1
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Clement AM, Challands TJ, Cloutier R, Houle L, Ahlberg PE, Collin SP, Long JA. Morphometric analysis of lungfish endocasts elucidates early dipnoan palaeoneurological evolution. eLife 2022; 11:e73461. [PMID: 35818828 PMCID: PMC9275822 DOI: 10.7554/elife.73461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The lobe-finned fish, lungfish (Dipnoi, Sarcoptergii), have persisted for ~400 million years from the Devonian Period to present day. The evolution of their dermal skull and dentition is relatively well understood, but this is not the case for the central nervous system. While the brain has poor preservation potential and is not currently known in any fossil lungfish, substantial indirect information about it and associated structures (e.g. labyrinths) can be obtained from the cranial endocast. However, before the recent development of X-ray tomography as a palaeontological tool, these endocasts could not be studied non-destructively, and few detailed studies were undertaken. Here, we describe and illustrate the endocasts of six Palaeozoic lungfish from tomographic scans. We combine these with six previously described digital lungfish endocasts (4 fossil and 2 recent taxa) into a 12-taxon dataset for multivariate morphometric analysis using 17 variables. We find that the olfactory region is more highly plastic than the hindbrain, and undergoes significant elongation in several taxa. Further, while the semicircular canals covary as an integrated module, the utriculus and sacculus vary independently of each other. Functional interpretation suggests that olfaction has remained a dominant sense throughout lungfish evolution, and changes in the labyrinth may potentially reflect a change from nektonic to near-shore environmental niches. Phylogenetic implications show that endocranial form fails to support monophyly of the 'chirodipterids'. Those with elongated crania similarly fail to form a distinct clade, suggesting these two paraphyletic groups have converged towards either head elongation or truncation driven by non-phylogenetic constraints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice M Clement
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders UniversityAdelaideAustralia
| | - Tom J Challands
- School of Geosciences, University of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
| | - Richard Cloutier
- Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie, Université du Québec à RimouskiRimouskiCanada
| | - Laurent Houle
- Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie, Université du Québec à RimouskiRimouskiCanada
| | - Per E Ahlberg
- Subdepartment of Evolution and Development, Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala UniversityUppsalaSweden
| | - Shaun P Collin
- School of Life Sciences, La Trobe UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | - John A Long
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders UniversityAdelaideAustralia
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Clement AM, Cloutier R, Lu J, Perilli E, Maksimenko A, Long J. A fresh look at Cladarosymblema narrienense, a tetrapodomorph fish (Sarcopterygii: Megalichthyidae) from the Carboniferous of Australia, illuminated via X-ray tomography. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12597. [PMID: 34966593 PMCID: PMC8667741 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The megalichthyids are one of several clades of extinct tetrapodomorph fish that lived throughout the Devonian-Permian periods. They are advanced "osteolepidid-grade" fishes that lived in freshwater swamp and lake environments, with some taxa growing to very large sizes. They bear cosmine-covered bones and a large premaxillary tusk that lies lingually to a row of small teeth. Diagnosis of the family remains controversial with various authors revising it several times in recent works. There are fewer than 10 genera known globally, and only one member definitively identified from Gondwana. Cladarosymblema narrienense Fox et al. 1995 was described from the Lower Carboniferous Raymond Formation in Queensland, Australia, on the basis of several well-preserved specimens. Despite this detailed work, several aspects of its anatomy remain undescribed. Methods Two especially well-preserved 3D fossils of Cladarosymblema narrienense, including the holotype specimen, are scanned using synchrotron or micro-computed tomography (µCT), and 3D modelled using specialist segmentation and visualisation software. New anatomical detail, in particular internal anatomy, is revealed for the first time in this taxon. A novel phylogenetic matrix, adapted from other recent work on tetrapodomorphs, is used to clarify the interrelationships of the megalichthyids and confirm the phylogenetic position of C. narrienense. Results Never before seen morphological details of the palate, hyoid arch, basibranchial skeleton, pectoral girdle and axial skeleton are revealed and described. Several additional features are confirmed or updated from the original description. Moreover, the first full, virtual cranial endocast of any tetrapodomorph fish is presented and described, giving insight into the early neural adaptations in this group. Phylogenetic analysis confirms the monophyly of the Megalichthyidae with seven genera included (Askerichthys, Cladarosymblema, Ectosteorhachis, Mahalalepis, Megalichthys, Palatinichthys, and Sengoerichthys). The position of the megalichthyids as sister group to canowindrids, crownward of "osteolepidids" (e.g.,Osteolepis and Gogonasus), but below "tristichopterids" such as Eusthenopteron is confirmed, but our findings suggest further work is required to resolve megalichthyid interrelationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice M Clement
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Richard Cloutier
- Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie, University of Québec at Rimouski, Rimouski, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jing Lu
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Beijing, China.,CAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Beijing, China
| | - Egon Perilli
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Anton Maksimenko
- Australian Synchrotron, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - John Long
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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3
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King B, Rücklin M. A Bayesian approach to dynamic homology of morphological characters and the ancestral phenotype of jawed vertebrates. eLife 2020; 9:e62374. [PMID: 33274719 PMCID: PMC7793628 DOI: 10.7554/elife.62374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Phylogenetic analysis of morphological data proceeds from a fixed set of primary homology statements, the character-by-taxon matrix. However, there are cases where multiple conflicting homology statements can be justified from comparative anatomy. The upper jaw bones of placoderms have traditionally been considered homologous to the palatal vomer-dermopalatine series of osteichthyans. The discovery of 'maxillate' placoderms led to the alternative hypothesis that 'core' placoderm jaw bones are premaxillae and maxillae lacking external (facial) laminae. We introduce a BEAST2 package for simultaneous inference of homology and phylogeny, and find strong evidence for the latter hypothesis. Phenetic analysis of reconstructed ancestors suggests that maxillate placoderms are the most plesiomorphic known gnathostomes, and the shared cranial architecture of arthrodire placoderms, maxillate placoderms and osteichthyans is inherited. We suggest that the gnathostome ancestor possessed maxillae and premaxillae with facial and palatal laminae, and that these bones underwent divergent evolutionary trajectories in placoderms and osteichthyans.
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Challands TJ, Pardo JD, Clement AM. Mandibular musculature constrains brain-endocast disparity between sarcopterygians. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2020; 7:200933. [PMID: 33047053 PMCID: PMC7540775 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.200933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The transition from water to land by the earliest tetrapods in the Devonian Period is seen as one of the greatest steps in evolution. However, little is understood concerning changes in brain morphology over this transition. Here, we determine the brain-braincase relationship in fishes and basal lissamphibians as a proxy to elucidate the changes that occurred over the fish-tetrapod transition. We investigate six basal extant sarcopterygians spanning coelacanths to salamanders (Latimeria chalumnae, Neoceratodus, Protopterus aethiopicus, P. dolloi, Cynops, Ambystoma mexicanum) using micro-CT and MRI and quantify the brain-braincase relationship in these extant taxa. Our results show that regions of lowest brain-endocast disparity are associated with regions of bony reinforcement directly adjacent to masticatory musculature for the mandible except in Neoceratodus and Latimeria. In Latimeria this deviation from the trend can be accounted for by the possession of an intracranial joint and basicranial muscles, whereas in Neoceratodus difference is attributed to dermal bones contributing to the overall neurocranial reinforcement. Besides Neoceratodus and Latimeria, regions of low brain-endocast disparity occur where there is less reinforcement away from high mandibular muscle mass, where the trigeminal nerve complex exits the braincase and where endolymphatic sacs occupy space between the brain and braincase wall. Despite basal tetrapods possessing reduced adductor muscle mass and a different biting mechanism to piscine sarcopterygians, regions of the neurocranium lacking osteological reinforcement in the basal tetrapods Lethiscus and Brachydectes broadly correspond to regions of high brain-endocast disparity seen in extant taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- T. J. Challands
- School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Grant Institute, James Hutton Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FE, UK
| | - Jason D. Pardo
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Alice M. Clement
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Sturt Road, Bedford Park, 5042, South Australia, Australia
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López JM, Morona R, González A. Pattern of nitrergic cells and fibers organization in the central nervous system of the Australian lungfish, Neoceratodus forsteri (Sarcopterygii: Dipnoi). J Comp Neurol 2019; 527:1771-1800. [PMID: 30689201 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Revised: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The Australian lungfish Neoceratodus forsteri is the only extant species of the order Ceratodontiformes, which retained most of the primitive features of ancient lobe finned-fishes. Lungfishes are the closest living relatives of land vertebrates and their study is important for deducing the neural traits that were conserved, modified, or lost with the transition from fishes to land vertebrates. We have investigated the nitrergic system with neural nitric oxide synthase (NOS) immunohistochemistry and NADPH-diaphorase (NADPH-d) histochemistry, which yielded almost identical results except for the primary olfactory projections and the terminal and preoptic nerve fibers labeled only for NADPH-d. Combined immunohistochemistry was used for simultaneous detection of NOS with catecholaminergic, cholinergic, and serotonergic structures, aiming to establish accurately the localization of the nitrergic elements and to assess possible interactions between these neurotransmitter systems. The results demonstrated abundant nitrergic cells in the basal ganglia, amygdaloid complex, preoptic area, basal hypothalamus, mesencephalic tectum and tegmentum, laterodorsal tegmental nucleus, reticular formation, spinal cord, and retina. In addition, low numbers of nitrergic cells were observed in the olfactory bulb, all pallial divisions, lateral septum, suprachiasmatic nucleus, prethalamic and thalamic areas, posterior tubercle, pretectum, torus semicircularis, cerebellar nucleus, interpeduncular nucleus, the medial octavolateral nucleus, nucleus of the solitary tract, and the dorsal column nucleus. Colocalization of NOS and tyrosine hydroxylase was observed in numerous cells of the ventral tegmental area/substantia nigra complex. Comparison with other vertebrates, using a neuromeric analysis, reveals that the nitrergic system of Neoceratodus shares many neuroanatomical features with tetrapods and particularly with amphibians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús M López
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, University Complutense of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ruth Morona
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, University Complutense of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Agustín González
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, University Complutense of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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López JM, Morona R, Moreno N, Lozano D, Jiménez S, González A. Pax6 expression highlights regional organization in the adult brain of lungfishes, the closest living relatives of land vertebrates. J Comp Neurol 2019; 528:135-159. [PMID: 31299095 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2019] [Revised: 06/27/2019] [Accepted: 07/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The Pax6 gene encodes a regulatory transcription factor that is key in brain development. The molecular structure of Pax6, the roles it plays and its patterns of expression in the brain have been highly conserved during vertebrate evolution. As neurodevelopment proceeds, the Pax6 expression changes from the mitotic germinal zone in the ventricular zone to become distributed in cell groups in the adult brain. Studies in various vertebrates, from fish to mammals, found that the Pax6 expression is maintained in adults in most regions that express it during development. Specifically, in amphibians, Pax6 is widely expressed in the adult brain and its distribution pattern serves to highlight regional organization of the brain. In the present study, we analyzed the detailed distribution of Pax6 cells in the adult central nervous system of lungfishes, the closest living relatives of all tetrapods. Immunohistochemistry performed using double labeling techniques with several neuronal markers of known distribution patterns served to evaluate the actual location of Pax6 cells. Our results show that the Pax6 expression is maintained in the adult brain of lungfishes, in distinct regions of the telencephalon (pallium and subpallium), diencephalon, mesencephalon, hindbrain, spinal cord, and retina. The pattern of Pax6 expression is largely shared with amphibians and helps to understand the primitive condition that would have characterized the common ancestors to all sarcopterygians (lobe-finned fishes and tetrapods), in which Pax6 would be needed to maintain specific entities of subpopulations of neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús M López
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, University Complutense of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ruth Morona
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, University Complutense of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Nerea Moreno
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, University Complutense of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniel Lozano
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, University Complutense of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sara Jiménez
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, University Complutense of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Agustín González
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, University Complutense of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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Dutel H, Galland M, Tafforeau P, Long JA, Fagan MJ, Janvier P, Herrel A, Santin MD, Clément G, Herbin M. Neurocranial development of the coelacanth and the evolution of the sarcopterygian head. Nature 2019; 569:556-559. [PMID: 30996349 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1117-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The neurocranium of sarcopterygian fishes was originally divided into an anterior (ethmosphenoid) and posterior (otoccipital) portion by an intracranial joint, and underwent major changes in its overall geometry before fusing into a single unit in lungfishes and early tetrapods1. Although the pattern of these changes is well-documented, the developmental mechanisms that underpin variation in the form of the neurocranium and its associated soft tissues during the evolution of sarcopterygian fishes remain poorly understood. The coelacanth Latimeria is the only known living vertebrate that retains an intracranial joint2,3. Despite its importance for understanding neurocranial evolution, the development of the neurocranium of this ovoviviparous fish remains unknown. Here we investigate the ontogeny of the neurocranium and brain in Latimeria chalumnae using conventional and synchrotron X-ray micro-computed tomography as well as magnetic resonance imaging, performed on an extensive growth series for this species. We describe the neurocranium at the earliest developmental stage known for Latimeria, as well as the major changes that the neurocranium undergoes during ontogeny. Changes in the neurocranium are associated with an extreme reduction in the relative size of the brain along with an enlargement of the notochord. The development of the notochord appears to have a major effect on the surrounding cranial components, and might underpin the formation of the intracranial joint. Our results shed light on the interplay between the neurocranium and its adjacent soft tissues during development in Latimeria, and provide insights into the developmental mechanisms that are likely to have underpinned the evolution of neurocranial diversity in sarcopterygian fishes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Dutel
- School of Engineering and Computer Science, Medical and Biological Engineering Research Group, University of Hull, Hull, UK. .,School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
| | - Manon Galland
- UMR 7206 (MNHN-CNRS-Université Paris Diderot), Éco-Anthropologie et Ethnobiologie, Département Homme et Environnement, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Paul Tafforeau
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Grenoble, France
| | - John A Long
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Michael J Fagan
- School of Engineering and Computer Science, Medical and Biological Engineering Research Group, University of Hull, Hull, UK
| | - Philippe Janvier
- UMR 7207 (MNHN-CNRS-Sorbonne Université), CR2P Centre de Recherche en Paléontologie-Paris, Département Origines et Évolution, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Anthony Herrel
- UMR 7179 (MNHN-CNRS) MECADEV, Département Adaptations du Vivant, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Mathieu D Santin
- Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Centre for NeuroImaging Research, ICM (Brain & Spine Institute), Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Gaël Clément
- UMR 7207 (MNHN-CNRS-Sorbonne Université), CR2P Centre de Recherche en Paléontologie-Paris, Département Origines et Évolution, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Marc Herbin
- UMR 7179 (MNHN-CNRS) MECADEV, Département Adaptations du Vivant, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
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Henderson SAC, Challands TJ. The cranial endocast of the Upper Devonian dipnoan ' Chirodipterus' australis. PeerJ 2018; 6:e5148. [PMID: 30002977 PMCID: PMC6037139 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the first endocasts of a dipnoan (lungfish) to be realised was that of the Upper Devonian taxon Chirodipterus australis. This early interpretation was based on observations of the shape of the cranial cavity alone and was not based on a natural cast or ‘steinkern’ nor from serial sectioning. The validity of this reconstruction is therefore questionable and continued reference to and use of this interpretation in analyses of sarcopterygian cranial evolution runs the risk of propagation of error. Here we present a new detailed anatomical description of the endocast of ‘Chirodipterus’ australis from the Upper Devonian Gogo Formation of Western Australia, known for exceptional 3D preservation which enables fine-scale scrutiny of endocranial anatomy. We show that it exhibits a suite of characters more typical of Lower and Middle Devonian dipnoan taxa. Notably, the small utricular recess is unexpected for a taxon of this age, whereas the ventral expansion of the telencephalon is more typical of more derived taxa. The presence of such ’primitive’ characters in ‘C.’ australis supports its relatively basal position as demonstrated in the most recent phylogenies of Devonian Dipnoi.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tom J Challands
- School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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9
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Clement AM, King B, Giles S, Choo B, Ahlberg PE, Young GC, Long JA. Neurocranial anatomy of an enigmatic Early Devonian fish sheds light on early osteichthyan evolution. eLife 2018; 7:e34349. [PMID: 29807569 PMCID: PMC5973833 DOI: 10.7554/elife.34349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2017] [Accepted: 04/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The skull of 'Ligulalepis' from the Early Devonian of Australia (AM-F101607) has significantly expanded our knowledge of early osteichthyan anatomy, but its phylogenetic position has remained uncertain. We herein describe a second skull of 'Ligulalepis' and present micro-CT data on both specimens to reveal novel anatomical features, including cranial endocasts. Several features previously considered to link 'Ligulalepis' with actinopterygians are now considered generalized osteichthyan characters or of uncertain polarity. The presence of a lateral cranial canal is shown to be variable in its development between specimens. Other notable new features include the presence of a pineal foramen, the some detail of skull roof sutures, the shape of the nasal capsules, a placoderm-like hypophysial vein, and a chondrichthyan-like labyrinth system. New phylogenetic analyses place 'Ligulalepis' as a stem osteichthyan, specifically as the sister taxon to 'psarolepids' plus crown osteichthyans. The precise position of 'psarolepids' differs between parsimony and Bayesian analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice M Clement
- College of Science and EngineeringFlinders UniversityAdelaideAustralia
- Department of Organismal BiologyEvolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala UniversityUppsalaSweden
- Department of SciencesMuseum VictoriaMelbourneAustralia
| | - Benedict King
- College of Science and EngineeringFlinders UniversityAdelaideAustralia
- Naturalis Biodiversity CenterLeidenNetherlands
| | - Sam Giles
- Department of Earth SciencesUniversity of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Brian Choo
- College of Science and EngineeringFlinders UniversityAdelaideAustralia
| | - Per E Ahlberg
- Department of Organismal BiologyEvolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala UniversityUppsalaSweden
| | - Gavin C Young
- Department of Applied MathematicsResearch School of Physics & Engineering, Australian National UniversityCanberraAustralia
- Australian Museum Research InstituteSydneyAustralia
| | - John A Long
- College of Science and EngineeringFlinders UniversityAdelaideAustralia
- Department of SciencesMuseum VictoriaMelbourneAustralia
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Ziermann JM, Clement AM, Ericsson R, Olsson L. Cephalic muscle development in the Australian lungfish,Neoceratodus forsteri. J Morphol 2017; 279:494-516. [DOI: 10.1002/jmor.20784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2017] [Revised: 10/29/2017] [Accepted: 11/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Janine M. Ziermann
- Department of Anatomy; Howard University College of Medicine; Washington DC 20059
| | - Alice M. Clement
- Department of Organismal Biology; Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18A; Uppsala 752 36 Sweden
- School of Biological Sciences, College of Science and Engineering; Flinders University; Adelaide South Australia 5042 Australia
| | - Rolf Ericsson
- Laboratory for the Study of Craniofacial Evolution & Development, Vinicna 7; Charles University in Prague; Prague 128 44 Czech Republic
| | - Lennart Olsson
- Institut für Zoologie und Evolutionsforschung; Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena; Jena Germany
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11
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López JM, González A. Organization of the catecholaminergic systems in the brain of lungfishes, the closest living relatives of terrestrial vertebrates. J Comp Neurol 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/cne.24266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jesús M. López
- Department of Cell Biology; Faculty of Biology, University Complutense of Madrid; Madrid Spain
| | - Agustín González
- Department of Cell Biology; Faculty of Biology, University Complutense of Madrid; Madrid Spain
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12
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Clement AM, Challands TJ, Long JA, Ahlberg PE. The cranial endocast of Dipnorhynchus sussmilchi (Sarcopterygii: Dipnoi) and the interrelationships of stem-group lungfishes. PeerJ 2016; 4:e2539. [PMID: 27781157 PMCID: PMC5075708 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.2539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2016] [Accepted: 09/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The first virtual cranial endocast of a lungfish from the Early Devonian, Dipnorhynchus sussmilchi, is described. Dipnorhynchus, only the fourth Devonian lungfish for which a near complete cranial endocast is known, is a key taxon for clarifying primitive character states within the group. A ventrally-expanded telencephalic cavity is present in the endocast of Dipnorhynchus demonstrating that this is the primitive state for “true” Dipnoi. Dipnorhynchus also possesses a utricular recess differentiated from the sacculolagenar pouch like that seen in stratigraphically younger lungfish (Dipterus, Chirodipterus, Rhinodipterus), but absent from the dipnomorph Youngolepis. We do not find separate pineal and para-pineal canals in contrast to a reconstruction from previous authors. We conduct the first phylogenetic analysis of Dipnoi based purely on endocast characters, which supports a basal placement of Dipnorhynchus within the dipnoan stem group, in agreement with recent analyses. Our analysis demonstrates the value of endocast characters for inferring phylogenetic relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice M Clement
- School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; Department of Sciences, Museum Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala Universitet, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Tom J Challands
- School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh , Edinburgh , United Kingdom
| | - John A Long
- School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University , Adelaide , South Australia , Australia
| | - Per E Ahlberg
- Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala Universitet , Uppsala , Sweden
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Clement AM, Strand R, Nysjö J, Long JA, Ahlberg PE. A new method for reconstructing brain morphology: applying the brain-neurocranial spatial relationship in an extant lungfish to a fossil endocast. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2016; 3:160307. [PMID: 27493784 PMCID: PMC4968476 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2016] [Accepted: 06/21/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Lungfish first appeared in the geological record over 410 million years ago and are the closest living group of fish to the tetrapods. Palaeoneurological investigations into the group show that unlike numerous other fishes-but more similar to those in tetrapods-lungfish appear to have had a close fit between the brain and the cranial cavity that housed it. As such, researchers can use the endocast of fossil taxa (an internal cast of the cranial cavity) both as a source of morphological data but also to aid in developing functional and phylogenetic implications about the group. Using fossil endocast data from a three-dimensional-preserved Late Devonian lungfish from the Gogo Formation, Rhinodipterus, and the brain-neurocranial relationship in the extant Australian lungfish, Neoceratodus, we herein present the first virtually reconstructed brain of a fossil lungfish. Computed tomographic data and a newly developed 'brain-warping' method are used in conjunction with our own distance map software tool to both analyse and present the data. The brain reconstruction is adequate, but we envisage that its accuracy and wider application in other taxonomic groups will grow with increasing availability of tomographic datasets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice M. Clement
- Department of Organismal Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18A, 752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Sciences, Museum Victoria, GPO Box 666, Melbourne 3001, Victoria, Australia
| | - Robin Strand
- Centre for Image Analysis, Department of Information Technology, Uppsala University, Lägerhyddsvägen 2, 751 05 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Johan Nysjö
- Centre for Image Analysis, Department of Information Technology, Uppsala University, Lägerhyddsvägen 2, 751 05 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - John A. Long
- Department of Sciences, Museum Victoria, GPO Box 666, Melbourne 3001, Victoria, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University, PO Box 2100, Adelaide 5001, South Australia, Australia
| | - Per E. Ahlberg
- Department of Organismal Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18A, 752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
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Lu J, Zhu M, Ahlberg PE, Qiao T, Zhu Y, Zhao W, Jia L. A Devonian predatory fish provides insights into the early evolution of modern sarcopterygians. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2016; 2:e1600154. [PMID: 27386576 PMCID: PMC4928971 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1600154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2016] [Accepted: 05/12/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Crown or modern sarcopterygians (coelacanths, lungfishes, and tetrapods) differ substantially from stem sarcopterygians, such as Guiyu and Psarolepis, and a lack of transitional fossil taxa limits our understanding of the origin of the crown group. The Onychodontiformes, an enigmatic Devonian predatory fish group, seems to have characteristics of both stem and crown sarcopterygians but is difficult to place because of insufficient anatomical information. We describe the new skull material of Qingmenodus, a Pragian (~409-million-year-old) onychodont from China, using high-resolution computed tomography to image internal structures of the braincase. In addition to its remarkable similarities with stem sarcopterygians in the ethmosphenoid portion, Qingmenodus exhibits coelacanth-like neurocranial features in the otic region. A phylogenetic analysis based on a revised data set unambiguously assigns onychodonts to crown sarcopterygians as stem coelacanths. Qingmenodus thus bridges the morphological gap between stem sarcopterygians and coelacanths and helps to illuminate the early evolution and diversification of crown sarcopterygians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Lu
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, PO Box 643, Beijing 100044, China
| | - Min Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, PO Box 643, Beijing 100044, China
| | - Per Erik Ahlberg
- Subdepartment of Evolution and Development, Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Tuo Qiao
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, PO Box 643, Beijing 100044, China
| | - You’an Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, PO Box 643, Beijing 100044, China
- Subdepartment of Evolution and Development, Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Wenjin Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, PO Box 643, Beijing 100044, China
| | - Liantao Jia
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, PO Box 643, Beijing 100044, China
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Brain - Endocast Relationship in the Australian Lungfish, Neoceratodus forsteri, Elucidated from Tomographic Data (Sarcopterygii: Dipnoi). PLoS One 2015; 10:e0141277. [PMID: 26492190 PMCID: PMC4619648 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0141277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2015] [Accepted: 10/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the brains of the three extant lungfish genera have been previously described, the spatial relationship between the brain and the neurocranium has never before been fully described nor quantified. Through the application of virtual microtomography (μCT) and 3D rendering software, we describe aspects of the gross anatomy of the brain and labyrinth region in the Australian lungfish, Neoceratodus forsteri and compare this to previous accounts. Unexpected characters in this specimen include short olfactory peduncles connecting the olfactory bulbs to the telencephalon, and an oblong telencephalon. Furthermore, we illustrate the endocast (the mould of the internal space of the neurocranial cavity) of Neoceratodus, also describing and quantifying the brain-endocast relationship in a lungfish for the first time. Overall, the brain of the Australian lungfish closely matches the size and shape of the endocast cavity housing it, filling more than four fifths of the total volume. The forebrain and labyrinth regions of the brain correspond very well to the endocast morphology, while the midbrain and hindbrain do not fit so closely. Our results cast light on the gross neural and endocast anatomy in lungfishes, and are likely to have particular significance for palaeoneurologists studying fossil taxa.
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