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Reinitz LZ, Cerny C, Papp E, Biácsi A, Fajtai D, Petneházy Ö. CT based 3D reconstruction of the forefoot's blood supply in a white rhinoceros. Acta Vet Scand 2024; 66:10. [PMID: 38454467 PMCID: PMC10921585 DOI: 10.1186/s13028-024-00732-2] [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: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) is close to extinction, listed as "Near Threatened", with a decreasing population on the Red List of Threatened Species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. In at least 50% of the specimens in captivity, podiatric diseases, such as osteitis, osteomyelitis, chip fractures, enthesophytes, fractures and osteoarthritis were found during necropsy. These osteal deformations cause further pathogenic alterations in the soft tissues, particularly in the digital cushion. The literature provides good description of the skeleton of the rhino's limbs, but similar for the vascular system is non-existent. In order to recognize the symptoms in an early state and for a successful surgical treatment, precise knowledge of the vascular anatomy is essential. The purpose of our study was to provide detailed anatomical description of the blood supply of the digits and that of the digital cushion. RESULTS The blood supply of the distal foot, digits and digital cushions were perfectly visible on the reconstructed and coloured 3D models. The deep palmar arch provided not only the blood supply to the digits but had a palmaro-distal running branch which developed a trifurcation proximal to the proximal sesamoid bones of the third digit. Two of its branches participated in the blood supply of the digits' proximal palmar surface, while the major branch supplied the digital cushion from proximal direction. CONCLUSIONS Our findings show a unique blood supply: the main vessels of the digital cushion stem both directly from the deep palmar arch and from the digits' own arteries. The detailed description of vessels may be useful in planning surgery of the region and also in cases where the veins of the ear are not accessible.
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Affiliation(s)
- László Zoltán Reinitz
- Department of Anatomy and Histology, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, István utca 2, Budapest, H-1078, Hungary.
| | - Claudia Cerny
- Department of Anatomy and Histology, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, István utca 2, Budapest, H-1078, Hungary
| | - Endre Papp
- Nyíregyházi Állatpark Nonprofit Kft. (Sosto Zoo), HRSz15010/2, Sóstói út, Nyíregyháza, H-4431, Hungary
| | - Alexandra Biácsi
- Nyíregyházi Állatpark Nonprofit Kft. (Sosto Zoo), HRSz15010/2, Sóstói út, Nyíregyháza, H-4431, Hungary
| | - Daniel Fajtai
- Medicopus Nonprofit Kft, Tallián Gy u. 20-32, Kaposvár, H-7400, Hungary
| | - Örs Petneházy
- Medicopus Nonprofit Kft, Tallián Gy u. 20-32, Kaposvár, H-7400, Hungary
- Department of Physiology and Animal Health, Institute of Physiology and Nutrition, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kaposvár Campus, Guba Sandor u. 40, Kaposvár, H-7400, Hungary
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Bader C, Delapré A, Houssaye A. Shape variation in the limb long bones of modern elephants reveals adaptations to body mass and habitat. J Anat 2023; 242:806-830. [PMID: 36824051 PMCID: PMC10093169 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13827] [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: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
During evolution, several vertebrate lineages have shown trends towards an increase in mass. Such a trend is associated with physiological and musculoskeletal changes necessary to carry and move an increasingly heavy body. Due to their prominent role in the support and movement of the body, limb long bones are highly affected by these shifts in body mass. Elephants are the heaviest living terrestrial mammals, displaying unique features allowing them to withstand their massive weight, such as the columnarity of their limbs, and as such are crucial to understand the evolution towards high body mass in land mammals. In this study, we investigate the shape variation of the six limb long bones among the modern elephants, Elephas maximus and Loxodonta africana, to understand the effect of body mass and habitat on the external anatomy of the bones. To do so, we use three-dimensional geometric morphometrics (GMMs) and qualitative comparisons to describe the shape variation, at both the intraspecific and interspecific levels. Our results reveal that the two species share similar negative ontogenetic allometric patterns (i.e. becoming stouter with increased length) in their humerus and femur, but not in the other bones: the proximal epiphyses of the stylopod bones develop considerably during growth, while the distal epiphyses, which are involved in load distribution in the elbow and knee joints, are already massive in juveniles. We attribute this pattern to a weight-bearing adaptation already present in young specimens. Among adults of the same species, bone robustness increases with body mass, so that heavier specimens display stouter bones allowing for a better mechanical load distribution. While this robustness variation is significant for the humerus only, all the other bones appear to follow the same pattern. This is particularly visible in the ulna and tibia, but less so in the femur, which suggests that the forelimb and hindlimb adapted differently to high body mass support. Robustness analyses, while significant for the humerus only, suggest more robust long bones in Asian elephants than in African savanna elephants. More specifically, GMMs and qualitative comparisons indicate that three bones are clearly distinct when comparing the two species: in E. maximus the humerus, the ulna and the tibia display enlarged areas of muscular insertions for muscles involved in joint and limb stabilization, as well as in limb rotation. These results suggest a higher limb compliance in Asian elephants, associated with a higher dexterity, which could be linked to their habitat and foraging habits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Bader
- Département Adaptations du Vivant, UMR 7179, Mécanismes adaptatifs et Évolution (MECADEV) CNRS/Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Arnaud Delapré
- UMR 7205, Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, CNRS, SU, EPHE, UA, Paris, France
| | - Alexandra Houssaye
- Département Adaptations du Vivant, UMR 7179, Mécanismes adaptatifs et Évolution (MECADEV) CNRS/Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris, France
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Mallet C, Houssaye A, Cornette R, Billet G. Long bone shape variation in the forelimb of Rhinocerotoidea: relation with size, body mass and body proportions. Zool J Linn Soc 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlab095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
In quadrupeds, limb bones are strongly affected by functional constraints linked to weight support, but few studies have addressed the complementary effects of mass, size and body proportions on limb bone shape. During their history, Rhinocerotoidea have displayed a great diversity of body masses and relative size and proportions of limb bones, from small tapir-like forms to giant species. Here, we explore the evolutionary variation of shapes in forelimb bones and its relationship with body mass in Rhinocerotoidea. Our results indicate a general increase in robustness and greater development of muscular insertions in heavier species, counteracting the higher weight loadings induced by an increased body mass. The shape of the humerus changes allometrically and exhibits a strong phylogenetic signal. Shapes of the radius and ulna display a stronger link with body mass repartition than with the absolute mass itself. Congruent shape variation between the humerus and the proximal part of the ulna suggests that the elbow joint is comprised of two strongly covariant structures. In addition, our work confirms the uniqueness of giant Paraceratheriidae among Rhinocerotoidea, whose shape variation is related to both a high body mass and a cursorial forelimb construction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Mallet
- Mécanismes adaptatifs et évolution (MECADEV), UMR 7179, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle (MNHN), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), 55 rue Buffon, CP 55, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Alexandra Houssaye
- Mécanismes adaptatifs et évolution (MECADEV), UMR 7179, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle (MNHN), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), 55 rue Buffon, CP 55, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Raphaël Cornette
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), UMR 7205, MNHN, CNRS, Sorbonne Université (SU), École Pratique des Hautes Études, Université des Antilles, 57 rue Cuvier, CP 50, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Guillaume Billet
- Centre de Recherche en Paléontologie – Paris (CR2P), UMR 7207, MNHN, CNRS, SU, 8 rue Buffon, CP 38, 75005 Paris, France
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Houck EL, Papich MG, Delk KW. Phenylbutazone pharmacokinetics in southern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum) after oral administration. J Vet Pharmacol Ther 2021; 45:196-202. [PMID: 34894412 DOI: 10.1111/jvp.13036] [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: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Southern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum) frequently develop painful conditions, such as traumatic injuries or osteoarthritis, necessitating the administration of pain-relieving medications. One of the preferred treatments is the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug phenylbutazone because of the availability of oral formulations and the familiarity of its use in horses. For the main study, a single oral dose of phenylbutazone at 2 mg/kg was administered to healthy adult rhinoceros (n = 33) housed at six North American zoological institutions. Each rhinoceros had up to four blood samples collected under voluntary behavioural restraint at up to four predetermined time points (0, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 24, 30 and 48 h). Drug analysis was performed by high-performance liquid chromatography. The population pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated with nonlinear mixed-effects modelling, and analysis showed a peak concentration (CMAX ) of 3.8 µg/ml at 1.8 h and an elimination half-life of 9 h. The concentrations achieved were similar to what has been reported for horses and were within the half maximal effective concentration for horses for at least 10 h. A multi-dose trial in five rhinoceros receiving 2 mg/kg orally once daily for five days found mild accumulation at a predicted factor of 1.2. This study represents the first pharmacokinetic data of phenylbutazone in any rhinoceros species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma L Houck
- North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - Mark G Papich
- North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - Katie W Delk
- North Carolina Zoo, Asheboro, North Carolina, USA
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Mallet C, Cornette R, Billet G, Houssaye A. Interspecific variation in the limb long bones among modern rhinoceroses-extent and drivers. PeerJ 2019; 7:e7647. [PMID: 31579585 PMCID: PMC6766374 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2019] [Accepted: 08/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Among amniotes, numerous lineages are subject to an evolutionary trend toward body mass and size increases. Large terrestrial species may face important constraints linked to weight bearing, and the limb segments are particularly affected by such constraints due to their role in body support and locomotion. Such groups showing important limb modifications related to high body mass have been called "graviportal." Often considered graviportal, rhinoceroses are among the heaviest terrestrial mammals and are thus of particular interest to understand the limb modifications related to body mass and size increase. Here, we present a morphofunctional study of the shape variation of the limb long bones among the five living rhinos to understand how the shape may vary between these species in relation with body size, body mass and phylogeny. We used three dimensional geometric morphometrics and comparative analyses to quantify the shape variation. Our results indicate that the five species display important morphological differences depending on the considered bones. The humerus and the femur exhibit noticeable interspecific differences between African and Asiatic rhinos, associated with a significant effect of body mass. The radius and ulna are more strongly correlated with body mass. While the tibia exhibits shape variation both linked with phylogeny and body mass, the fibula displays the greatest intraspecific variation. We highlight three distinct morphotypes of bone shape, which appear in accordance with the phylogeny. The influence of body mass also appears unequally expressed on the different bones. Body mass increase among the five extant species is marked by an increase of the general robustness, more pronounced attachments for muscles and a development of medial parts of the bones. Our study underlines that the morphological features linked to body mass increase are not similar between rhinos and other heavy mammals such as elephants and hippos, suggesting that the weight bearing constraint can lead to different morphological responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Mallet
- Mécanismes adaptatifs et évolution (MECADEV), UMR 7179, MNHN, CNRS, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Raphaël Cornette
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), UMR 7205, MNHN, CNRS, SU, EPHE, UA, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Guillaume Billet
- Centre de Recherche en Paléontologie—Paris (CR2P), UMR CNRS 7207, MNHN, CNRS, SU, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Alexandra Houssaye
- Mécanismes adaptatifs et évolution (MECADEV), UMR 7179, MNHN, CNRS, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
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Panagiotopoulou O, Pataky TC, Hutchinson JR. Foot pressure distribution in White Rhinoceroses ( Ceratotherium simum) during walking. PeerJ 2019; 7:e6881. [PMID: 31143533 PMCID: PMC6525597 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2018] [Accepted: 04/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
White rhinoceroses (Ceratotherium simum) are odd-toed ungulates that belong to the group Perissodactyla. Being second only to elephants in terms of large body mass amongst extant tetrapods, rhinoceroses make fascinating subjects for the study of how large land animals support and move themselves. Rhinoceroses often are kept in captivity for protection from ivory poachers and for educational/touristic purposes, yet a detrimental side effect of captivity can be foot disease (i.e., enthesopathies and osteoarthritis around the phalanges). Foot diseases in large mammals are multifactorial, but locomotor biomechanics (e.g., pressures routinely experienced by the feet) surely can be a contributing factor. However, due to a lack of in vivo experimental data on rhinoceros foot pressures, our knowledge of locomotor performance and its links to foot disease is limited. The overall aim of this study was to characterize peak pressures and center of pressure trajectories in white rhinoceroses during walking. We asked two major questions. First, are peak locomotor pressures the lowest around the fat pad and its lobes (as in the case of elephants)? Second, are peak locomotor pressures concentrated around the areas with the highest reported incidence of pathologies? Our results show a reduction of pressures around the fat pad and its lobes, which is potentially due to the material properties of the fat pad or a tendency to avoid or limit "heel" contact at impact. We also found an even and gradual concentration of foot pressures across all digits, which may be a by-product of the more horizontal foot roll-off during the stance phase. While our exploratory, descriptive sample precluded hypothesis testing, our study provides important new data on rhinoceros locomotion for future studies to build on, and thus impetus for improved implementation in the care of captive/managed rhinoceroses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Panagiotopoulou
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Moving Morphology & Functional Mechanics Laboratory, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Todd C Pataky
- Department of Human Health Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - John R Hutchinson
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Structure and Motion Laboratory, Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, UK
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Bai B, Meng J, Wang YQ, Wang HB, Holbrook L. Osteology of The Middle Eocene Ceratomorph Hyrachyus modestus (Mammalia, Perissodactyla). BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY 2017. [DOI: 10.1206/0003-0090-413.1.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bin Bai
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, CAS, Beijing; and State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, CAS, Nanjing
| | - Jin Meng
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, CAS, Beijing; and Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, New York
| | - Yuan-Qing Wang
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, CAS, Beijing; and College of Earth Science, UCAS, Beijing
| | - Hai-Bing Wang
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, CAS, Beijing; and UCAS, Beijing
| | - Luke Holbrook
- Department of Biological Sciences, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ; Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History; and Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Philadelphia
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Regnault S, Dixon JJI, Warren-Smith C, Hutchinson JR, Weller R. Skeletal pathology and variable anatomy in elephant feet assessed using computed tomography. PeerJ 2017; 5:e2877. [PMID: 28123909 PMCID: PMC5248576 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.2877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2016] [Accepted: 12/06/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Foot problems are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in elephants, but are underreported due to difficulties in diagnosis, particularly of conditions affecting the bones and internal structures. Here we evaluate post-mortem computer tomographic (CT) scans of 52 feet from 21 elephants (seven African Loxodonta africana and 14 Asian Elephas maximus), describing both pathology and variant anatomy (including the appearance of phalangeal and sesamoid bones) that could be mistaken for disease. We found all the elephants in our study to have pathology of some type in at least one foot. The most common pathological changes observed were bone remodelling, enthesopathy, osseous cyst-like lesions, and osteoarthritis, with soft tissue mineralisation, osteitis, infectious osteoarthriti, subluxation, fracture and enostoses observed less frequently. Most feet had multiple categories of pathological change (81% with two or more diagnoses, versus 10% with a single diagnosis, and 9% without significant pathology). Much of the pathological change was focused over the middle/lateral digits, which bear most weight and experience high peak pressures during walking. We found remodelling and osteoarthritis to be correlated with increasing age, more enthesopathy in Asian elephants, and more cyst-like lesions in females. We also observed multipartite, missing and misshapen phalanges as common and apparently incidental findings. The proximal (paired) sesamoids can appear fused or absent, and the predigits (radial/tibial sesamoids) can be variably ossified, though are significantly more ossified in Asian elephants. Our study reinforces the need for regular examination and radiography of elephant feet to monitor for pathology and as a tool for improving welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Chris Warren-Smith
- Royal Veterinary College, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom; Langford Veterinary Services, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | | | - Renate Weller
- Royal Veterinary College , Hertfordshire , United Kingdom
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Stilson KT, Hopkins SSB, Davis EB. Correction: Osteopathology in Rhinocerotidae from 50 Million Years to the Present. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0160793. [PMID: 27483016 PMCID: PMC4970714 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0160793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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