologisches Institut und Museum; Universität Zürich, Karl Schmid-Strasse 4; CH-8006 Zürich Switzerland
- CONICET, IANIGLA, CCT-Mendoza; Avda. Ruiz Leal s/n, 5500, Mendoza Mendoza Argentina
| | - Anjali Goswami
- Department of Genetics; Evolution and Environment, University College London; London UK
| | - Marcelo R. Sánchez-Villagra
- Paläontologisches Institut und Museum; Universität Zürich, Karl Schmid-Strasse 4; CH-8006 Zürich Switzerland
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23
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Goswami A, Foley L, Weisbecker V. Patterns and implications of extensive heterochrony in carnivoran cranial suture closure. J Evol Biol 2013; 26:1294-306. [PMID: 23530892 PMCID: PMC4166780 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2012] [Revised: 01/10/2013] [Accepted: 01/14/2013] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Heterochronic changes in the rate or timing of development underpin many evolutionary transformations. In particular, the onset and rate of bone development have been the focus of many studies across large clades. In contrast, the termination of bone growth, as estimated by suture closure, has been studied far less frequently, although a few recent studies have shown this to represent a variable, although poorly understood, aspect of developmental evolution. Here, we examine suture closure patterns across 25 species of carnivoran mammals, ranging from social-insectivores to hypercarnivores, to assess variation in suture closure across taxa, identify heterochronic shifts in a phylogenetic framework and elucidate the relationship between suture closure timing and ecology. Our results show that heterochronic shifts in suture closure are widespread across Carnivora, with several shifts identified for most major clades. Carnivorans differ from patterns identified for other mammalian clades in showing high variability of palatal suture closure, no correlation between size and level of suture closure, and little phylogenetic signal outside of musteloids. Results further suggest a strong influence of feeding ecology on suture closure pattern. Most of the species with high numbers of heterochronic shifts, such as the walrus and the aardwolf, feed on invertebrates, and these taxa also showed high frequency of closure of the mandibular symphysis, a state that is relatively rare among mammals. Overall, caniforms displayed more heterochronic shifts than feliforms, suggesting that evolutionary changes in suture closure may reflect the lower diversity of cranial morphology in feliforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Goswami
- Department of Genetics, Evolution & Environment, University College London, London, UK.
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24
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Hautier L, Bennett NC, Viljoen H, Howard L, Milinkovitch MC, Tzika AC, Goswami A, Asher RJ. PATTERNS OF OSSIFICATION IN SOUTHERN VERSUS NORTHERN PLACENTAL MAMMALS. Evolution 2013; 67:1994-2010. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.12071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2012] [Accepted: 01/31/2013] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lionel Hautier
- Department of Zoology; University of Cambridge; Downing St. Cambridge CB2 3EJ United Kingdom
| | - Nigel C. Bennett
- Department of Zoology and Entomology; University of Pretoria; Pretoria 0002 South Africa
| | - Hermien Viljoen
- Department of Zoology and Entomology; University of Pretoria; Pretoria 0002 South Africa
| | - Lauren Howard
- Science Facilities Department; British Museum of Natural History; Cromwell Road London SW7 5BD United Kingdom
| | - Michel C. Milinkovitch
- Laboratory of Artificial and Natural Evolution; Department of Genetics & Evolution; Sciences III Building; 30 Quai Ernest-Ansermet 1211 Geneva Switzerland
| | - Athanasia C. Tzika
- Laboratory of Artificial and Natural Evolution; Department of Genetics & Evolution; Sciences III Building; 30 Quai Ernest-Ansermet 1211 Geneva Switzerland
| | - Anjali Goswami
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, and Environment and Department of Earth Sciences; University College London; Wolfson House to Darwin Building; Gower Street London WC1E 6BT United Kingdom
| | - Robert J. Asher
- Department of Zoology; University of Cambridge; Downing St. Cambridge CB2 3EJ United Kingdom
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25
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Krmpotic CM, Galliari FC, Barbeito CG, Carlini AA. Development of the integument of Dasypus hybridus and Chaetophractus vellerosus, and asynchronous events with respect to the postcranium. Mamm Biol 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2012.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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26
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Herrel A, Fabre AC, Hugot JP, Keovichit K, Adriaens D, Brabant L, Van Hoorebeke L, Cornette R. Ontogeny of the cranial system in Laonastes aenigmamus. J Anat 2012; 221:128-37. [PMID: 22607030 PMCID: PMC3406360 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7580.2012.01519.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/25/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Rodents, together with bats, are among the ecologically most diverse and most speciose groups of mammals. Moreover, rodents show elaborate specializations of the feeding apparatus in response to the predominantly fore-aft movements of the lower jaw. The Laotian rock rat Laonastes aenigmamus was recently discovered and originally thought to belong to a new family. The difficulties in classifying L. aenigmamus based on morphological characters stem from the fact that it presents a mixture of sciurognathous and hystricognathous characteristics, including the morphology of the jaw adductors. The origin of the unusual muscular organization in this species remains, however, unclear. Here, we investigate the development of the masticatory system in Laonastes to better understand the origin of its derived morphology relative to other rodents. Our analyses show that skull and mandible development is characterized by an overall elongation of the snout region. Muscle mass increases with positive allometry during development and growth, and so does the force-generating capacity of the jaw adductor muscles (i.e. physiological cross-sectional area). Whereas fetal crania and musculature are more similar to those of typical rodents, adults diverge in the elongation of the rostral part of the skull and the disproportionate development of the zygomaticomandibularis. Our data suggest a functional signal in the development of the unusual cranial morphology, possibly associated with the folivorous trophic ecology of the species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Herrel
- UMR CNRS/MNHN 7179, Mécanismes adaptatifs: des organismes aux communautés, Paris, France.
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27
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Werneburg I, Tzika AC, Hautier L, Asher RJ, Milinkovitch MC, Sánchez-Villagra MR. Development and embryonic staging in non-model organisms: the case of an afrotherian mammal. J Anat 2012; 222:2-18. [PMID: 22537021 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7580.2012.01509.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies of evolutionary developmental biology commonly use 'model organisms' such as fruit flies or mice, and questions are often functional or epigenetic. Phylogenetic investigations, in contrast, typically use species that are less common and mostly deal with broad scale analyses in the tree of life. However, important evolutionary transformations have taken place at all taxonomic levels, resulting in such diverse forms as elephants and shrews. To understand the mechanisms underlying morphological diversification, broader sampling and comparative approaches are paramount. Using a simple, standardized protocol, we describe for the first time the development of soft tissues and some parts of the skeleton, using μCT-imaging of developmental series of Echinops telfairi and Tenrec ecaudatus, two tenrecid afrotherian mammals. The developmental timing of soft tissue and skeletal characters described for the tenrecids is briefly compared with that of other mammals, including mouse, echidna, and the opossum. We found relatively few heterochronic differences in development in the armadillo vs. tenrec, consistent with a close relationship of Xenarthra and Afrotheria. Ossification in T. ecaudatus continues well into the second half of overall gestation, resembling the pattern seen in other small mammals and differing markedly from the advanced state of ossification evident early in the gestation of elephants, sheep, and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingmar Werneburg
- Paläontologisches Institut und Museum, Universität Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
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28
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Hautier L, Stansfield FJ, Allen WRT, Asher RJ. Skeletal development in the African elephant and ossification timing in placental mammals. Proc Biol Sci 2012; 279:2188-95. [PMID: 22298853 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2011.2481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
We provide here unique data on elephant skeletal ontogeny. We focus on the sequence of cranial and post-cranial ossification events during growth in the African elephant (Loxodonta africana). Previous analyses on ossification sequences in mammals have focused on monotremes, marsupials, boreoeutherian and xenarthran placentals. Here, we add data on ossification sequences in an afrotherian. We use two different methods to quantify sequence heterochrony: the sequence method and event-paring/Parsimov. Compared with other placentals, elephants show late ossifications of the basicranium, manual and pedal phalanges, and early ossifications of the ischium and metacarpals. Moreover, ossification in elephants starts very early and progresses rapidly. Specifically, the elephant exhibits the same percentage of bones showing an ossification centre at the end of the first third of its gestation period as the mouse and hamster have close to birth. Elephants show a number of features of their ossification patterns that differ from those of other placental mammals. The pattern of the initiation of the ossification evident in the African elephant underscores a possible correlation between the timing of ossification onset and gestation time throughout mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lionel Hautier
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK.
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29
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Koyabu D, Endo H, Mitgutsch C, Suwa G, Catania KC, Zollikofer CPE, Oda SI, Koyasu K, Ando M, Sánchez-Villagra MR. Heterochrony and developmental modularity of cranial osteogenesis in lipotyphlan mammals. EvoDevo 2011; 2:21. [PMID: 22040374 PMCID: PMC3247175 DOI: 10.1186/2041-9139-2-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2011] [Accepted: 11/01/2011] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Here we provide the most comprehensive study to date on the cranial ossification sequence in Lipotyphla, the group which includes shrews, moles and hedgehogs. This unique group, which encapsulates diverse ecological modes, such as terrestrial, subterranean, and aquatic lifestyles, is used to examine the evolutionary lability of cranial osteogenesis and to investigate the modularity of development. RESULTS An acceleration of developmental timing of the vomeronasal complex has occurred in the common ancestor of moles. However, ossification of the nasal bone has shifted late in the more terrestrial shrew mole. Among the lipotyphlans, sequence heterochrony shows no significant association with modules derived from developmental origins (that is, neural crest cells vs. mesoderm derived parts) or with those derived from ossification modes (that is, dermal vs. endochondral ossification). CONCLUSIONS The drastic acceleration of vomeronasal development in moles is most likely coupled with the increased importance of the rostrum for digging and its use as a specialized tactile surface, both fossorial adaptations. The late development of the nasal in shrew moles, a condition also displayed by hedgehogs and shrews, is suggested to be the result of an ecological reversal to terrestrial lifestyle and reduced functional importance of the rostrum. As an overall pattern in lipotyphlans, our results reject the hypothesis that ossification sequence heterochrony occurs in modular fashion when considering the developmental patterns of the skull. We suggest that shifts in the cranial ossification sequence are not evolutionarily constrained by developmental origins or mode of ossification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Koyabu
- Paläontologisches Institut und Museum, Universität Zürich, Karl Schmid-Strasse 4, CH-8006 Zürich, Switzerland
- The University Museum, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, 113-0033 Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hideki Endo
- The University Museum, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, 113-0033 Tokyo, Japan
| | - Christian Mitgutsch
- Paläontologisches Institut und Museum, Universität Zürich, Karl Schmid-Strasse 4, CH-8006 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Gen Suwa
- The University Museum, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, 113-0033 Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kenneth C Catania
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, VU Station B, Box 35-1634, Nashville, USA
| | - Christoph PE Zollikofer
- Anthropologisches Institut, Universität Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sen-ichi Oda
- Department of Zoology, Okayama University of Science, Ridaichou, Kita-ku, 700-0005 Okayama, Japan
| | - Kazuhiko Koyasu
- The Second Department of Anatomy, School of Dentistry, Aichi-Gakuin University, Kusumotochou 1-100, 464-8650 Nagoya, Japan
| | - Motokazu Ando
- Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Funako 1737, 243-0034 Atsugi, Japan
| | - Marcelo R Sánchez-Villagra
- Paläontologisches Institut und Museum, Universität Zürich, Karl Schmid-Strasse 4, CH-8006 Zürich, Switzerland
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