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Pochat‐Cottilloux Y, Rinder N, Perrichon G, Adrien J, Amiot R, Hua S, Martin JE. The neuroanatomy and pneumaticity of Hamadasuchus (Crocodylomorpha, Peirosauridae) from the Cretaceous of Morocco and its paleoecological significance for altirostral forms. J Anat 2023; 243:374-393. [PMID: 37309776 PMCID: PMC10439374 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13887] [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: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023] Open
Abstract
We describe the endocranial structures of Hamadasuchus, a peirosaurid crocodylomorph from the late Albian-Cenomanian Kem Kem group of Morocco. The cranial endocast, associated nerves and arteries, endosseous labyrinths, and cranial pneumatization, as well as the bones of the braincase of a new specimen, are reconstructed and compared with extant and fossil crocodylomorphs, which represent different lifestyles. Cranial bones of this specimen are identified as belonging to Hamadasuchus, with close affinities with Rukwasuchus yajabalijekundu, another peirosaurid from the 'middle' Cretaceous of Tanzania. The endocranial structures are comparable to those of R. yajabalijekundu but also to baurusuchids and sebecids (sebecosuchians). Paleobiological traits of Hamadasuchus, such as alert head posture, ecology, and behavior are explored for the first time, using quantitative metrics. The expanded but narrow semi-circular canals and enlarged pneumatization of the skull of Hamadasuchus are linked to a terrestrial lifestyle. Continuing work on the neuroanatomy of supposedly terrestrial crocodylomorphs needs to be broadened to other groups and will allow to characterize whether some internal structures are affected by the lifestyle of these organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nicolas Rinder
- Univ Lyon, Univ Lyon 1, ENSL, CNRS, LGL‐TPEVilleurbanneFrance
| | | | - Jérôme Adrien
- Laboratoire MatériauxIngénierie et Science, Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de LyonVilleurbanneFrance
| | - Romain Amiot
- Univ Lyon, Univ Lyon 1, ENSL, CNRS, LGL‐TPEVilleurbanneFrance
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2
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Pourmasumi S, Kounis NG, Naderi M, Hosseinisadat R, Khoradmehr A, Fagheirelahee N, Kouni SN, de Gregorio C, Dousdampanis P, Mplani V, Michalaki MA, Plotas P, Assimakopoulos S, Gogos C, Aidonidis G, Roditis P, Matsas N, Velissaris D, Calogiuri G, Hung MY, Koniari I. Effects of COVID-19 Infection and Vaccination on the Female Reproductive System: A Narrative Review. Balkan Med J 2023; 40:153-164. [PMID: 37114907 PMCID: PMC10175880 DOI: 10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2023.2023-3-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Several studies and research papers have been published to elucidate and understand the mechanism of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and its long-term effects on the human body. COVID-19 affects a number of organs, including the female reproductive system. However, less attention has been given to the effects of COVID-19 on the female reproductive system due to their low morbidity. The results of studies investigating the relationship between COVID-19 infection and ovarian function in women of reproductive age have shown the harmless involvement of COVID-19 infection. Several studies have reported the involvement of COVID-19 infection in oocyte quality, ovarian function, and dysfunctions in the uterine endometrium and the menstrual cycle. The findings of these studies indicate that COVID-19 infection negatively affects the follicular microenvironment and dysregulate ovarian function. Although the COVID-19 pandemic and female reproductive health have been studied in humans and animals, very few studies have examined how COVID-19 affects the female reproductive system. The objective of this review is to summarize the current literature and categorize the effects of COVID-19 on the female reproductive system, including the ovaries, uterus, and hormonal profiles. The effects on oocyte maturation, oxidative stress, which causes chromosomal instability and apoptosis in ovaries, in vitro fertilization cycle, high-quality embryos, premature ovarian insufficiency, ovarian vein thrombosis, hypercoagulable state, women’s menstrual cycle, the hypothalamus-pituitary-ovary axis, and sex hormones, including estrogen, progesterone, and the anti-Müllerian hormone, are discussed in particular.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soheila Pourmasumi
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
- Clinical Research Development Unit, Ali-Ibn Abi-Talib Hospital, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
| | - Nicholas G. Kounis
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of Patras Medical School, Patras, Greece
| | - Monavar Naderi
- Knowledge and Information Science, Vice Chancellor for Science and Technology, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
| | - Robabe Hosseinisadat
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Arezoo Khoradmehr
- The Persian Gulf Marine Biotechnology Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
| | - Niloofar Fagheirelahee
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
| | | | - Cesare de Gregorio
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina Medical School, Messina, Italy
| | | | - Virginia Mplani
- Intensive Care Unit, Patras University Hospital, Patras, Greece
| | - Marina A. Michalaki
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Fculty of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
| | | | - Stelios Assimakopoulos
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Patras Medical School, Patras, Greece
| | - Christos Gogos
- COVID-19 Unit, Papageorgiou General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | | | - Pavlos Roditis
- Department of Cardiology, Mamatsio Kozanis General Hospital, Kozani, Greece
| | | | | | - Gianfranco Calogiuri
- Pneumonology Department, Civil Hospital “Ninetto Melli”, Pietro Vernoti, Brindisi, Italy
- Department of Internal Medicine, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Section of Allergology and Clinical Immunology, University of Bari Medical School, Bari, Italy
| | - Ming-Yow Hung
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Taipei Heart Institute, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ioanna Koniari
- Departmentof Cardiology, Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, Liverpool, UK
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3
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Barker CT, Naish D, Trend J, Michels LV, Witmer L, Ridgley R, Rankin K, Clarkin CE, Schneider P, Gostling NJ. Modified skulls but conservative brains? The palaeoneurology and endocranial anatomy of baryonychine dinosaurs (Theropoda: Spinosauridae). J Anat 2023; 242:1124-1145. [PMID: 36781174 PMCID: PMC10184548 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The digital reconstruction of neurocranial endocasts has elucidated the gross brain structure and potential ecological attributes of many fossil taxa, including Irritator, a spinosaurine spinosaurid from the "mid" Cretaceous (Aptian) of Brazil. With unexceptional hearing capabilities, this taxon was inferred to integrate rapid and controlled pitch-down movements of the head that perhaps aided in the predation of small and agile prey such as fish. However, the neuroanatomy of baryonychine spinosaurids remains to be described, and potentially informs on the condition of early spinosaurids. Using micro-computed tomographic scanning (μCT), we reconstruct the braincase endocasts of Baryonyx walkeri and Ceratosuchops inferodios from the Wealden Supergroup (Lower Cretaceous) of England. We show that the gross endocranial morphology is similar to other non-maniraptoriform theropods, and corroborates previous observations of overall endocranial conservatism amongst more basal theropods. Several differences of unknown taxonomic utility are noted between the pair. Baryonychine neurosensory capabilities include low-frequency hearing and unexceptional olfaction, whilst the differing morphology of the floccular lobe tentatively suggests less developed gaze stabilisation mechanisms relative to spinosaurines. Given the morphological similarities observed with other basal tetanurans, baryonychines likely possessed comparable behavioural sophistication, suggesting that the transition from terrestrial hypercarnivorous ancestors to semi-aquatic "generalists" during the evolution of Spinosauridae did not require substantial modification of the brain and sensory systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Tijani Barker
- Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, University Road, Southampton, UK.,Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, University Road, Southampton, UK
| | - Darren Naish
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, University Road, Southampton, UK
| | - Jacob Trend
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, University Road, Southampton, UK
| | - Lysanne Veerle Michels
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, University Road, Southampton, UK
| | - Lawrence Witmer
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio Center for Ecology and Evolutionary Studies, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, USA
| | - Ryan Ridgley
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio Center for Ecology and Evolutionary Studies, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, USA
| | - Katy Rankin
- μ-VIS X-ray Imaging Centre, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Claire E Clarkin
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, University Road, Southampton, UK
| | - Philipp Schneider
- Bioengineering Science Research Group, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.,High-Performance Vision Systems, Center for Vision, Automation and Control, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Neil J Gostling
- Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, University Road, Southampton, UK.,School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, University Road, Southampton, UK
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Schade M, Stumpf S, Kriwet J, Kettler C, Pfaff C. Neuroanatomy of the nodosaurid Struthiosaurus austriacus (Dinosauria: Thyreophora) supports potential ecological differentiations within Ankylosauria. Sci Rep 2022; 12:144. [PMID: 34996895 PMCID: PMC8741922 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-03599-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Nodosauridae is a group of thyreophoran dinosaurs characterized by a collar of prominent osteoderms. In comparison to its sister group, the often club-tailed ankylosaurids, a different lifestyle of nodosaurids could be assumed based on their neuroanatomy and weaponry, e.g., regarding applied defensive strategies. The holotype of the nodosaurid Struthiosaurus austriacus consists of a single partial braincase from the Late Cretaceous of Austria. Since neuroanatomy is considered to be associated with ecological tendencies, we created digital models of the braincase based on micro-CT data. The cranial endocast of S. austriacus generally resembles those of its relatives. A network of vascular canals surrounding the brain cavity further supports special thermoregulatory adaptations within Ankylosauria. The horizontal orientation of the lateral semicircular canal independently confirms previous appraisals of head posture for S. austriacus and, hence, strengthens the usage of the LSC as proxy for habitual head posture in fossil tetrapods. The short anterior and angular lateral semicircular canals, combined with the relatively shortest dinosaurian cochlear duct known so far and the lack of a floccular recess suggest a rather inert lifestyle without the necessity of sophisticated senses for equilibrium and hearing in S. austriacus. These observations agree with an animal that adapted to a comparatively inactive lifestyle with limited social interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Schade
- Institute of Geography and Geology, Palaeontology and Historical Geology, University of Greifswald, 17489, Greifswald, Germany. .,Zoological Institute and Museum, Cytology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Greifswald, 17489, Greifswald, Germany. .,Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Palaeontology and Geobiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, 80333, Munich, Germany.
| | - Sebastian Stumpf
- Department of Palaeontology, Faculty of Earth Sciences, Geography and Astronomy, University of Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jürgen Kriwet
- Department of Palaeontology, Faculty of Earth Sciences, Geography and Astronomy, University of Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christoph Kettler
- Department of Geology, Faculty of Earth Sciences, Geography and Astronomy, University of Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Cathrin Pfaff
- Department of Palaeontology, Faculty of Earth Sciences, Geography and Astronomy, University of Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
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Pochat-Cottilloux Y, Martin JE, Jouve S, Perrichon G, Adrien J, Salaviale C, de Muizon C, Cespedes R, Amiot R. The neuroanatomy of Zulmasuchus querejazus (Crocodylomorpha, Sebecidae) and its implications for the paleoecology of sebecosuchians. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2021; 305:2708-2728. [PMID: 34825786 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The endocranial structures of the sebecid crocodylomorph Zulmasuchus querejazus (MHNC 6672) from the Lower Paleocene of Bolivia are described in this article. Using computed tomography scanning, the cranial endocast, associated nerves and arteries, endosseous labyrinths, and cranial pneumatization are reconstructed and compared with those of extant and fossil crocodylomorphs, representative of different ecomorphological adaptations. Z. querejazus exhibits an unusual flexure of the brain, pericerebral spines, semicircular canals with a narrow diameter, as well as enlarged pharyngotympanic sinuses. First, those structures allow to estimate the alert head posture and hearing capabilities of Zulmasuchus. Then, functional comparisons are proposed between this purportedly terrestrial taxon, semi-aquatic, and aquatic forms (extant crocodylians, thalattosuchians, and dyrosaurids). The narrow diameter of the semicircular canals but expanded morphology of the endosseous labyrinths and the enlarged pneumatization of the skull compared to other forms indeed tend to indicate a terrestrial lifestyle for Zulmasuchus. Our results highlight the need to gather new data, especially from altirostral forms in order to further our understanding of the evolution of endocranial structures in crocodylomorphs with different ecomorphological adaptations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jeremy E Martin
- Univ Lyon, Univ Lyon 1, ENSL, CNRS, LGL-TPE, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Stéphane Jouve
- Centre de Recherche en Paléontologie - Paris (CR2P), Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | | | - Jérome Adrien
- Laboratoire Matériaux, Ingénierie et Science, Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Céline Salaviale
- Univ Lyon, Univ Lyon 1, ENSL, CNRS, LGL-TPE, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Christian de Muizon
- Centre de Recherche en Paléontologie - Paris (CR2P), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS/MNHN/Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Ricardo Cespedes
- Museo de Historia Natural 'Alcide D'Orbigny', Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Romain Amiot
- Univ Lyon, Univ Lyon 1, ENSL, CNRS, LGL-TPE, Villeurbanne, France
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6
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Bronzati M, Benson RBJ, Evers SW, Ezcurra MD, Cabreira SF, Choiniere J, Dollman KN, Paulina-Carabajal A, Radermacher VJ, Roberto-da-Silva L, Sobral G, Stocker MR, Witmer LM, Langer MC, Nesbitt SJ. Deep evolutionary diversification of semicircular canals in archosaurs. Curr Biol 2021; 31:2520-2529.e6. [PMID: 33930303 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.03.086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Living archosaurs (birds and crocodylians) have disparate locomotor strategies that evolved since their divergence ∼250 mya. Little is known about the early evolution of the sensory structures that are coupled with these changes, mostly due to limited sampling of early fossils on key stem lineages. In particular, the morphology of the semicircular canals (SCCs) of the endosseous labyrinth has a long-hypothesized relationship with locomotion. Here, we analyze SCC shapes and sizes of living and extinct archosaurs encompassing diverse locomotor habits, including bipedal, semi-aquatic, and flying taxa. We test form-function hypotheses of the SCCs and chronicle their evolution during deep archosaurian divergences. We find that SCC shape is statistically associated with both flight and bipedalism. However, this shape variation is small and is more likely explained by changes in braincase geometry than by locomotor changes. We demonstrate high disparity of both shape and size among stem-archosaurs and a deep divergence of SCC morphologies at the bird-crocodylian split. Stem-crocodylians exhibit diverse morphologies, including aspects also present in birds and distinct from other reptiles. Therefore, extant crocodylian SCC morphologies do not reflect retention of a "primitive" reptilian condition. Key aspects of bird SCC morphology that hitherto were interpreted as flight related, including large SCC size and enhanced sensitivity, appeared early on the bird stem-lineage in non-flying dinosaur precursors. Taken together, our results indicate a deep divergence of SCC traits at the bird-crocodylian split and that living archosaurs evolved from an early radiation with high sensory diversity. VIDEO ABSTRACT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Bronzati
- Departamento de Biologia, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes 1900, Ribeirão Preto-SP 14040-091, Brazil.
| | - Roger B J Benson
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, OX13AN Oxford, UK; Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Braamfontein, Private Bag 3, Johannesburg WITS2050, South Africa.
| | - Serjoscha W Evers
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, OX13AN Oxford, UK; Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 4, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Martín D Ezcurra
- Sección Paleontología de Vertebrados, CONICET-Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia", Ángel Gallardo 470, C1405DJR Buenos Aires, Argentina; School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, B15 2TT Birmingham, UK
| | - Sergio F Cabreira
- Avenida Antônio Bozzetto 305, Faxinal do Soturno-RS 97220-000, Brazil
| | - Jonah Choiniere
- Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Braamfontein, Private Bag 3, Johannesburg WITS2050, South Africa
| | - Kathleen N Dollman
- Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Braamfontein, Private Bag 3, Johannesburg WITS2050, South Africa
| | - Ariana Paulina-Carabajal
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente (INIBIOMA), CONICET-Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Quintral 1250 (8400), San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina
| | - Viktor J Radermacher
- Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Braamfontein, Private Bag 3, Johannesburg WITS2050, South Africa
| | | | - Gabriela Sobral
- Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart, Rosenstein 1, Suttgart 70191, Germany
| | - Michelle R Stocker
- Department of Geosciences, Virginia Tech, 926 West Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Lawrence M Witmer
- Department of Biomedical Science, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701, USA
| | - Max C Langer
- Departamento de Biologia, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes 1900, Ribeirão Preto-SP 14040-091, Brazil
| | - Sterling J Nesbitt
- Department of Geosciences, Virginia Tech, 926 West Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
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7
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Spiekman SNF, Neenan JM, Fraser NC, Fernandez V, Rieppel O, Nosotti S, Scheyer TM. The cranial morphology of Tanystropheus hydroides (Tanystropheidae, Archosauromorpha) as revealed by synchrotron microtomography. PeerJ 2020; 8:e10299. [PMID: 33240633 PMCID: PMC7682440 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The postcranial morphology of the extremely long-necked Tanystropheus hydroides is well-known, but observations of skull morphology were previously limited due to compression of the known specimens. Here we provide a detailed description of the skull of PIMUZ T 2790, including a partial endocast and endosseous labyrinth, based on synchrotron microtomographic data, and compare its morphology to that of other early Archosauromorpha. In many features, such as the wide and flattened snout and the configuration of the temporal and palatal regions, Tanystropheus hydroides differs strongly from other early archosauromorphs. The braincase possesses a combination of derived archosaur traits, such as the presence of a laterosphenoid and the ossification of the lateral wall of the braincase, but also differs from archosauriforms in the morphology of the ventral ramus of the opisthotic, the horizontal orientation of the parabasisphenoid, and the absence of a clearly defined crista prootica. Tanystropheus hydroides was a ram-feeder that likely caught its prey through a laterally directed snapping bite. Although the cranial morphology of other archosauromorph lineages is relatively well-represented, the skulls of most tanystropheid taxa remain poorly understood due to compressed and often fragmentary specimens. The recent descriptions of the skulls of Macrocnemus bassanii and now Tanystropheus hydroides reveal a large cranial disparity in the clade, reflecting wide ecological diversity, and highlighting the importance of non-archosauriform Archosauromorpha to both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems during the Triassic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan N F Spiekman
- University of Zurich, Palaeontological Institute and Museum, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Vincent Fernandez
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Grenoble, France.,The Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | | | | | - Torsten M Scheyer
- University of Zurich, Palaeontological Institute and Museum, Zurich, Switzerland
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8
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Dumont MV, Santucci RM, de Andrade MB, de Oliveira CEM. Paleoneurology of Baurusuchus (Crocodyliformes: Baurusuchidae), ontogenetic variation, brain size, and sensorial implications. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2020; 305:2670-2694. [PMID: 33211405 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Knowledge on crocodyliform paleoneurology has significantly improved with development of computed tomography. However, studies so far have been able to reconstruct brain endocasts based only on single specimens for each taxon. Here for the first time, we reconstructed brain endocasts for multiple fossil specimens of the same crocodyliform taxon (Baurusuchus), consisting of complete skulls of two medium sized specimens, one large adult, and a late juvenile. In addition, we were able to reconstruct the inner ear anatomy of a fragmentary skull using microtomography. We present estimates of brain size using simple models, based on modern Crocodylia, able to adapt brain to endocranial cavity ratios to expected ontogenetic variation instead of using fixed ratios. We also analyzed relative brain sizes, olfactory ratios, facial sensation, alert head posture, best hearing frequencies, and hearing range. The calculated endocranial volumes showed that they can be greatly altered by taphonomic processes, altering both total and partial endocranial volumes. Reconstructed endocasts are compatible with different degrees of occupation along the endocranial cavity and some of their characteristics might be useful as phylogenetic characters. The relative brain size of Baurusuchus seems to be small in comparison to modern crocodilians. Sensorial abilities were somewhat similar to modern crocodilians and hearing ranges and best mean frequencies remarkably similar to modern taxa, whereas olfactory ratio values are a little higher. Differing from its modern relatives, Baurusuchus hypothesized alert head posture is compatible with a terrestrial habit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos V Dumont
- Federal Institute of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.,University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | | | - Marco Brandalise de Andrade
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, PUCRS, School of Health and Life Sciences, Porto Alegre, Brazil
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9
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A test of the lateral semicircular canal correlation to head posture, diet and other biological traits in "ungulate" mammals. Sci Rep 2020; 10:19602. [PMID: 33177568 PMCID: PMC7658238 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-76757-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
For over a century, researchers have assumed that the plane of the lateral semicircular canal of the inner ear lies parallel to the horizon when the head is at rest, and used this assumption to reconstruct head posture in extinct species. Although this hypothesis has been repeatedly questioned, it has never been tested on a large sample size and at a broad taxonomic scale in mammals. This study presents a comprehensive test of this hypothesis in over one hundred "ungulate" species. Using CT scanning and manual segmentation, the orientation of the skull was reconstructed as if the lateral semicircular canal of the bony labyrinth was aligned horizontally. This reconstructed cranial orientation was statistically compared to the actual head posture of the corresponding species using a dataset of 10,000 photographs and phylogenetic regression analysis. A statistically significant correlation between the reconstructed cranial orientation and head posture is found, although the plane of the lateral semicircular canal departs significantly from horizontal. We thus caution against the use of the lateral semicircular canal as a proxy to infer precisely the horizontal plane on dry skulls and in extinct species. Diet (browsing or grazing) and head-butting behaviour are significantly correlated to the orientation of the lateral semicircular canal, but not to the actual head posture. Head posture and the orientation of the lateral semicircular canal are both strongly correlated with phylogenetic history.
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10
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Sakagami R, Kawabe S. Endocranial anatomy of the ceratopsid dinosaur Triceratops and interpretations of sensory and motor function. PeerJ 2020; 8:e9888. [PMID: 32999761 PMCID: PMC7505063 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Triceratops is one of the well-known Cretaceous ceratopsian dinosaurs. The ecology of Triceratops has been controversial because of its unique morphological features. However, arguments based on brain and inner ear structures have been scarce. In this study, two braincases (FPDM-V-9677 and FPDM-V-9775) were analyzed with computed tomography to generate three-dimensional virtual renderings of the endocasts of the cranial cavities and bony labyrinths. Quantitative analysis, including comparison of linear measurements of the degree of development of the olfactory bulb and inner ear, was performed on these virtual endocasts to acquire detailed neuroanatomical information. When compared with other dinosaurs, the olfactory bulb of Triceratops is relatively small, indicating that Triceratops had a reduced acuity in sense of smell. The lateral semicircular canal reveals that the basicranial axis of Triceratops is approximately 45° to the ground, which is an effective angle to display their horns as well as frill, and to graze. The semicircular canals of Triceratops are relatively smaller than those of primitive ceratopsians, such as Psittacosaurus and Protoceratops, suggesting that sensory input for the reflexive stabilization of gaze and posture of Triceratops was less developed than that of primitive ceratopsians. The cochlear length of Triceratops is relatively short when compared with other dinosaurs. Because cochlear length correlates with hearing frequency, Triceratops was likely adapted to hearing low frequencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rina Sakagami
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Fukui Prefectural University, Yoshida-gun, Eiheiji-cho, Fukui, Japan
| | - Soichiro Kawabe
- Institute of Dinosaur Research, Fukui Prefectural University, Yoshida-gun, Eiheiji-cho, Fukui, Japan.,Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum, Katsuyama, Fukui, Japan
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11
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Schade M, Rauhut OWM, Evers SW. Neuroanatomy of the spinosaurid Irritator challengeri (Dinosauria: Theropoda) indicates potential adaptations for piscivory. Sci Rep 2020; 10:9259. [PMID: 32518236 PMCID: PMC7283278 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-66261-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinosauridae, a theropod group characterized by elongated snouts, conical teeth, enlarged forelimbs, and often elongated neural spines, show evidence for semiaquatic adaptations and piscivory. It is currently debated if these animals represent terrestrial carnivores with adaptations for a piscivorous diet, or if they largely lived and foraged in aquatic habitats. The holotype of Irritator challengeri, a nearly complete skull from the late Early Cretaceous Santana Formation of northeastern Brazil, includes one of the few preserved spinosaurid braincases and can provide insights into neuroanatomical structures that might be expected to reflect ecological affinities. We generated digital models of the neuroanatomical cavities within the braincase, using computer tomography (CT) data. The cranial endocast of Irritator is generally similar to that of other non-maniraptoriform theropods, with weakly developed distinctions of hindbrain and midbrain features, relatively pronounced cranial flexures and relatively long olfactory tracts. The endosseous labyrinth has a long anterior semicircular canal, a posteriorly inclined common crus and a very large floccular recess fills the area between the semicircular canals. These features indicate that Irritator had the ability for fast and well-controlled pitch-down head movements. The skull table and lateral semicircular canal plane are strongly angled to one another, suggesting a downward angling of approximately 45° of the snout, which reduces interference of the snout with the field of vision of Irritator. These neuroanatomical features are consistent with fast, downward snatching movements in the act of predation, such as are needed for piscivory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Schade
- Institute of Geography and Geology, Palaeontology and Historical Geology, University of Greifswald, 17489, Greifswald, Germany. .,Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Palaeontology and Geobiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, 80333, München, Germany.
| | - Oliver W M Rauhut
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Palaeontology and Geobiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, 80333, München, Germany.,Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläntologie und Geologie, Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns (SNSB), 80333, München, Germany.,GeoBioCenter, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, 80333, München, Germany
| | - Serjoscha W Evers
- Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg, 17000, Fribourg, Switzerland
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12
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Dudgeon TW, Maddin HC, Evans DC, Mallon JC. The internal cranial anatomy of Champsosaurus (Choristodera: Champsosauridae): Implications for neurosensory function. Sci Rep 2020; 10:7122. [PMID: 32346021 PMCID: PMC7188685 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-63956-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Although isolated Champsosaurus remains are common in Upper Cretaceous sediments of North America, the braincase of these animals is enigmatic due to the fragility of their skulls. Here, two well-preserved specimens of Champsosaurus (CMN 8920 and CMN 8919) are CT scanned to describe their neurosensory structures and infer sensory capability. The anterior portion of the braincase was poorly ossified and thus does not permit visualization of a complete endocast; however, impressions of the olfactory stalks indicate that they were elongate and likely facilitated good olfaction. The posterior portion of the braincase is ossified and morphologically similar to that of other extinct diapsids. The absence of an otic notch and an expansion of the pars inferior of the inner ear suggests Champsosaurus was limited to detecting low frequency sounds. Comparison of the shapes of semicircular canals with lepidosaurs and archosauromorphs demonstrates that the semicircular canals of Champsosaurus are most similar to those of aquatic reptiles, suggesting that Champsosaurus was well adapted for sensing movement in an aquatic environment. This analysis also demonstrates that birds, non-avian archosauromorphs, and lepidosaurs possess significantly different canal morphologies, and represents the first morphometric analysis of semicircular canals across Diapsida.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas W Dudgeon
- Department of Earth Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada.
| | - Hillary C Maddin
- Department of Earth Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada
| | - David C Evans
- Vertebrate Palaeontology, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jordan C Mallon
- Department of Earth Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada.,Beaty Centre for Species Discovery and Palaeobiology Section, Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Canada
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13
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Bullar CM, Zhao Q, Benton MJ, Ryan MJ. Ontogenetic braincase development in Psittacosaurus lujiatunensis (Dinosauria: Ceratopsia) using micro-computed tomography. PeerJ 2019; 7:e7217. [PMID: 31428535 PMCID: PMC6698140 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7217] [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: 10/23/2018] [Accepted: 05/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Ontogenetic sequences are relatively rare among dinosaurs, with Ceratopsia being one of the better represented clades, and especially among geologically earlier forms, such as Psittacosaurus. Psittacosaurus is a small, bipedal basal ceratopsian abundant in the Lower Cretaceous deposits of Asia, whose cranial and endocranial morphology has been well studied, but only cursory details have been published on the bones surrounding the brain. Using reconstructions created from micro-computed tomography scans of well-preserved skulls from the Barremian–Aptian Yixian Formation, China, we document morphological changes in the braincase of Psittacosaurus lujiatunensis through three growth stages, hatchling, juvenile, and adult, thus providing the first detailed study of ceratopsian braincase morphology through ontogeny. Notable ontogenetic changes in the braincase of P. lujiatunensis include a dramatic relative reduction in size of the supraoccipital, an increase in the lateral expansion of the paroccipital processes and a decrease in the angle between the lateral semicircular canal and the palatal plane. These ontogenetic morphological changes in the braincase relate to expansion of the cranium and brain through growth, as well as reflecting the switch from quadrupedal juveniles to bipedal adults as documented in the changing orientation of the horizontal semicircular canal through ontogeny. Recognition of these patterns in a basal ceratopsian has implications for understanding key events in later ceratopsian evolution, such as the development of the parieto-squamosal frill in derived neoceratopsians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire M Bullar
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Qi Zhao
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.,Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | | | - Michael J Ryan
- Department of Earth Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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14
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Multiphase progenetic development shaped the brain of flying archosaurs. Sci Rep 2019; 9:10807. [PMID: 31346192 PMCID: PMC6658547 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-46959-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2018] [Accepted: 07/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The growing availability of virtual cranial endocasts of extinct and extant vertebrates has fueled the quest for endocranial characters that discriminate between phylogenetic groups and resolve their neural significances. We used geometric morphometrics to compare a phylogenetically and ecologically comprehensive data set of archosaurian endocasts along the deep evolutionary history of modern birds and found that this lineage experienced progressive elevation of encephalisation through several chapters of increased endocranial doming that we demonstrate to result from progenetic developments. Elevated encephalisation associated with progressive size reduction within Maniraptoriformes was secondarily exapted for flight by stem avialans. Within Mesozoic Avialae, endocranial doming increased in at least some Ornithurae, yet remained relatively modest in early Neornithes. During the Paleogene, volant non-neoavian birds retained ancestral levels of endocast doming where a broad neoavian niche diversification experienced heterochronic brain shape radiation, as did non-volant Palaeognathae. We infer comparable developments underlying the establishment of pterosaurian brain shapes.
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15
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Cerio DG, Witmer LM. Intraspecific variation and symmetry of the inner-ear labyrinth in a population of wild turkeys: implications for paleontological reconstructions. PeerJ 2019; 7:e7355. [PMID: 31372322 PMCID: PMC6659666 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The cochlea and semicircular canals (SCCs) of the inner ear are vital neurosensory devices. There are associations between the anatomy of these sensorineural structures, their function, and the function of related biological systems, for example, hearing ability, gaze stabilization, locomotor agility, and posture. The endosseous labyrinth is frequently used as a proxy to infer the performance of the hearing and vestibular systems, locomotor abilities, and ecology of extinct species. Such fossil inferences are often based on single specimens or even a single ear, representing an entire species. To address whether a single ear is representative of a population, we used geometric morphometrics to quantitatively assess the variation in shape and symmetry in a sample of endosseous labyrinths of wild turkeys Meleagris gallopavo of southern Ohio. We predicted that ears would be symmetrical both within individuals and across the sample; that labyrinth shape and size would covary; that labyrinth shape would vary with the size of the brain, measured as width of the endocranium at the cerebellum; and that labyrinths would be morphologically integrated. To test these predictions, we microCT-scanned the heads of 26 cadaveric turkeys, digitally segmented their endosseous labyrinths in Avizo, and assigned 15 manual landmarks and 20 sliding semilandmarks to each digital model. Following Procrustes alignment, we conducted an analysis of bilateral symmetry, a Procrustes regression analysis for allometry and other covariates including side and replicate, and analyses of global integration and modularity. Based on Procrustes distances, no individual’s left and right ears were clearly different from each other. When comparing the ears of different specimens, statistically clear differences in shape were found in only 66 of more than 1,300 contrasts. Moreover, effects of both directional and fluctuating asymmetry were very small—generally, two orders of magnitude smaller than the variance explained by individual variation. Statistical tests disagreed on whether these asymmetric effects crossed the threshold of significance, possibly due to non-isotropic variation among landmarks. Regardless, labyrinths appeared to primarily vary in shape symmetrically. Neither labyrinth size nor endocranial width was correlated with labyrinth shape, contrary to our expectations. Finally, labyrinths were found to be moderately integrated in a global sense, but four weakly separated modules—the three SCCs and cochlea—were recovered using a maximum-likelihood analysis. The results show that both fluctuating and directional asymmetry play a larger role in shape variation than expected—but nonetheless, endosseous labyrinths are symmetrical within individuals and at the level of the population, and their shape varies symmetrically. Thus, inferences about populations, and very possibly species, may be confidently made when only a single specimen, or even a single ear, is available for study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald G Cerio
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
| | - Lawrence M Witmer
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
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16
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Otero A, Cuff AR, Allen V, Sumner-Rooney L, Pol D, Hutchinson JR. Ontogenetic changes in the body plan of the sauropodomorph dinosaur Mussaurus patagonicus reveal shifts of locomotor stance during growth. Sci Rep 2019; 9:7614. [PMID: 31110190 PMCID: PMC6527699 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-44037-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Ontogenetic information is crucial to understand life histories and represents a true challenge in dinosaurs due to the scarcity of growth series available. Mussaurus patagonicus was a sauropodomorph dinosaur close to the origin of Sauropoda known from hatchling, juvenile and mature specimens, providing a sufficiently complete ontogenetic series to reconstruct general patterns of ontogeny. Here, in order to quantify how body shape and its relationship with locomotor stance (quadruped/biped) changed in ontogeny, hatchling, juvenile (~1 year old) and adult (8+ years old) individuals were studied using digital models. Our results show that Mussaurus rapidly grew from about 60 g at hatching to ~7 kg at one year old, reaching >1000 kg at adulthood. During this time, the body's centre of mass moved from a position in the mid-thorax to a more caudal position nearer to the pelvis. We infer that these changes of body shape and centre of mass reflect a shift from quadrupedalism to bipedalism occurred early in ontogeny in Mussaurus. Our study indicates that relative development of the tail and neck was more influential in determining the locomotor stance in Sauropodomorpha during ontogeny, challenging previous studies, which have emphasized the influence of hindlimb vs. forelimb lengths on sauropodomorph stance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Otero
- División Paleontología de Vertebrados, Museo de La Plata, Paseo del Bosque s/n, (1900), La Plata, Argentina. .,CONICET - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Andrew R Cuff
- Structure and Motion Laboratory, Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom.
| | - Vivian Allen
- Structure and Motion Laboratory, Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Lauren Sumner-Rooney
- Structure and Motion Laboratory, Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom.,Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Diego Pol
- CONICET - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Museo Paleontológico "Egidio Feruglio", Trelew, Argentina
| | - John R Hutchinson
- Structure and Motion Laboratory, Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
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17
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von Baczko MB, Taborda JRA, Desojo JB. Paleoneuroanatomy of the aetosaur Neoaetosauroides engaeus (Archosauria: Pseudosuchia) and its paleobiological implications among archosauriforms. PeerJ 2018; 6:e5456. [PMID: 30155359 PMCID: PMC6109373 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2018] [Accepted: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The paleoneuroanatomy of pseudosuchian archosaurs is poorly known, based on direct examination of the internal morphology of braincases and a few artificial endocasts. Among aetosaurs, only one endocast has been described almost a century ago by Case (1921) corresponding to Desmatosuchus spurensis from the Chinle Formation (Norian) of Texas, US, based on a resin cast. Here, we describe the first natural endocast of an aetosaur, Neoaetosauroides engaeus from the Los Colorados Formation (Norian) of NW Argentina, and also developed the first digital endocast of this taxon including the encephalon, cranial nerves, inner ear, and middle ear sinuses. The neuroanatomy of Neoaetosauroides engaeus exhibits several differences from that of Desmatosuchus spurensis despite their phylogenetic proximity, which may be a reflection of their different habits. The information provided by the endocasts of Neoaetosauroides engaeus about its olfactory region and the orientation of its head, based on the inclination of the inner ear, could support the proposal for an animalivorous diet, instead of an herbivorous one as in most aetosaurs. The new information here obtained contributes to the knowledge of the neuroanatomical diversity of archosauriforms and more specifically among pseudosuchians and their paleobiological roles in the Triassic continental communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Belen von Baczko
- División Paleontología de Vertebrados, Museo de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jeremías R A Taborda
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra (CICTERRA), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba - CONICET, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Julia Brenda Desojo
- División Paleontología de Vertebrados, Museo de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
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18
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Ma W, Wang J, Pittman M, Tan Q, Tan L, Guo B, Xu X. Functional anatomy of a giant toothless mandible from a bird-like dinosaur: Gigantoraptor and the evolution of the oviraptorosaurian jaw. Sci Rep 2017; 7:16247. [PMID: 29176627 PMCID: PMC5701234 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-15709-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2017] [Accepted: 10/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The Oviraptorosauria are a group of theropod dinosaurs that diverged from the typical carnivorous theropod diet. It includes two main lineages – Caenagnathidae and Oviraptoridae – that display a number of differences in mandibular morphology, but little is known about their functional consequences, hampering our understanding of oviraptorosaurian dietary evolution. This study presents the first in-depth description of the giant toothless mandible of Gigantoraptor, the only well-preserved stemward caenagnathid mandible. This mandible shows the greatest relative beak depth among caenagnathids, which is an adaptation seen in some modern birds for processing harder seeds. The presence of a lingual triturating shelf in caenagnathids more crownward than Gigantoraptor suggests a possible increased specialization towards shearing along this lineage. Like other oviraptorosaurs, the possession of a dorsally convex articular glenoid in Gigantoraptor indicates that propalinal jaw movement was probably an important mechanism for food processing, as in Sphenodon and dicynodonts. Oviraptorid mandibles were more suited for producing powerful bites (e.g. crushing-related) compared to caenagnathids: oviraptorids generally possess a deeper, more downturned beak, a taller coronoid process prominence and a larger medial mandibular fossa. This disparity in caenagnathid and oviraptorid mandible morphology potentially suggests specialization towards two different feeding styles – shearing and crushing-related mechanisms respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waisum Ma
- Vertebrate Palaeontology Laboratory, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
| | - Junyou Wang
- Longhao Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Hohhot, Nei Mongol, 010011, China
| | - Michael Pittman
- Vertebrate Palaeontology Laboratory, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Qingwei Tan
- Nei Mongol Museum of Nature, Hohhot, Nei Mongol, 010011, China
| | - Lin Tan
- Longhao Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Hohhot, Nei Mongol, 010011, China
| | - Bin Guo
- Nei Mongol Museum of Nature, Hohhot, Nei Mongol, 010011, China
| | - Xing Xu
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100044, China.
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19
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Schellhorn R. A potential link between lateral semicircular canal orientation, head posture, and dietary habits in extant rhinos (Perissodactyla, Rhinocerotidae). J Morphol 2017; 279:50-61. [DOI: 10.1002/jmor.20753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2016] [Revised: 08/18/2017] [Accepted: 08/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rico Schellhorn
- Steinmann-Institut für Geologie, Mineralogie und Paläontologie, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Nussallee 8; Bonn 53115 Germany
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20
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Benoit J, Manger PR, Norton L, Fernandez V, Rubidge BS. Synchrotron scanning reveals the palaeoneurology of the head-butting Moschops capensis (Therapsida, Dinocephalia). PeerJ 2017; 5:e3496. [PMID: 28828230 PMCID: PMC5554600 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2016] [Accepted: 06/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Dinocephalian therapsids are renowned for their massive, pachyostotic and ornamented skulls adapted for head-to-head fighting during intraspecific combat. Synchrotron scanning of the tapinocephalid Moschops capensis reveals, for the first time, numerous anatomical adaptations of the central nervous system related to this combative behaviour. Many neural structures (such as the brain, inner ear and ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve) were completely enclosed and protected by bones, which is unusual for non-mammaliaform therapsids. The nearly complete ossification of the braincase enables precise determination of the brain cavity volume and encephalization quotient, which appears greater than expected for such a large and early herbivore. The practice of head butting is often associated with complex social behaviours and gregariousness in extant species, which are known to influence brain size evolution. Additionally, the plane of the lateral (horizontal) semicircular canal of the bony labyrinth is oriented nearly vertically if the skull is held horizontally, which suggests that the natural position of the head was inclined about 60–65°to the horizontal. This is consistent with the fighting position inferred from osteology, as well as ground-level browsing. Finally, the unusually large parietal tube may have been filled with thick conjunctive tissue to protect the delicate pineal eye from injury sustained during head butting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Benoit
- Evolutionary Institute, School of Geosciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.,School of Anatomical Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Paul R Manger
- School of Anatomical Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Luke Norton
- Evolutionary Institute, School of Geosciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Vincent Fernandez
- Beamline ID19, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Grenoble, France
| | - Bruce S Rubidge
- Evolutionary Institute, School of Geosciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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21
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Araújo R, Fernandez V, Polcyn MJ, Fröbisch J, Martins RMS. Aspects of gorgonopsian paleobiology and evolution: insights from the basicranium, occiput, osseous labyrinth, vasculature, and neuroanatomy. PeerJ 2017; 5:e3119. [PMID: 28413721 PMCID: PMC5390774 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2016] [Accepted: 02/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Synapsida, the clade including therapsids and thus also mammals, is one of the two major branches of amniotes. Organismal design, with modularity as a concept, offers insights into the evolution of therapsids, a group that experienced profound anatomical transformations throughout the past 270 Ma, eventually leading to the evolution of the mammalian bauplan. However, the anatomy of some therapsid groups remains obscure. Gorgonopsian braincase anatomy is poorly known and many anatomical aspects of the brain, cranial nerves, vasculature, and osseous labyrinth, remain unclear. We analyzed two gorgonopsian specimens, GPIT/RE/7124 and GPIT/RE/7119, using propagation phase contrast synchrotron micro-computed tomography. The lack of fusion between many basicranial and occipital bones in GPIT/RE/7124, which is an immature specimen, allowed us to reconstruct its anatomy and ontogenetic sequence, in comparison with the mature GPIT/RE/7119, in great detail. We explored the braincase and rendered various skull cavities. Notably, we found that there is a separate ossification between what was previously referred to as the “parasphenoid” and the basioccipital. We reinterpreted this element as a posterior ossification of the basisphenoid: the basipostsphenoid. Moreover, we show that the previously called “parasphenoid” is in fact the co-ossification of the dermal parasphenoid and the endochondral basipresphenoid. In line with previous descriptions, the anatomy of the osseous labyrinth is rendered in detail, revealing a unique discoid morphology of the horizontal semicircular canal, rather than toroidal, probably due to architectural constraints of the ossification of the opisthotic and supraoccipital. In addition, the orientation of the horizontal semicircular canal suggests that gorgonopsians had an anteriorly tilted alert head posture. The morphology of the brain endocast is in accordance with the more reptilian endocast shape of other non-mammaliaform neotherapsids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Araújo
- Instituto Superior Técnico, Instituto de Plasmas e Fusão Nuclear, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.,Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions-und Biodiversitätsforschung, Berlin, Germany.,Huffington Department of Earth Sciences, Southern Methodist Univesity, Dallas, TX, United States of America.,GEAL-Museu da Lourinhã, Lourinhã, Portugal.,Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution, Université de Montpellier 2, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Michael J Polcyn
- Huffington Department of Earth Sciences, Southern Methodist Univesity, Dallas, TX, United States of America
| | - Jörg Fröbisch
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions-und Biodiversitätsforschung, Berlin, Germany.,Institut für Biologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Rui M S Martins
- Instituto Superior Técnico, Instituto de Plasmas e Fusão Nuclear, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.,CENIMAT/I3N, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Monte de Caparica, Portugal.,GEAL-Museu da Lourinhã, Lourinhã, Portugal
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22
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Coutier F, Hautier L, Cornette R, Amson E, Billet G. Orientation of the lateral semicircular canal in Xenarthra and its links with head posture and phylogeny. J Morphol 2017; 278:704-717. [PMID: 28185320 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.20665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2016] [Revised: 01/10/2017] [Accepted: 01/23/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The orientation of the semicircular canals of the inner ear in the skull of vertebrates is one of the determinants of the capacity of this system to detect a given rotational movement of the head. Past functional studies on the spatial orientation of the semicircular canals essentially focused on the lateral semicircular canal (LSC), which is supposedly held close to horizontal during rest and/or alert behaviors. However, they generally investigated this feature in only a few and distantly related taxa. Based on 3D-models reconstructed from µCT-scans of skulls, we examined the diversity of orientations of the LSC within one of the four major clades of placental mammals, that is, the superorder Xenarthra, with a data set that includes almost all extant genera and two extinct taxa. We observed a wide diversity of LSC orientations relative to the basicranium at both intraspecific and interspecific scales. The estimated phylogenetic imprint on the orientation of the LSC was significant but rather low within the superorder, though some phylogenetic conservatism was detected for armadillos that were characterized by a strongly tilted LSC. A convergence between extant suspensory sloths was also detected, both genera showing a weakly tilted LSC. Our preliminary analysis of usual head posture in extant xenarthrans based on photographs of living animals further revealed that the LSC orientation in armadillos is congruent with a strongly nose-down head posture. It also portrayed a more complex situation for sloths and anteaters. Finally, we also demonstrate that the conformation of the cranial vault and nuchal crests as well as the orientation of the posterior part of the petrosal may covary with the LSC orientation in Xenarthra. Possible inferences for the head postures of extinct xenarthrans such as giant ground sloths are discussed in the light of these results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florence Coutier
- Department of Origines et évolution, Sorbonne Universités, CR2P, UMR CNRS 7207, Univ Paris 06, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, 8 rue Buffon, Paris, 75005, France
| | - Lionel Hautier
- Department of Forme, Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution de Montpellier, Université Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Cc 064; place Eugène Bataillon, Montpellier Cedex 5, 34095, France
| | - Raphaël Cornette
- Department of Origines et évolution, Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB) - UMR 7205 - CNRS, MNHN, UPMC, EPHE- Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle - Sorbonne Universités, 57 rue Cuvier, CP 30, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Eli Amson
- Humboldt-Universität, AG Morphologie und Formengeschichte, Bild Wissen Gestaltung - ein interdisziplinäres Labor & Institut für Biologie, Philippstraße, 12/13, Berlin, D-10115, Germany
| | - Guillaume Billet
- Department of Origines et évolution, Sorbonne Universités, CR2P, UMR CNRS 7207, Univ Paris 06, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, 8 rue Buffon, Paris, 75005, France
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23
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Codorniú L, Paulina Carabajal A, Pol D, Unwin D, Rauhut OW. A Jurassic pterosaur from Patagonia and the origin of the pterodactyloid neurocranium. PeerJ 2016; 4:e2311. [PMID: 27635315 PMCID: PMC5012331 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.2311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2015] [Accepted: 07/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Pterosaurs are an extinct group of highly modified flying reptiles that thrived during the Mesozoic. This group has unique and remarkable skeletal adaptations to powered flight, including pneumatic bones and an elongate digit IV supporting a wing-membrane. Two major body plans have traditionally been recognized: the primitive, primarily long-tailed paraphyletic "rhamphorhynchoids" (preferably currently recognized as non-pterodactyloids) and the derived short-tailed pterodactyloids. These two groups differ considerably in their general anatomy and also exhibit a remarkably different neuroanatomy and inferred head posture, which has been linked to different lifestyles and behaviours and improved flying capabilities in these reptiles. Pterosaur neuroanatomy, is known from just a few three-dimensionally preserved braincases of non-pterodactyloids (as Rhamphorhynchidae) and pterodactyloids, between which there is a large morphological gap. Here we report on a new Jurassic pterosaur from Argentina, Allkaruen koi gen. et sp. nov., remains of which include a superbly preserved, uncrushed braincase that sheds light on the origins of the highly derived neuroanatomy of pterodactyloids and their close relatives. A µCT ray-generated virtual endocast shows that the new pterosaur exhibits a mosaic of plesiomorphic and derived traits of the inner ear and neuroanatomy that fills an important gap between those of non-monofenestratan breviquartossans (Rhamphorhynchidae) and derived pterodactyloids. These results suggest that, while modularity may play an important role at one anatomical level, at a finer level the evolution of structures within a module may follow a mosaic pattern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Codorniú
- Departamento de Geología, CONICET, Universidad Nacional de San Luis, San Luis, Argentina
| | - Ariana Paulina Carabajal
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente (INIBIOMA), CONICET, Río Negro, Argentina
| | - Diego Pol
- CONICET, Museo Paleontológico Egidio Feruglio, Trelew, Chubut, Argentina
| | - David Unwin
- School of Museum Studies, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Oliver W.M. Rauhut
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences and GeoBioCenter, Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie, Munich, Germany
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24
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Sobral G, Müller J. Archosaurs and Their Kin: The Ruling Reptiles. EVOLUTION OF THE VERTEBRATE EAR 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-46661-3_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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25
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Functional implications of ubiquitous semicircular canal non-orthogonality in mammals. PLoS One 2013; 8:e79585. [PMID: 24260256 PMCID: PMC3834179 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0079585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2013] [Accepted: 10/02/2013] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The 'canonical model' of semicircular canal orientation in mammals assumes that 1) the three ipsilateral canals of an inner ear exist in orthogonal planes (i.e., orthogonality), 2) corresponding left and right canal pairs have equivalent angles (i.e., angle symmetry), and 3) contralateral synergistic canals occupy parallel planes (i.e., coplanarity). However, descriptions of vestibular anatomy that quantify semicircular canal orientation in single species often diverge substantially from this model. Data for primates further suggest that semicircular canal orthogonality varies predictably with the angular head velocities encountered in locomotion. These observations raise the possibility that orthogonality, symmetry, and coplanarity are misleading descriptors of semicircular canal orientation in mammals, and that deviations from these norms could have significant functional consequences. Here we critically assess the canonical model of semicircular canal orientation using high-resolution X-ray computed tomography scans of 39 mammal species. We find that substantial deviations from orthogonality, angle symmetry, and coplanarity are the rule for the mammals in our comparative sample. Furthermore, the degree to which the semicircular canals of a given species deviate from orthogonality is negatively correlated with estimated vestibular sensitivity. We conclude that the available comparative morphometric data do not support the canonical model and that its overemphasis as a heuristic generalization obscures a large amount of functionally relevant variation in semicircular canal orientation between species.
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26
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Abstract
Sauropods are often imagined to have held their heads high atop necks that ascended in a sweeping curve that was formed either intrinsically because of the shape of their vertebrae, or behaviorally by lifting the head, or both. Their necks are also popularly depicted in life with poses suggesting avian flexibility. The grounds for such interpretations are examined in terms of vertebral osteology, inferences about missing soft tissues, intervertebral flexibility, and behavior. Osteologically, the pronounced opisthocoely and conformal central and zygapophyseal articular surfaces strongly constrain the reconstruction of the cervical vertebral column. The sauropod cervico-dorsal vertebral column is essentially straight, in contrast to the curvature exhibited in those extant vertebrates that naturally hold their heads above rising necks. Regarding flexibility, extant vertebrates with homologous articular geometries preserve a degree of zygapophyseal overlap at the limits of deflection, a constraint that is further restricted by soft tissues. Sauropod necks, if similarly constrained, were capable of sweeping out large feeding surfaces, yet much less capable of retracting the head to explore the enclosed volume in an avian manner. Behaviorally, modern vertebrates generally assume characteristic neck postures which are close to the intrinsic curvature of the undeflected neck. With the exception of some vertebrates that can retract their heads to balance above their shoulders at rest (e.g., felids, lagomorphs, and some ratites), the undeflected neck generally predicts the default head height at rest and during locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kent A. Stevens
- Department of Computer and Information Science, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, United States of America
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27
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Modern Imaging Techniques as a Window to Prehistoric Auditory Worlds. INSIGHTS FROM COMPARATIVE HEARING RESEARCH 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/2506_2013_32] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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