1
|
Segesdi M, Brabant D, Cornette R, Houssaye A. How does the shape of the wing and hindlimb bones of aquatic birds relate to their locomotor abilities? Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2024. [PMID: 38803316 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Aquatic birds represent diverse ecologies and locomotion types. Some became flightless or lost the ability for effective terrestrial locomotion, yet, certain species excel in water, on land, and in air, despite differing physical characteristics associated with each medium. In this exploratory study, we intend to quantitatively analyze the morphological variety of multiple limb bones of aquatic birds using 3D geometric morphometrics. Morphological variation is mainly driven by phylogeny, which also affects size and locomotion. However, the shape of the ulna, including the proportion and orientation of the epiphyses is influenced by size and aquatic propulsive techniques even when phylogeny is taken into consideration. Certain trends, possibly linked to functions, can be observed too in other bones, notably in cases where phylogenetic and functional signals are probably mixed when some taxa only englobe species with similar functional requirements: penguins exhibit the most distinctive wing bone morphologies, highly adapted to wing-propulsion; advanced foot-propellers exhibit femur morphology that reduces proximal mobility but supports stability; knee structures, like cnemial crests of varied sizes and orientations, are crucial for muscle attachments and efficient movement in water and on land; taxa relying on their feet in water but retaining terrestrial abilities share features enabling swimming and walking postures. Size-linked changes distinguish the wing bones of non-wing-propelled taxa. For hindlimbs, larger size relates to robust bones probably linked to terrestrial abilities, but robustness in femora can be connected to foot-propulsion. These results help us better understand birds' skeletal adaptation and can be useful inferring extinct species' ecology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martin Segesdi
- Department of Paleontology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Zoology, Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Paleontology and Geology, Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Delphine Brabant
- Plateforme Surfaçus, Délégation de l'Innovation Numérique, Direction générale déléguée aux collections, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Raphaël Cornette
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, Paris, France
| | - Alexandra Houssaye
- Mécanismes adaptatifs et évolution (MECADEV), UMR 7179, MNHN, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Souza GADE, Bulak BA, Soares MB, Sayão JM, Weinschütz LC, Batezelli A, Kellner AWA. The Cretaceous Neornithine record and new Vegaviidae specimens from the López de Bertodano Formation (Upper Maastrichthian) of Vega Island, Antarctic Peninsula. AN ACAD BRAS CIENC 2023; 95:e20230802. [PMID: 38088642 DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202320230802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
A worldwide revision of the Cretaceous record of Neornithes (crown birds) revealed that unambiguous neornithine taxa are extremely scarce, with only a few showing diagnostic features to be confidently assigned to that group. Here we report two new neornithine specimens from Vega Island (López de Bertodano Formation). The first is a synsacrum (MN 7832-V) that shows a complex pattern of transversal diverticula intercepting the canalis synsacri, as in extant neornithines. Micro-CT scanning revealed a camerate pattern of trabeculae typical of neornithines. It further shows the oldest occurrence of lumbosacral canals in Neornithes, which are related to a balance sensing system acting in the control of walking and perching. The second specimen (MN 7833-V) is a distal portion of a tarsometatarsus sharing with Vegavis iaai a straight apical border of the crista plantaris lateralis. Osteohistologically the tarsometatarsus shows a thick and highly vascularized cortex that lacks any growth marks, resembling Polarornis gregorii. The cortex is osteosclerotic as in other extinct and extant diving neornithines. These new specimens increase the occurrences of the Cretaceous avian material recovered from the Upper Cretaceous strata of the James Ross Sub-Basin, suggesting that a Vegaviidae-dominated avian assemblage was present in the Antarctic Peninsula during the upper Maastrichtian.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Geovane A DE Souza
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Museu Nacional, Parque da Quinta da Boa Vista, s/n, São Cristóvão, 20940-040 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Bruno A Bulak
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Museu Nacional, Laboratório de Sistemática e Tafonomia de Vertebrados Fósseis, Quinta da Boa Vista, s/n, São Cristóvão, 20940-040 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Marina B Soares
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Museu Nacional, Laboratório de Sistemática e Tafonomia de Vertebrados Fósseis, Quinta da Boa Vista, s/n, São Cristóvão, 20940-040 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Museu Nacional, Departamento de Geologia e Paleontologia, Laboratório de Paleobiologia e Paleogeografia Antártica, Parque da Quinta da Boa Vista, s/n, São Cristóvão, 20940-040 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Juliana M Sayão
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Museu Nacional, Laboratório de Sistemática e Tafonomia de Vertebrados Fósseis, Quinta da Boa Vista, s/n, São Cristóvão, 20940-040 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Museu Nacional, Departamento de Geologia e Paleontologia, Laboratório de Paleobiologia e Paleogeografia Antártica, Parque da Quinta da Boa Vista, s/n, São Cristóvão, 20940-040 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Luiz Carlos Weinschütz
- Centro de Pesquisa Paleontológica da UNC (CENPALEO), Universidade do Contestado, Av. Nereu Ramos, 89300-000 Mafra, SC, Brazil
| | - Alessandro Batezelli
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Geociências, Departamento de Geologia e Recursos Naturais, Rua João Pandiá Calógeras, 51, Barão Geraldo, 13083-870 Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Alexander W A Kellner
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Museu Nacional, Laboratório de Sistemática e Tafonomia de Vertebrados Fósseis, Quinta da Boa Vista, s/n, São Cristóvão, 20940-040 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Museu Nacional, Departamento de Geologia e Paleontologia, Laboratório de Paleobiologia e Paleogeografia Antártica, Parque da Quinta da Boa Vista, s/n, São Cristóvão, 20940-040 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Haidr NS. Ecomorphological variation of the penguin wing. J Morphol 2023; 284:e21588. [PMID: 37183492 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.21588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Penguins (Aves, Sphenisciformes) are pursuit divers that feed mainly on krill, fish, and squid. Although they are opportunistic feeders, some species are more generalists than others and many show dietary preferences toward krill and other crustaceans or fish and squid. Their diving depth seems to follow a body size pattern and relates to the type of item that they prey on. Penguins dive with their wing; hence their wing musculature is responsible for the animal maneuverability and strength while diving. In the present study, ecological traits such as diving depths and prey composition are used to explore if morphology relates to foraging habits. A geometric morphometric approach is used to quantitatively address these morphological differences in the wing apparatus of all extant penguins and a fossil species taking into consideration allometric and phylogenetic factors. Results show that morphological differences among penguins with different diets are significant and strong; groups are well separated with the greatest differences found between piscivorous and crustacivorous penguins. Dive depth has a moderate covariation with morphology and a strong correspondence with wing area. Last, Madrynornis mirandus, an exceptionally well-preserved fossil from the Miocene of Patagonia, is found to be close to the piscivorous and generalist piscivorous species. It is proposed that swimming styles correlate with specific traits of the anatomy of wing and pectoral girdle skeleton and muscles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Soledad Haidr
- Unidad Ejecutora Lillo (FML-CONICET), San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Lowi-Merri TM, Demuth OE, Benito J, Field DJ, Benson RBJ, Claramunt S, Evans DC. Reconstructing locomotor ecology of extinct avialans: a case study of Ichthyornis comparing sternum morphology and skeletal proportions. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20222020. [PMID: 36883281 PMCID: PMC9993061 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.2020] [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: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Avian skeletal morphology is associated with locomotor function, including flight style, swimming and terrestrial locomotion, and permits informed inferences on locomotion in extinct taxa. The fossil taxon Ichthyornis (Avialae: Ornithurae) has long been regarded as highly aerial, with flight similar to terns or gulls (Laridae), and skeletal features resembling foot-propelled diving adaptations. However, rigorous testing of locomotor hypotheses has yet to be performed on Ichthyornis, despite its notable phylogenetic position as one of the most crownward stem birds. We analysed separate datasets of three-dimensional sternal shape (geometric morphometrics) and skeletal proportions (linear measurements across the skeleton), to examine how well these data types predict locomotor traits in Neornithes. We then used this information to infer locomotor capabilities of Ichthyornis. We find strong support for both soaring and foot-propelled swimming capabilities in Ichthyornis. Further, sternal shape and skeletal proportions provide complementary information on avian locomotion: skeletal proportions allow better predictions of the capacity for flight, whereas sternal shape predicts variation in more specific locomotor abilities such as soaring, foot-propelled swimming and escape burst flight. These results have important implications for future studies of extinct avialan ecology and underscore the importance of closely considering sternum morphology in investigations of fossil bird locomotion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Talia M. Lowi-Merri
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3B2
- Department of Natural History, Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen's Park, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 2C6
| | - Oliver E. Demuth
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Structure and Motion Laboratory, Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, UK
| | - Juan Benito
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, Milner Centre for Evolution, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - Daniel J. Field
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Museum of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Roger B. J. Benson
- Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, 200 Central Park West, New York, NY 12004, USA
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3AN, UK
| | - Santiago Claramunt
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3B2
- Department of Natural History, Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen's Park, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 2C6
| | - David C. Evans
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3B2
- Department of Natural History, Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen's Park, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 2C6
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Akeda T, Fujiwara SI. Coracoid strength as an indicator of wing-beat propulsion in birds. J Anat 2023; 242:436-446. [PMID: 36380603 PMCID: PMC9919476 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13788] [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: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Birds generate a propulsive force by flapping their wings. They use this propulsive force for various locomotion styles, such as aerodynamic flight, wing-paddle swimming and wing-assisted incline running. It is therefore important to reveal the origin of flapping ability in the evolution from theropod dinosaurs to birds. However, there are no quantitative indices to reconstruct the flapping abilities of extinct forms based on their skeletal morphology. This study compares the section modulus of the coracoid relative to body mass among various extant birds to test whether the index is correlated with flapping ability. According to a survey of 220 historical bird specimens representing 209 species, 180 genera, 83 families and 30 orders, the section modulus of the coracoid relative to body mass in non-flapping birds was significantly smaller than that of flapping birds. This indicates that coracoid strength in non-flapping birds is deemphasised, whereas in flapping birds the strength is emphasised to withstand the contractile force produced by powerful flapping muscles, such as the m. pectoralis and m. supracoracoideus. Therefore, the section modulus of the coracoid is expected to be a powerful tool to reveal the origin of powered flight in birds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Takumi Akeda
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Benito J, Chen A, Wilson LE, Bhullar BAS, Burnham D, Field DJ. Forty new specimens of Ichthyornis provide unprecedented insight into the postcranial morphology of crownward stem group birds. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13919. [PMID: 36545383 PMCID: PMC9762251 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Ichthyornis has long been recognized as a pivotally important fossil taxon for understanding the latest stages of the dinosaur-bird transition, but little significant new postcranial material has been brought to light since initial descriptions of partial skeletons in the 19th Century. Here, we present new information on the postcranial morphology of Ichthyornis from 40 previously undescribed specimens, providing the most complete morphological assessment of the postcranial skeleton of Ichthyornis to date. The new material includes four partially complete skeletons and numerous well-preserved isolated elements, enabling new anatomical observations such as muscle attachments previously undescribed for Mesozoic euornitheans. Among the elements that were previously unknown or poorly represented for Ichthyornis, the new specimens include an almost-complete axial series, a hypocleideum-bearing furcula, radial carpal bones, fibulae, a complete tarsometatarsus bearing a rudimentary hypotarsus, and one of the first-known nearly complete three-dimensional sterna from a Mesozoic avialan. Several pedal phalanges are preserved, revealing a remarkably enlarged pes presumably related to foot-propelled swimming. Although diagnosable as Ichthyornis, the new specimens exhibit a substantial degree of morphological variation, some of which may relate to ontogenetic changes. Phylogenetic analyses incorporating our new data and employing alternative morphological datasets recover Ichthyornis stemward of Hesperornithes and Iaceornis, in line with some recent hypotheses regarding the topology of the crownward-most portion of the avian stem group, and we establish phylogenetically-defined clade names for relevant avialan subclades to help facilitate consistent discourse in future work. The new information provided by these specimens improves our understanding of morphological evolution among the crownward-most non-neornithine avialans immediately preceding the origin of crown group birds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juan Benito
- Department of Biology & Biochemistry, Milner Centre for Evolution, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom.,Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
| | - Albert Chen
- Department of Biology & Biochemistry, Milner Centre for Evolution, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom.,Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
| | - Laura E Wilson
- Fort Hays State University, Sternberg Museum of Natural History and Department of Geosciences, Hays, Kansas, United States
| | - Bhart-Anjan S Bhullar
- Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, New Haven, Conneticut, United States.,Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, Yale University, New Haven, Conneticut, United States
| | - David Burnham
- University of Kansas, Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum, Lawrence, Kansas, United States
| | - Daniel J Field
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom.,University Museum of Zoology, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Lowi-Merri TM, Benson RBJ, Claramunt S, Evans DC. The relationship between sternum variation and mode of locomotion in birds. BMC Biol 2021; 19:165. [PMID: 34412636 PMCID: PMC8377870 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-01105-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The origin of powered avian flight was a locomotor innovation that expanded the ecological potential of maniraptoran dinosaurs, leading to remarkable variation in modern birds (Neornithes). The avian sternum is the anchor for the major flight muscles and, despite varying widely in morphology, has not been extensively studied from evolutionary or functional perspectives. We quantify sternal variation across a broad phylogenetic scope of birds using 3D geometric morphometrics methods. Using this comprehensive dataset, we apply phylogenetically informed regression approaches to test hypotheses of sternum size allometry and the correlation of sternal shape with both size and locomotory capabilities, including flightlessness and the highly varying flight and swimming styles of Neornithes. RESULTS We find evidence for isometry of sternal size relative to body mass and document significant allometry of sternal shape alongside important correlations with locomotory capability, reflecting the effects of both body shape and musculoskeletal variation. Among these, we show that a large sternum with a deep or cranially projected sternal keel is necessary for powered flight in modern birds, that deeper sternal keels are correlated with slower but stronger flight, robust caudal sternal borders are associated with faster flapping styles, and that narrower sterna are associated with running abilities. Correlations between shape and locomotion are significant but show weak explanatory power, indicating that although sternal shape is broadly associated with locomotory ecology, other unexplored factors are also important. CONCLUSIONS These results display the ecological importance of the avian sternum for flight and locomotion by providing a novel understanding of sternum form and function in Neornithes. Our study lays the groundwork for estimating the locomotory abilities of paravian dinosaurs, the ancestors to Neornithes, by highlighting the importance of this critical element for avian flight, and will be useful for future work on the origin of flight along the dinosaur-bird lineage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Talia M Lowi-Merri
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3B2, Canada.
- Department of Natural History, Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen's Park, Toronto, ON, M5S 2C6, Canada.
| | - Roger B J Benson
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3AN, UK
| | - Santiago Claramunt
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3B2, Canada
- Department of Natural History, Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen's Park, Toronto, ON, M5S 2C6, Canada
| | - David C Evans
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3B2, Canada
- Department of Natural History, Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen's Park, Toronto, ON, M5S 2C6, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Heers AM, Varghese SL, Hatier LK, Cabrera JJ. Multiple Functional Solutions During Flightless to Flight-Capable Transitions. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.573411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The evolution of avian flight is one of the great transformations in vertebrate history, marked by striking anatomical changes that presumably help meet the demands of aerial locomotion. These changes did not occur simultaneously, and are challenging to decipher. Although extinct theropods are most often compared to adult birds, studies show that developing birds can uniquely address certain challenges and provide powerful insights into the evolution of avian flight: unlike adults, immature birds have rudimentary, somewhat “dinosaur-like” flight apparatuses and can reveal relationships between form, function, performance, and behavior during flightless to flight-capable transitions. Here, we focus on the musculoskeletal apparatus and use CT scans coupled with a three-dimensional musculoskeletal modeling approach to analyze how ontogenetic changes in skeletal anatomy influence muscle size, leverage, orientation, and corresponding function during the development of flight in a precocial ground bird (Alectoris chukar). Our results demonstrate that immature and adult birds use different functional solutions to execute similar locomotor behaviors: in spite of dramatic changes in skeletal morphology, muscle paths and subsequent functions are largely maintained through ontogeny, because shifts in one bone are offset by changes in others. These findings help provide a viable mechanism for how extinct winged theropods with rudimentary pectoral skeletons might have achieved bird-like behaviors before acquiring fully bird-like anatomies. These findings also emphasize the importance of a holistic, whole-body perspective, and the need for extant validation of extinct behaviors and performance. As empirical studies on locomotor ontogeny accumulate, it is becoming apparent that traditional, isolated interpretations of skeletal anatomy mask the reality that integrated whole systems function in frequently unexpected yet effective ways. Collaborative and integrative efforts that address this challenge will surely strengthen our exploration of life and its evolutionary history.
Collapse
|
9
|
Bjarnason A, Benson R. A 3D geometric morphometric dataset quantifying skeletal variation in birds. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021. [DOI: 10.18563/journal.m3.125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
|