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Roy A, Pittman M, Kaye TG, Saitta ET, Xu X. Correction statement for Recent advances in amniote palaeocolour reconstruction and a framework for future research (volume 95, issue 1, pp. 22-50). Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:386-389. [PMID: 36320106 PMCID: PMC10117546 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Arindam Roy
- Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, SAR, China.,School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queens Road, Bristol, BS8 1RJ, UK
| | - Michael Pittman
- School of Life Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, SAR, China.,Foundation for Scientific Advancement, 7023 Alhambra Drive, Sierra Vista, AZ, 85650, USA
| | - Thomas G Kaye
- Foundation for Scientific Advancement, 7023 Alhambra Drive, Sierra Vista, AZ, 85650, USA
| | - Evan T Saitta
- Department of Organismal Biology & Anatomy, University of Chicago, 1027 E 57th St, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Xing Xu
- Chinese Academy of Sciences - Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Beijing, China
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2
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Pittman M, Bell PR, Miller CV, Enriquez NJ, Wang X, Zheng X, Tsang LR, Tse YT, Landes M, Kaye TG. Exceptional preservation and foot structure reveal ecological transitions and lifestyles of early theropod flyers. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7684. [PMID: 36539437 PMCID: PMC9768147 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35039-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Morphology of keratinised toe pads and foot scales, hinging of foot joints and claw shape and size all inform the grasping ability, cursoriality and feeding mode of living birds. Presented here is morphological evidence from the fossil feet of early theropod flyers. Foot soft tissues and joint articulations are qualitatively assessed using laser-stimulated fluorescence. Pedal claw shape and size are quantitatively analysed using traditional morphometrics. We interpret these foot data among existing evidence to better understand the evolutionary ecology of early theropod flyers. Jurassic flyers like Anchiornis and Archaeopteryx show adaptations suggestive of relatively ground-dwelling lifestyles. Early Cretaceous flyers then diversify into more aerial lifestyles, including generalists like Confuciusornis and specialists like the climbing Fortunguavis. Some early birds, like the Late Jurassic Berlin Archaeopteryx and Early Cretaceous Sapeornis, show complex ecologies seemingly unique among sampled modern birds. As a non-bird flyer, finding affinities of Microraptor to a more specialised raptorial lifestyle is unexpected. Its hawk-like characteristics are rare among known theropod flyers of the time suggesting that some non-bird flyers perform specialised roles filled by birds today. We demonstrate diverse ecological profiles among early theropod flyers, changing as flight developed, and some non-bird flyers have more complex ecological roles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Pittman
- grid.10784.3a0000 0004 1937 0482School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR China
| | - Phil R. Bell
- grid.1020.30000 0004 1936 7371School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351 Australia
| | - Case Vincent Miller
- grid.194645.b0000000121742757Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR China
| | - Nathan J. Enriquez
- grid.1020.30000 0004 1936 7371School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351 Australia
| | - Xiaoli Wang
- grid.410747.10000 0004 1763 3680Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Linyi University, Linyi City, Shandong 276005 China ,Shandong Tianyu Museum of Nature, Pingyi, Shandong 273300 China
| | - Xiaoting Zheng
- grid.410747.10000 0004 1763 3680Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Linyi University, Linyi City, Shandong 276005 China ,Shandong Tianyu Museum of Nature, Pingyi, Shandong 273300 China
| | - Leah R. Tsang
- grid.1020.30000 0004 1936 7371School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351 Australia ,grid.438303.f0000 0004 0470 8815Ornithology Collection, Australian Museum, William Street, Sydney, NSW 2010 Australia
| | - Yuen Ting Tse
- grid.10784.3a0000 0004 1937 0482School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR China
| | - Michael Landes
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6 Canada
| | - Thomas G. Kaye
- Foundation for Scientific Advancement, Sierra Vista, AZ 85650 USA
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3
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Pittman M, Kaye TG, Wang X, Zheng X, Dececchi TA, Hartman SA. Preserved soft anatomy confirms shoulder-powered upstroke of early theropod flyers, reveals enhanced early pygostylian upstroke, and explains early sternum loss. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2205476119. [PMID: 36375073 PMCID: PMC9704744 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2205476119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 10/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Anatomy of the first flying feathered dinosaurs, modern birds and crocodylians, proposes an ancestral flight system divided between shoulder and chest muscles, before the upstroke muscles migrated beneath the body. This ancestral flight system featured the dorsally positioned deltoids and supracoracoideus controlling the upstroke and the chest-bound pectoralis controlling the downstroke. Preserved soft anatomy is needed to contextualize the origin of the modern flight system, but this has remained elusive. Here we reveal the soft anatomy of the earliest theropod flyers preserved as residual skin chemistry covering the body and delimiting its margins. These data provide preserved soft anatomy that independently validate the ancestral theropod flight system. The heavily constructed shoulder and more weakly constructed chest in the early pygostylian Confuciusornis indicated by a preserved body profile, proposes the first upstroke-enhanced flight stroke. Slender ventral body profiles in the early-diverging birds Archaeopteryx and Anchiornis suggest habitual use of the pectoralis could not maintain the sternum through bone functional adaptations. Increased wing-assisted terrestrial locomotion potentially accelerated sternum loss through higher breathing requirements. Lower expected downstroke requirements in the early thermal soarer Sapeornis could have driven sternum loss through bone functional adaption, possibly encouraged by the higher breathing demands of a Confuciusornis-like upstroke. Both factors are supported by a slender ventral body profile. These data validate the ancestral shoulder/chest flight system and provide insights into novel upstroke-enhanced flight strokes and early sternum loss, filling important gaps in our understanding of the appearance of modern flight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Pittman
- School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Thomas G. Kaye
- Foundation for Scientific Advancement, Sierra Vista, AZ 85650
| | - Xiaoli Wang
- Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Linyi University, Shandong 276005, China
| | - Xiaoting Zheng
- Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Linyi University, Shandong 276005, China
- Shandong Tianyu Museum of Nature, Shandong 273300, China
| | | | - Scott A. Hartman
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706-1692
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Abstract
Background In egg-laying amniotes, the developing embryo is tethered to a number of the extraembryonic membranes including the yolk sac and allantois that deliver oxygen and nutrients and remove metabolic waste products throughout embryonic development. Prior to, or soon after hatching, these membranes detach from the animal leaving a temporary or permanent umbilical scar (umbilicus) equivalent to the navel or ‘belly button’ in some placental mammals, including humans. Although ubiquitous in modern mammals and reptiles (including birds), at least early in their ontogeny, the umbilicus has not been identified in any pre-Cenozoic amniote. Results We report the oldest preserved umbilicus in a fossil amniote from a ~130-million-year-old early-branching ceratopsian dinosaur, Psittacosaurus. Under laser-stimulated fluorescence (LSF), the umbilicus is revealed as an elongate midline structure delimited by a row of paired scales on the abdomen. The relatively late ontogenetic stage (close to sexual maturity) estimated for the individual indicates that the umbilicus was probably retained throughout life. Conclusions Unlike most extant reptiles and birds that lose this scar within days to weeks after hatching, the umbilicus of Psittacosaurus persisted at least until sexual maturity, similar to some lizards and crocodylians with which it shares the closest morphological resemblance. This discovery is the oldest record of an amniote umbilicus and the first in a non-avian dinosaur. However, given the variability of this structure in extant reptilian analogues, a persistent umbilical scar may not have been present in all non-avian dinosaurs. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12915-022-01329-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phil R Bell
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia.
| | - Christophe Hendrickx
- Unidad Ejecutora Lillo, CONICET-Fundación Miguel Lillo, Miguel Lillo, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Michael Pittman
- School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China. .,Department of Earth Sciences, University College London, London, UK. .,Foundation for Scientific Advancement, Sierra Vista, AZ, USA.
| | - Thomas G Kaye
- Foundation for Scientific Advancement, Sierra Vista, AZ, USA
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Hendrickx C, Bell PR, Pittman M, Milner ARC, Cuesta E, O'Connor J, Loewen M, Currie PJ, Mateus O, Kaye TG, Delcourt R. Morphology and distribution of scales, dermal ossifications, and other non-feather integumentary structures in non-avialan theropod dinosaurs. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:960-1004. [PMID: 34991180 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Modern birds are typified by the presence of feathers, complex evolutionary innovations that were already widespread in the group of theropod dinosaurs (Maniraptoriformes) that include crown Aves. Squamous or scaly reptilian-like skin is, however, considered the plesiomorphic condition for theropods and dinosaurs more broadly. Here, we review the morphology and distribution of non-feathered integumentary structures in non-avialan theropods, covering squamous skin and naked skin as well as dermal ossifications. The integumentary record of non-averostran theropods is limited to tracks, which ubiquitously show a covering of tiny reticulate scales on the plantar surface of the pes. This is consistent also with younger averostran body fossils, which confirm an arthral arrangement of the digital pads. Among averostrans, squamous skin is confirmed in Ceratosauria (Carnotaurus), Allosauroidea (Allosaurus, Concavenator, Lourinhanosaurus), Compsognathidae (Juravenator), and Tyrannosauroidea (Santanaraptor, Albertosaurus, Daspletosaurus, Gorgosaurus, Tarbosaurus, Tyrannosaurus), whereas dermal ossifications consisting of sagittate and mosaic osteoderms are restricted to Ceratosaurus. Naked, non-scale bearing skin is found in the contentious tetanuran Sciurumimus, ornithomimosaurians (Ornithomimus) and possibly tyrannosauroids (Santanaraptor), and also on the patagia of scansoriopterygids (Ambopteryx, Yi). Scales are surprisingly conservative among non-avialan theropods compared to some dinosaurian groups (e.g. hadrosaurids); however, the limited preservation of tegument on most specimens hinders further interrogation. Scale patterns vary among and/or within body regions in Carnotaurus, Concavenator and Juravenator, and include polarised, snake-like ventral scales on the tail of the latter two genera. Unusual but more uniformly distributed patterning also occurs in Tyrannosaurus, whereas feature scales are present only in Albertosaurus and Carnotaurus. Few theropods currently show compelling evidence for the co-occurrence of scales and feathers (e.g. Juravenator, Sinornithosaurus), although reticulate scales were probably retained on the mani and pedes of many theropods with a heavy plumage. Feathers and filamentous structures appear to have replaced widespread scaly integuments in maniraptorans. Theropod skin, and that of dinosaurs more broadly, remains a virtually untapped area of study and the appropriation of commonly used techniques in other palaeontological fields to the study of skin holds great promise for future insights into the biology, taphonomy and relationships of these extinct animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Hendrickx
- Unidad Ejecutora Lillo, CONICET-Fundación Miguel Lillo, 251 Miguel Lillo, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, 4000, Argentina
| | - Phil R Bell
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia
| | - Michael Pittman
- Vertebrate Palaeontology Laboratory, Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, SAR, China.,Department of Earth Sciences, University College London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew R C Milner
- St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm, 2180 East Riverside Drive, St. George, UT, U.S.A
| | - Elena Cuesta
- Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie, Richard-Wagner-Str. 10, Munich, 80333, Germany
| | - Jingmai O'Connor
- Field Museum of Natural History, 1400 S Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL, 60605, U.S.A
| | - Mark Loewen
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Utah, Frederick Albert Sutton Building, 115 South 1460 East, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, U.S.A.,Natural History Museum of Utah, 301 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, UT, 84108, U.S.A
| | - Philip J Currie
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Octávio Mateus
- GeoBioTec, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal.,Museu da Lourinhã, 95 Rua João Luis de Moura, Lourinhã, 2530-158, Portugal
| | - Thomas G Kaye
- Foundation for Scientific Advancement, 7023 Alhambra Dr., Sierra Vista, AZ, 85650, U.S.A
| | - Rafael Delcourt
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Instituto de Geociências, Cidade Universitária, Rua Carlos Gomes, 250, Campinas, SP, 13083-855, Brazil
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Barlow LA, Pittman M, Butcher A, Martill DM, Kaye TG. Laser-stimulated fluorescence reveals unseen details in fossils from the Upper Jurassic Solnhofen Limestones. R Soc Open Sci 2021; 8:211601. [PMID: 34950496 PMCID: PMC8692964 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.211601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Laser-stimulated fluorescence (LSF) has seen increased use in palaeontological investigations in recent years. The method uses the high flux of laser light of visible wavelengths to reveal details sometimes missed by traditional long-wave ultraviolet (UV) methods using a lamp. In this study, we compare the results of LSF with UV-A-generated fluorescence on a range of fossils from the Upper Jurassic Solnhofen Limestone Konservat-Lagerstätte of Bavaria, Germany. The methodology follows previous protocols of LSF with modifications made to enhance laser beam intensity, namely keeping the laser at a constant distance from the specimen, using a camera track. Our experiments show that along with making surface details more vivid than UV-A or revealing them for the first time, LSF has the additional value of revealing shallow subsurface specimen detail. Fossil decapods from the Solnhofen Limestone reveal full body outlines, even under the matrix, along with details of segmentation within the appendages such as limbs and antennae. The results indicate that LSF can be used on invertebrate fossils along with vertebrates and may often surpass the information provided by traditional UV methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke A. Barlow
- Vertebrate Palaeontology Laboratory, Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
- School of the Environment, Geography and Geosciences, University of Portsmouth, Burnaby Building, Portsmouth, UK
| | - Michael Pittman
- Vertebrate Palaeontology Laboratory, Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
| | - Anthony Butcher
- School of the Environment, Geography and Geosciences, University of Portsmouth, Burnaby Building, Portsmouth, UK
| | - David M. Martill
- School of the Environment, Geography and Geosciences, University of Portsmouth, Burnaby Building, Portsmouth, UK
| | - Thomas G. Kaye
- Foundation for Scientific Advancement, Sierra Vista, AZ 85650, USA
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7
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Musa M, Kaye TG, Bieri W, Peretti A. Burmese Amber Compared Using Micro-Attenuated Total Reflection Infrared Spectroscopy and Ultraviolet Imaging. Appl Spectrosc 2021; 75:839-845. [PMID: 33393352 DOI: 10.1177/0003702820986880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Attenuated Total Reflection (ATR) spectroscopy coupled with a microscope allows for the analysis of specimens without any preparation, spatially correlated with the morphology of the specimen. These characteristics make micro-ATR systems very useful for studying gemstones and in particular amber samples. Indeed, in this report, the micro-ATR technique was used to characterize three Burmite samples, as case studies. Particularly, focusing the ATR crystal spot on the amber surface where a difference in the Ultraviolet (UV) reaction was previously detected, thereby relative differences in the IR spectrum could be analyzed. Here we present a methodology combining the UV imaging technique with the micro-Attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (micro-ATR/FT-IR) analyses, in order to correlate the fluorescence information with the molecular vibrational modes of amber and their relative spatial distribution. Finally, this work is intended as an initial methodology study and part of the amber characterization project, focused on characterizing the Burmese amber collection of the Peretti Museum Foundation from several disciplines (i.e., palaeoentomology, vibrational spectroscopy, neutron tomography, etc.).
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Musa
- Gulf Institute of Gemology LLC-GIG, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
| | - Thomas G Kaye
- Foundation for Scientific Advancement, Sierra Vista, AZ, USA
| | - Willy Bieri
- 536920GRS Gemresearch Swisslab AG, Meggen (LU), Switzerland
| | - Adolf Peretti
- 536920GRS Gemresearch Swisslab AG, Meggen (LU), Switzerland
- Peretti Museum Foundation (PMF), Meggen (LU), Switzerland
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8
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Pittman M, Habib MB, Dececchi TA, Larsson HCE, Pei R, Kaye TG, Norell MA, Brusatte SL, Xu X. Response to Serrano and Chiappe. Curr Biol 2021; 31:R372-R373. [PMID: 33905690 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.03.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In the recent study in Current Biology by Pei and colleagues1, we used two proxies - wing loading and specific lift - to reconstruct powered flight potential across the vaned feathered fossil pennaraptorans. The results recovered multiple origins of powered flight. We respectfully disagree with the criticism raised by Serrano and Chiappe2 that wing loading and specific lift, used in sequence, fail to discriminate between powered flight and gliding. We will explain this in reference to our original conservative approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Pittman
- Vertebrate Palaeontology Laboratory, Research Division for Earth and Planetary Science, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China.
| | - Michael B Habib
- Dinosaur Institute, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA
| | | | | | - Rui Pei
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Thomas G Kaye
- Foundation for Scientific Advancement, Sierra Vista, AZ 85650, USA
| | - Mark A Norell
- Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, New York City, NY 10024, USA
| | | | - Xing Xu
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100044, China
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9
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Dececchi TA, Roy A, Pittman M, Kaye TG, Xu X, Habib MB, Larsson HC, Wang X, Zheng X. Aerodynamics Show Membrane-Winged Theropods Were a Poor Gliding Dead-end. iScience 2020; 23:101574. [PMID: 33376962 PMCID: PMC7756141 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The bizarre scansoriopterygid theropods Yi and Ambopteryx had skin stretched between elongate fingers that form a potential membranous wing. This wing is thought to have been used in aerial locomotion, but this has never been tested. Using laser-stimulated fluorescence imaging, we re-evaluate their anatomy and perform aerodynamic calculations covering flight potential, other wing-based behaviors, and gliding capabilities. We find that Yi and Ambopteryx were likely arboreal, highly unlikely to have any form of powered flight, and had significant deficiencies in flapping-based locomotion and limited gliding abilities. Our results show that Scansoriopterygidae are not models for the early evolution of bird flight, and their structurally distinct wings differed greatly from contemporaneous paravians, supporting multiple independent origins of flight. We propose that Scansoriopterygidae represents a unique but failed flight architecture of non-avialan theropods and that the evolutionary race to capture vertebrate aerial morphospace in the Middle to Late Jurassic was dynamic and complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- T. Alexander Dececchi
- Department of Biology, Division of Natural Sciences, Mount Marty University, Yankton, SD, USA
| | - Arindam Roy
- Vertebrate Palaeontology Laboratory, Division of Earth and Planetary Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Michael Pittman
- Vertebrate Palaeontology Laboratory, Division of Earth and Planetary Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Thomas G. Kaye
- Foundation for Scientific Advancement, Sierra Vista, AZ, USA
| | - Xing Xu
- Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology & Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Michael B. Habib
- Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Xiaoli Wang
- Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Linyi University, Linyi City, Shandong, China
| | - Xiaoting Zheng
- Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Linyi University, Linyi City, Shandong, China
- Shandong Tianyu Museum of Nature, Pingyi, Shandong, China
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10
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Yang Z, Jiang B, McNamara ME, Kearns SL, Pittman M, Kaye TG, Orr PJ, Xu X, Benton MJ. Reply to: No protofeathers on pterosaurs. Nat Ecol Evol 2020; 4:1592-1593. [PMID: 32989267 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-020-01309-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zixiao Yang
- Center for Research and Education on Biological Evolution and Environments, School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Baoyu Jiang
- Center for Research and Education on Biological Evolution and Environments, School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Maria E McNamara
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Stuart L Kearns
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Michael Pittman
- Vertebrate Palaeontology Laboratory, Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Thomas G Kaye
- Foundation for Scientific Advancement, Sierra Vista, AZ, USA
| | - Patrick J Orr
- UCD School of Earth Sciences, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Xing Xu
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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11
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Vanderburg A, Rappaport SA, Xu S, Crossfield IJM, Becker JC, Gary B, Murgas F, Blouin S, Kaye TG, Palle E, Melis C, Morris BM, Kreidberg L, Gorjian V, Morley CV, Mann AW, Parviainen H, Pearce LA, Newton ER, Carrillo A, Zuckerman B, Nelson L, Zeimann G, Brown WR, Tronsgaard R, Klein B, Ricker GR, Vanderspek RK, Latham DW, Seager S, Winn JN, Jenkins JM, Adams FC, Benneke B, Berardo D, Buchhave LA, Caldwell DA, Christiansen JL, Collins KA, Colón KD, Daylan T, Doty J, Doyle AE, Dragomir D, Dressing C, Dufour P, Fukui A, Glidden A, Guerrero NM, Guo X, Heng K, Henriksen AI, Huang CX, Kaltenegger L, Kane SR, Lewis JA, Lissauer JJ, Morales F, Narita N, Pepper J, Rose ME, Smith JC, Stassun KG, Yu L. A giant planet candidate transiting a white dwarf. Nature 2020; 585:363-367. [PMID: 32939071 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2713-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Astronomers have discovered thousands of planets outside the Solar System1, most of which orbit stars that will eventually evolve into red giants and then into white dwarfs. During the red giant phase, any close-orbiting planets will be engulfed by the star2, but more distant planets can survive this phase and remain in orbit around the white dwarf3,4. Some white dwarfs show evidence for rocky material floating in their atmospheres5, in warm debris disks6-9 or orbiting very closely10-12, which has been interpreted as the debris of rocky planets that were scattered inwards and tidally disrupted13. Recently, the discovery of a gaseous debris disk with a composition similar to that of ice giant planets14 demonstrated that massive planets might also find their way into tight orbits around white dwarfs, but it is unclear whether these planets can survive the journey. So far, no intact planets have been detected in close orbits around white dwarfs. Here we report the observation of a giant planet candidate transiting the white dwarf WD 1856+534 (TIC 267574918) every 1.4 days. We observed and modelled the periodic dimming of the white dwarf caused by the planet candidate passing in front of the star in its orbit. The planet candidate is roughly the same size as Jupiter and is no more than 14 times as massive (with 95 per cent confidence). Other cases of white dwarfs with close brown dwarf or stellar companions are explained as the consequence of common-envelope evolution, wherein the original orbit is enveloped during the red giant phase and shrinks owing to friction. In this case, however, the long orbital period (compared with other white dwarfs with close brown dwarf or stellar companions) and low mass of the planet candidate make common-envelope evolution less likely. Instead, our findings for the WD 1856+534 system indicate that giant planets can be scattered into tight orbits without being tidally disrupted, motivating the search for smaller transiting planets around white dwarfs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Vanderburg
- Department of Astronomy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA. .,Department of Astronomy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
| | - Saul A Rappaport
- Department of Physics and Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Siyi Xu
- NSF's NOIRLab/Gemini Observatory, Hilo, HI, USA
| | - Ian J M Crossfield
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Juliette C Becker
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Bruce Gary
- Hereford Arizona Observatory, Hereford, AZ, USA
| | - Felipe Murgas
- Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), Tenerife, Spain.,Departamento Astrofísica, Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), Tenerife, Spain
| | - Simon Blouin
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, USA
| | - Thomas G Kaye
- Raemor Vista Observatory, Sierra Vista, AZ, USA.,Laboratory for Space Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Enric Palle
- Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), Tenerife, Spain.,Departamento Astrofísica, Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), Tenerife, Spain
| | - Carl Melis
- Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Brett M Morris
- Center for Space and Habitability, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Laura Kreidberg
- Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Heidelberg, Germany.,Center for Astrophysics
- Harvard & Smithsonian, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Varoujan Gorjian
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Caroline V Morley
- Department of Astronomy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Andrew W Mann
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Hannu Parviainen
- Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), Tenerife, Spain.,Departamento Astrofísica, Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), Tenerife, Spain
| | - Logan A Pearce
- Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Elisabeth R Newton
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Andreia Carrillo
- Department of Astronomy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Ben Zuckerman
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Lorne Nelson
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Bishop's University, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Greg Zeimann
- Hobby-Eberly Telescope, University of Texas, Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Warren R Brown
- Center for Astrophysics
- Harvard & Smithsonian, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - René Tronsgaard
- DTU Space, National Space Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Beth Klein
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - George R Ricker
- Department of Physics and Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Roland K Vanderspek
- Department of Physics and Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - David W Latham
- Center for Astrophysics
- Harvard & Smithsonian, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sara Seager
- Department of Physics and Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Joshua N Winn
- Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | | | - Fred C Adams
- Physics Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.,Astronomy Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Björn Benneke
- Départment de Physique, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Institut de Recherche sur les Exoplanètes (iREx), Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - David Berardo
- Department of Physics and Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Lars A Buchhave
- DTU Space, National Space Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Douglas A Caldwell
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA.,SETI Institute, Mountain View, CA, USA
| | | | - Karen A Collins
- Center for Astrophysics
- Harvard & Smithsonian, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Knicole D Colón
- Exoplanets and Stellar Astrophysics Laboratory (Code 667), NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - Tansu Daylan
- Department of Physics and Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Alexandra E Doyle
- Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Diana Dragomir
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Courtney Dressing
- Department of Astronomy, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Patrick Dufour
- Départment de Physique, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Institut de Recherche sur les Exoplanètes (iREx), Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Akihiko Fukui
- Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), Tenerife, Spain.,Department of Earth and Planetary Science, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ana Glidden
- Department of Physics and Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Natalia M Guerrero
- Department of Physics and Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Xueying Guo
- Department of Physics and Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Kevin Heng
- Center for Space and Habitability, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Andreea I Henriksen
- DTU Space, National Space Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Chelsea X Huang
- Department of Physics and Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Lisa Kaltenegger
- Carl Sagan Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.,Department of Astronomy and Space Sciences, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Stephen R Kane
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - John A Lewis
- Center for Astrophysics
- Harvard & Smithsonian, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Farisa Morales
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.,Department of Physics and Astronomy, Moorpark College, Moorpark, CA, USA
| | - Norio Narita
- Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), Tenerife, Spain.,Astrobiology Center, Tokyo, Japan.,PRESTO, JST, Tokyo, Japan.,National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Tokyo, Japan.,Komaba Institute for Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Joshua Pepper
- Department of Physics, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, USA
| | - Mark E Rose
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA
| | - Jeffrey C Smith
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA.,SETI Institute, Mountain View, CA, USA
| | - Keivan G Stassun
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.,Department of Physics, Fisk University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Liang Yu
- Department of Physics and Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.,ExxonMobil Upstream Integrated Solutions, Spring, TX, USA
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12
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas G. Kaye
- Foundation for Scientific Advancement Sierra Vista AZ USA
- Laboratory for Space Research The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong SAR China
| | - Michael Pittman
- Laboratory for Space Research The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong SAR China
- Vertebrate Palaeontology Laboratory Division of Earth and Planetary Science The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong SAR China
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13
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Roy A, Pittman M, Saitta ET, Kaye TG, Xu X. Recent advances in amniote palaeocolour reconstruction and a framework for future research. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2020; 95:22-50. [PMID: 31538399 PMCID: PMC7004074 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Revised: 08/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Preserved melanin pigments have been discovered in fossilised integumentary appendages of several amniote lineages (fishes, frogs, snakes, marine reptiles, non-avialan dinosaurs, birds, and mammals) excavated from lagerstätten across the globe. Melanisation is a leading factor in organic integument preservation in these fossils. Melanin in extant vertebrates is typically stored in rod- to sphere-shaped, lysosome-derived, membrane-bound vesicles called melanosomes. Black, dark brown, and grey colours are produced by eumelanin, and reddish-brown colours are produced by phaeomelanin. Specific morphotypes and nanostructural arrangements of melanosomes and their relation to the keratin matrix in integumentary appendages create the so-called 'structural colours'. Reconstruction of colour patterns in ancient animals has opened an exciting new avenue for studying their life, behaviour and ecology. Modern relationships between the shape, arrangement, and size of avian melanosomes, melanin chemistry, and feather colour have been applied to reconstruct the hues and colour patterns of isolated feathers and plumages of the dinosaurs Anchiornis, Sinosauropteryx, and Microraptor in seminal papers that initiated the field of palaeocolour reconstruction. Since then, further research has identified countershading camouflage patterns, and informed subsequent predictions on the ecology and behaviour of these extinct animals. However, palaeocolour reconstruction remains a nascent field, and current approaches have considerable potential for further refinement, standardisation, and expansion. This includes detailed study of non-melanic pigments that might be preserved in fossilised integuments. A common issue among existing palaeocolour studies is the lack of contextualisation of different lines of evidence and the wide variety of techniques currently employed. To that end, this review focused on fossil amniotes: (i) produces an overarching framework that appropriately reconstructs palaeocolour by accounting for the chemical signatures of various pigments, morphology and local arrangement of pigment-bearing vesicles, pigment concentration, macroscopic colour patterns, and taphonomy; (ii) provides background context for the evolution of colour-producing mechanisms; and (iii) encourages future efforts in palaeocolour reconstructions particularly of less-studied groups such as non-dinosaur archosaurs and non-archosaur amniotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arindam Roy
- Vertebrate Palaeontology Laboratory, Department of Earth SciencesThe University of Hong KongPokfulamHong Kong SARChina
| | - Michael Pittman
- Vertebrate Palaeontology Laboratory, Department of Earth SciencesThe University of Hong KongPokfulamHong Kong SARChina
| | - Evan T. Saitta
- Integrative Research Center, Section of Earth SciencesField Museum of Natural History1400 S. Lake Shore Drive, ChicagoIL60605U.S.A.
| | - Thomas G. Kaye
- Foundation for Scientific Advancement7023 Alhambra Drive, Sierra VistaAZ85650U.S.A.
| | - Xing Xu
- Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and PaleoanthropologyChinese Academy of Sciences142 Xizhimenwai Street.Beijing100044China
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14
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Saitta ET, Liang R, Lau MCY, Brown CM, Longrich NR, Kaye TG, Novak BJ, Salzberg SL, Norell MA, Abbott GD, Dickinson MR, Vinther J, Bull ID, Brooker RA, Martin P, Donohoe P, Knowles TDJ, Penkman KEH, Onstott T. Cretaceous dinosaur bone contains recent organic material and provides an environment conducive to microbial communities. eLife 2019; 8:e46205. [PMID: 31210129 PMCID: PMC6581507 DOI: 10.7554/elife.46205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2019] [Accepted: 05/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Fossils were thought to lack original organic molecules, but chemical analyses show that some can survive. Dinosaur bone has been proposed to preserve collagen, osteocytes, and blood vessels. However, proteins and labile lipids are diagenetically unstable, and bone is a porous open system, allowing microbial/molecular flux. These 'soft tissues' have been reinterpreted as biofilms. Organic preservation versus contamination of dinosaur bone was examined by freshly excavating, with aseptic protocols, fossils and sedimentary matrix, and chemically/biologically analyzing them. Fossil 'soft tissues' differed from collagen chemically and structurally; while degradation would be expected, the patterns observed did not support this. 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing revealed that dinosaur bone hosted an abundant microbial community different from lesser abundant communities of surrounding sediment. Subsurface dinosaur bone is a relatively fertile habitat, attracting microbes that likely utilize inorganic nutrients and complicate identification of original organic material. There exists potential post-burial taphonomic roles for subsurface microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan T Saitta
- Integrative Research Center, Section of Earth SciencesField Museum of Natural HistoryChicagoUnited States
| | - Renxing Liang
- Department of GeosciencesPrinceton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Maggie CY Lau
- Department of GeosciencesPrinceton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
- Institute of Deep-Sea Science and EngineeringChinese Academy of SciencesSanyaChina
| | - Caleb M Brown
- Royal Tyrrell Museum of PalaeontologyDrumhellerCanada
| | - Nicholas R Longrich
- Department of Biology and BiochemistryUniversity of BathBathUnited Kingdom
- Milner Centre for EvolutionUniversity of BathBathUnited Kingdom
| | - Thomas G Kaye
- Foundation for Scientific AdvancementSierra VistaUnited States
| | - Ben J Novak
- Revive and RestoreSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Steven L Salzberg
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Center for Computational Biology, McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic MedicineJohns Hopkins UniversityBaltimoreUnited States
- Department of Computer Science, Center for Computational Biology, McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic MedicineJohns Hopkins UniversityBaltimoreUnited States
- Department of Biostatistics, Center for Computational Biology, McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic MedicineJohns Hopkins UniversityBaltimoreUnited States
| | - Mark A Norell
- Division of PaleontologyAmerican Museum of Natural HistoryNew YorkUnited States
| | - Geoffrey D Abbott
- School of Natural and Environmental SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUnited Kingdom
| | | | - Jakob Vinther
- School of Earth SciencesUniversity of BristolBristolUnited Kingdom
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of BristolBristolUnited Kingdom
| | - Ian D Bull
- School of ChemistryUniversity of BristolBristolUnited Kingdom
| | | | - Peter Martin
- School of PhysicsUniversity of BristolBristolUnited Kingdom
| | - Paul Donohoe
- School of Natural and Environmental SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUnited Kingdom
| | - Timothy DJ Knowles
- School of ChemistryUniversity of BristolBristolUnited Kingdom
- School of ArtsUniversity of BristolBristolUnited Kingdom
| | | | - Tullis Onstott
- Department of GeosciencesPrinceton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
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15
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Kaye TG, Pittman M, Marugán-Lobón J, Martín-Abad H, Sanz JL, Buscalioni AD. Fully fledged enantiornithine hatchling revealed by Laser-Stimulated Fluorescence supports precocial nesting behavior. Sci Rep 2019; 9:5006. [PMID: 30899080 PMCID: PMC6428842 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-41423-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 03/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Laser-Stimulated Fluorescence (LSF) is used to identify fully fledged feathering in the hatchling enantiornithine bird specimen MPCM-LH-26189, supporting precocial nesting behavior in this extinct group. The LSF results include the detection of a long pennaceous wing feather as well as cover feathers around the body. The LSF technique showed improved detection limits over and above synchrotron and UV imaging which had both been performed on this specimen. The findings underscore the value of using a wide range of analytical techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas G Kaye
- Foundation for Scientific Advancement, Sierra Vista, Arizona, 85650, United States of America.
| | - Michael Pittman
- Vertebrate Palaeontology Laboratory, Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jesús Marugán-Lobón
- Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - Hugo Martín-Abad
- Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - José Luis Sanz
- Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - Angela D Buscalioni
- Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049, Madrid, Spain
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16
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Yang Z, Jiang B, McNamara ME, Kearns SL, Pittman M, Kaye TG, Orr PJ, Xu X, Benton MJ. Pterosaur integumentary structures with complex feather-like branching. Nat Ecol Evol 2018; 3:24-30. [DOI: 10.1038/s41559-018-0728-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
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17
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Falk AR, Kaye TG, Zhou Z, Burnham DA. Laser Fluorescence Illuminates the Soft Tissue and Life Habits of the Early Cretaceous Bird Confuciusornis. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0167284. [PMID: 27973609 PMCID: PMC5156344 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0167284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2016] [Accepted: 11/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In this paper we report the discovery of non-plumage soft tissues in Confuciusornis, a basal beaked bird from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota in northeastern China. Various soft tissues are visualized and interpreted through the use of laser-stimulated fluorescence, providing much novel anatomical information about this early bird, specifically reticulate scales covering the feet, and the well-developed and robust pro- and postpatagium. We also include a direct comparison between the forelimb soft tissues of Confuciusornis and modern avian patagia. Furthermore, apparently large, fleshy phalangeal pads are preserved on the feet. The reticulate scales, robust phalangeal pads as well as the highly recurved pedal claws strongly support Confuciusornis as an arboreal bird. Reticulate scales are more rounded than scutate scales and do not overlap, thus allowing for more flexibility in the toe. The extent of the pro- and postpatagium and the robust primary feather rachises are evidence that Confuciusornis was capable of powered flight, contrary to previous reports suggesting otherwise. A unique avian wing shape is also reconstructed based on plumage preserved. These soft tissues combined indicate an arboreal bird with the capacity for short-term (non-migratory) flight, and suggest that, although primitive, Confuciusornis already possessed many relatively advanced avian anatomical characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda R. Falk
- Centre College, Department of Biology, Danville, KY, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Thomas G. Kaye
- Burke Museum of History and Culture, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Zhonghe Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Beijing, China
| | - David A. Burnham
- University of Kansas Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Institute, Lawrence, KS United States of America
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18
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Vinther J, Nicholls R, Lautenschlager S, Pittman M, Kaye TG, Rayfield E, Mayr G, Cuthill IC. 3D Camouflage in an Ornithischian Dinosaur. Curr Biol 2016; 26:2456-2462. [PMID: 27641767 PMCID: PMC5049543 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2016.06.065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2016] [Revised: 05/20/2016] [Accepted: 06/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Countershading was one of the first proposed mechanisms of camouflage [1, 2]. A dark dorsum and light ventrum counteract the gradient created by illumination from above, obliterating cues to 3D shape [3-6]. Because the optimal countershading varies strongly with light environment [7-9], pigmentation patterns give clues to an animal's habitat. Indeed, comparative evidence from ungulates [9] shows that interspecific variation in countershading matches predictions: in open habitats, where direct overhead sunshine dominates, a sharp dark-light color transition high up the body is evident; in closed habitats (e.g., under forest canopy), diffuse illumination dominates and a smoother dorsoventral gradation is found. We can apply this approach to extinct animals in which the preservation of fossil melanin allows reconstruction of coloration [10-15]. Here we present a study of an exceptionally well-preserved specimen of Psittacosaurus sp. from the Chinese Jehol biota [16, 17]. This Psittacosaurus was countershaded [16] with a light underbelly and tail, whereas the chest was more pigmented. Other patterns resemble disruptive camouflage, whereas the chin and jugal bosses on the face appear dark. We projected the color patterns onto an anatomically accurate life-size model in order to assess their function experimentally. The patterns are compared to the predicted optimal countershading from the measured radiance patterns generated on an identical uniform gray model in direct versus diffuse illumination. These studies suggest that Psittacosaurus sp. inhabited a closed habitat such as a forest with a relatively dense canopy. VIDEO ABSTRACT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Vinther
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK; School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queens Road, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK.
| | - Robert Nicholls
- Palaeocreations, 35 Hopps Road, Kingswood, Bristol BS15 9QQ, UK
| | - Stephan Lautenschlager
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queens Road, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK
| | - Michael Pittman
- Vertebrate Palaeontology Laboratory, Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
| | - Thomas G Kaye
- Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, 4331 Memorial Way Northeast, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Emily Rayfield
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queens Road, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK
| | - Gerald Mayr
- Department of Ornithology, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Innes C Cuthill
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK.
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19
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Kaye TG, Falk AR, Pittman M, Sereno PC, Martin LD, Burnham DA, Gong E, Xu X, Wang Y. Laser-stimulated fluorescence in paleontology. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0125923. [PMID: 26016843 PMCID: PMC4446324 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0125923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2015] [Accepted: 03/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Fluorescence using ultraviolet (UV) light has seen increased use as a tool in paleontology over the last decade. Laser-stimulated fluorescence (LSF) is a next generation technique that is emerging as a way to fluoresce paleontological specimens that remain dark under typical UV. A laser's ability to concentrate very high flux rates both at the macroscopic and microscopic levels results in specimens fluorescing in ways a standard UV bulb cannot induce. Presented here are five paleontological case histories that illustrate the technique across a broad range of specimens and scales. Novel uses such as back-lighting opaque specimens to reveal detail and detection of specimens completely obscured by matrix are highlighted in these examples. The recent cost reductions in medium-power short wavelength lasers and use of standard photographic filters has now made this technique widely accessible to researchers. This technology has the potential to automate multiple aspects of paleontology, including preparation and sorting of microfossils. This represents a highly cost-effective way to address paleontology's preparatory bottleneck.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas G. Kaye
- Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Amanda R. Falk
- Southwestern Oklahoma State University, Department of Biology, Weatherford, Oklahoma, United States of America
| | - Michael Pittman
- Vertebrate Palaeontology Laboratory, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
| | - Paul C. Sereno
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Larry D. Martin
- Division of Vertebrate Paleontology, Biodiversity Institute, Natural History Museum, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, United States of America
| | - David A. Burnham
- Division of Vertebrate Paleontology, Biodiversity Institute, Natural History Museum, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, United States of America
| | - Enpu Gong
- Department of Geology, Northeastern University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Xing Xu
- Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Beijing, China
| | - Yinan Wang
- 1111 Army Navy Drive, Arlington, Virginia, United States of America
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20
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Sereno PC, Garcea EAA, Jousse H, Stojanowski CM, Saliège JF, Maga A, Ide OA, Knudson KJ, Mercuri AM, Stafford TW, Kaye TG, Giraudi C, N'siala IM, Cocca E, Moots HM, Dutheil DB, Stivers JP. Lakeside cemeteries in the Sahara: 5000 years of holocene population and environmental change. PLoS One 2008; 3:e2995. [PMID: 18701936 PMCID: PMC2515196 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0002995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2008] [Accepted: 07/23/2008] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Approximately two hundred human burials were discovered on the edge of a paleolake in Niger that provide a uniquely preserved record of human occupation in the Sahara during the Holocene ( approximately 8000 B.C.E. to the present). Called Gobero, this suite of closely spaced sites chronicles the rapid pace of biosocial change in the southern Sahara in response to severe climatic fluctuation. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Two main occupational phases are identified that correspond with humid intervals in the early and mid-Holocene, based on 78 direct AMS radiocarbon dates on human remains, fauna and artifacts, as well as 9 OSL dates on paleodune sand. The older occupants have craniofacial dimensions that demonstrate similarities with mid-Holocene occupants of the southern Sahara and Late Pleistocene to early Holocene inhabitants of the Maghreb. Their hyperflexed burials compose the earliest cemetery in the Sahara dating to approximately 7500 B.C.E. These early occupants abandon the area under arid conditions and, when humid conditions return approximately 4600 B.C.E., are replaced by a more gracile people with elaborated grave goods including animal bone and ivory ornaments. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE The principal significance of Gobero lies in its extraordinary human, faunal, and archaeological record, from which we conclude the following: The early Holocene occupants at Gobero (7700-6200 B.C.E.) were largely sedentary hunter-fisher-gatherers with lakeside funerary sites that include the earliest recorded cemetery in the Sahara.Principal components analysis of craniometric variables closely allies the early Holocene occupants at Gobero with a skeletally robust, trans-Saharan assemblage of Late Pleistocene to mid-Holocene human populations from the Maghreb and southern Sahara.Gobero was abandoned during a period of severe aridification possibly as long as one millennium (6200-5200 B.C.E).More gracile humans arrived in the mid-Holocene (5200-2500 B.C.E.) employing a diversified subsistence economy based on clams, fish, and savanna vertebrates as well as some cattle husbandry.Population replacement after a harsh arid hiatus is the most likely explanation for the occupational sequence at Gobero.We are just beginning to understand the anatomical and cultural diversity that existed within the Sahara during the Holocene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul C Sereno
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America.
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Abstract
A scanning electron microscope survey was initiated to determine if the previously reported findings of "dinosaurian soft tissues" could be identified in situ within the bones. The results obtained allowed a reinterpretation of the formation and preservation of several types of these "tissues" and their content. Mineralized and non-mineralized coatings were found extensively in the porous trabecular bone of a variety of dinosaur and mammal species across time. They represent bacterial biofilms common throughout nature. Biofilms form endocasts and once dissolved out of the bone, mimic real blood vessels and osteocytes. Bridged trails observed in biofilms indicate that a previously viscous film was populated with swimming bacteria. Carbon dating of the film points to its relatively modern origin. A comparison of infrared spectra of modern biofilms with modern collagen and fossil bone coatings suggests that modern biofilms share a closer molecular make-up than modern collagen to the coatings from fossil bones. Blood cell size iron-oxygen spheres found in the vessels were identified as an oxidized form of formerly pyritic framboids. Our observations appeal to a more conservative explanation for the structures found preserved in fossil bone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas G Kaye
- Department of Paleontology, Burke Museum of Natural History, Seattle, Washington, United States of America.
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