Lara Bennati‐Madureira, Gabriel Leandro Gomes, Kellen Adriana Curci Daros, André Luis da Silva Casas
Little is known about the biology of pygmy sperm whales, Kogia breviceps (De Blainville, 1838), being that most anatomical descriptions for the species derive from necropsy after stranding or from osteological material preserved in museums. This species is rarely seen despite its wide distribution, and its reproductive behaviour is still being investigated. The eventual occurrence of pregnant female strandings and the collection and description of foetuses can give clues about the organisms' mostly unknown early development. However, this type of biological material is extremely rare, limiting anatomical analysis due to the risk of damage or loss. Here, we describe the external and internal anatomy of an 84 cm long K. breviceps foetus. The methods utilised were non‐intrusive, meaning that no incisions were made on the specimen. The foetus was analysed using computed tomography images and a three‐dimensional reconstruction of the skeleton. A great number of features were observed, such as axial and appendicular skeletal structures, internal organs, echolocation apparatus and umbilical cord, as well as diagnostic characters of the species, such as the asymmetrical skull, spermaceti chamber and false gill pigmentation. We suggest that more specimens on different stages of development should be analysed by the same technique, as well as further comparison with specimens from other taxa, in order to facilitate more comparative studies on embryonic and foetal development of cetaceans.
人们对侏儒抹香鲸（Kogia breviceps，De Blainville，1838 年）的生物学知之甚少，对该物种的解剖学描述大多来自搁浅后的尸体解剖或保存在博物馆中的骨骼材料。尽管该物种分布广泛，但却很少见，其繁殖行为仍在研究之中。最终出现的怀孕雌性搁浅以及对胎儿的收集和描述可以提供有关该生物大部分未知的早期发育的线索。然而，这类生物材料极为罕见，由于存在损坏或丢失的风险，限制了解剖分析。在这里，我们描述了一个 84 厘米长的 K. breviceps 胎儿的外部和内部解剖结构。采用的方法是非侵入性的，即不在标本上做任何切口。使用计算机断层扫描图像和骨骼三维重建对胎儿进行了分析。我们观察到了大量特征，如轴向和附着骨骼结构、内脏器官、回声定位装置和脐带，以及该物种的诊断特征，如不对称头骨、精囊腔和假鳃色素沉着。我们建议采用同样的技术对更多不同发育阶段的标本进行分析，并与其他类群的标本作进一步比较，以便对鲸目动物的胚胎和胎儿发育进行更多的比较研究。
{"title":"Anatomical description of a pygmy sperm whale, Kogia breviceps (Cetacea: Kogiidae), pre‐term calf using CT scan and 3D reconstructions","authors":"Lara Bennati‐Madureira, Gabriel Leandro Gomes, Kellen Adriana Curci Daros, André Luis da Silva Casas","doi":"10.1002/ar.25573","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.25573","url":null,"abstract":"Little is known about the biology of pygmy sperm whales, <jats:italic>Kogia breviceps</jats:italic> (De Blainville, 1838), being that most anatomical descriptions for the species derive from necropsy after stranding or from osteological material preserved in museums. This species is rarely seen despite its wide distribution, and its reproductive behaviour is still being investigated. The eventual occurrence of pregnant female strandings and the collection and description of foetuses can give clues about the organisms' mostly unknown early development. However, this type of biological material is extremely rare, limiting anatomical analysis due to the risk of damage or loss. Here, we describe the external and internal anatomy of an 84 cm long <jats:italic>K. breviceps</jats:italic> foetus. The methods utilised were non‐intrusive, meaning that no incisions were made on the specimen. The foetus was analysed using computed tomography images and a three‐dimensional reconstruction of the skeleton. A great number of features were observed, such as axial and appendicular skeletal structures, internal organs, echolocation apparatus and umbilical cord, as well as diagnostic characters of the species, such as the asymmetrical skull, spermaceti chamber and false gill pigmentation. We suggest that more specimens on different stages of development should be analysed by the same technique, as well as further comparison with specimens from other taxa, in order to facilitate more comparative studies on embryonic and foetal development of cetaceans.","PeriodicalId":22308,"journal":{"name":"The Anatomical Record: Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142258703","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Marco Muscioni, Alfio Alessandro Chiarenza, Diego Bladimir Haro Fernandez, Diego Dreossi, Flavio Bacchia, Federico Fanti
Acynodon adriaticus, a small eusuchian from the Late Cretaceous of Italy, is known for its well‐preserved cranial and postcranial material. Despite its excellent preservation, many details remain hidden due to the physical overlap between the elements and matrix obliteration. We used Micro‐CT scans to reveal previously overlooked anatomical features and describe in detail the cranial and dental anatomy of this taxon, shedding new light on its palaeoecology. The holotypic specimen, SC 57248, represents a mature individual exhibiting signs of hyperossification, developed ornamentation, and various pathologies, including jaw arthritis and a possible dental anomaly. Acynodon adriaticus exhibits significant durophagous adaptations, including a robust, brevirostrine skull optimized for powerful biting and stress‐load capacity. Its specialized dentition, lacking caniniform teeth, features anterior chisel‐like teeth and hypertrophic posterior molariforms with thick enamel, indicative of a diet specializing in hard‐shelled prey. The dentition pattern, accelerated molariform replacement rate, and reduced orbit size suggest adaptations for durophagous foraging in turbid, densely vegetated aquatic environments. The paleoecological context during the Late Cretaceous, characterized by increased freshwater habitats and high invertebrate diversity, likely facilitated the evolution of such specialized traits in A. adriaticus. This small crocodylomorph likely foraged slowly in shallow, benthic environments, using its powerful bite to process mollusks and large arthropods. The study of A. adriaticus, along with comparisons with other crocodylomorphs and ecomorphologically similar taxa like Iharkutosuchus makadii and Gnatusuchus pebasensis, provides a valuable morphofunctional model for understanding the evolutionary pathways of extinct crocodylians to durophagy.
{"title":"Cranial anatomy of Acynodon adriaticus and extreme durophagous adaptations in Eusuchia (Reptilia: Crocodylomorpha)","authors":"Marco Muscioni, Alfio Alessandro Chiarenza, Diego Bladimir Haro Fernandez, Diego Dreossi, Flavio Bacchia, Federico Fanti","doi":"10.1002/ar.25574","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.25574","url":null,"abstract":"<jats:italic>Acynodon adriaticus</jats:italic>, a small eusuchian from the Late Cretaceous of Italy, is known for its well‐preserved cranial and postcranial material. Despite its excellent preservation, many details remain hidden due to the physical overlap between the elements and matrix obliteration. We used Micro‐CT scans to reveal previously overlooked anatomical features and describe in detail the cranial and dental anatomy of this taxon, shedding new light on its palaeoecology. The holotypic specimen, SC 57248, represents a mature individual exhibiting signs of hyperossification, developed ornamentation, and various pathologies, including jaw arthritis and a possible dental anomaly. <jats:italic>Acynodon adriaticus</jats:italic> exhibits significant durophagous adaptations, including a robust, brevirostrine skull optimized for powerful biting and stress‐load capacity. Its specialized dentition, lacking caniniform teeth, features anterior chisel‐like teeth and hypertrophic posterior molariforms with thick enamel, indicative of a diet specializing in hard‐shelled prey. The dentition pattern, accelerated molariform replacement rate, and reduced orbit size suggest adaptations for durophagous foraging in turbid, densely vegetated aquatic environments. The paleoecological context during the Late Cretaceous, characterized by increased freshwater habitats and high invertebrate diversity, likely facilitated the evolution of such specialized traits in <jats:italic>A</jats:italic>. <jats:italic>adriaticus</jats:italic>. This small crocodylomorph likely foraged slowly in shallow, benthic environments, using its powerful bite to process mollusks and large arthropods. The study of <jats:italic>A</jats:italic>. <jats:italic>adriaticus</jats:italic>, along with comparisons with other crocodylomorphs and ecomorphologically similar taxa like <jats:italic>Iharkutosuchus makadii</jats:italic> and <jats:italic>Gnatusuchus pebasensis</jats:italic>, provides a valuable morphofunctional model for understanding the evolutionary pathways of extinct crocodylians to durophagy.","PeriodicalId":22308,"journal":{"name":"The Anatomical Record: Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142258704","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
East Mesa, an Eocene locality situated east of the Shara Murun River in the Erlian Basin, is characterized by basal lower red mudstones. However, a distinct depositional hiatus has been observed in these red mudstones, leading to their division into layers 1 and 2. Excitingly, recent discoveries respectively in layers 1 and 2 of the lower red mudstones at the East Mesa include new Glires (Gomphos sp.) and rodents such as Asiomys dawsoni, Gobiocylindrodon cf. G. ulausuensis, and Yuomys sp., marking their first occurrences within these horizons. A comparative analysis of small mammal faunas suggests that layer 1 may correspond to the Arshantan age, while layer 2 indicates a late Irdinmanhan age based on the combination of taxa found.
{"title":"New Glires materials from the East Mesa, Erlian Basin (Nei Mongol, China)","authors":"Qian Li","doi":"10.1002/ar.25462","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.25462","url":null,"abstract":"East Mesa, an Eocene locality situated east of the Shara Murun River in the Erlian Basin, is characterized by basal lower red mudstones. However, a distinct depositional hiatus has been observed in these red mudstones, leading to their division into layers 1 and 2. Excitingly, recent discoveries respectively in layers 1 and 2 of the lower red mudstones at the East Mesa include new Glires (<jats:italic>Gomphos</jats:italic> sp.) and rodents such as <jats:italic>Asiomys dawsoni</jats:italic>, <jats:italic>Gobiocylindrodon</jats:italic> cf. <jats:italic>G. ulausuensis</jats:italic>, and <jats:italic>Yuomys</jats:italic> sp., marking their first occurrences within these horizons. A comparative analysis of small mammal faunas suggests that layer 1 may correspond to the Arshantan age, while layer 2 indicates a late Irdinmanhan age based on the combination of taxa found.","PeriodicalId":22308,"journal":{"name":"The Anatomical Record: Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140830315","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Margaret I. Hall, Ana Suarez‐Venot, Tyler Lindvall, Jeffrey H. Plochocki, Aryeh Grossman, Jose R. Rodriguez‐Sosa, Georgina M. Voegele, Dominik R. Valdez, Justin A. Georgi
Mammary glands define mammals as a group, yet a comprehensive anatomical description of the mammary gland does not exist for almost any mammalian species. In humans, the anatomical and surgical literature provide conflicting and incomplete descriptions of the gross anatomy of the breast. We dissected 9 male and 15 female human body donors to clarify this gross anatomy. We found that, like other epidermally derived glands of the body, the mammary glandular tissue is constrained to a membrane‐bound, central structure referred to as the corpus mammae in the surgical literature, and not dispersed throughout the breast as typically described in the anatomical literature. The major fasciae of the human anterior body wall, including the superficial fatty Camper's fascia and the deeper membranous Scarpa's fascia, both contribute to the structure of the breast. This anatomical arrangement suggests that, as the mammary gland invaginates posteriorly from the integument during embryological development, the mammary fat pad most likely derives from Camper's fascia, and growth of Scarpa's fascia around this fat pad forms the anterior and posterior lamellae of the breast pocket. Anteriorly, Scarpa's fascia becomes a double layer that creates the surface structure of the breast. Posteriorly, Scarpa's fascia forms a circummammary ligament that (1) stabilizes the breast against the thoracic wall and (2) is continuous with Scarpa's fascia on the rest of the anterior body wall. The suspensory ligaments of the breast represent the typical retinaculae cuti found consistently throughout the human body wall, and do not directly attach to the skin. Instead, these retinaculae attach to the anterior or posterior lamella of Scarpa's fascia.
{"title":"A reinterpretation of human breast anatomy includes all the layers of the anterior body wall","authors":"Margaret I. Hall, Ana Suarez‐Venot, Tyler Lindvall, Jeffrey H. Plochocki, Aryeh Grossman, Jose R. Rodriguez‐Sosa, Georgina M. Voegele, Dominik R. Valdez, Justin A. Georgi","doi":"10.1002/ar.25456","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.25456","url":null,"abstract":"Mammary glands define mammals as a group, yet a comprehensive anatomical description of the mammary gland does not exist for almost any mammalian species. In humans, the anatomical and surgical literature provide conflicting and incomplete descriptions of the gross anatomy of the breast. We dissected 9 male and 15 female human body donors to clarify this gross anatomy. We found that, like other epidermally derived glands of the body, the mammary glandular tissue is constrained to a membrane‐bound, central structure referred to as the corpus mammae in the surgical literature, and not dispersed throughout the breast as typically described in the anatomical literature. The major fasciae of the human anterior body wall, including the superficial fatty Camper's fascia and the deeper membranous Scarpa's fascia, both contribute to the structure of the breast. This anatomical arrangement suggests that, as the mammary gland invaginates posteriorly from the integument during embryological development, the mammary fat pad most likely derives from Camper's fascia, and growth of Scarpa's fascia around this fat pad forms the anterior and posterior lamellae of the breast pocket. Anteriorly, Scarpa's fascia becomes a double layer that creates the surface structure of the breast. Posteriorly, Scarpa's fascia forms a circummammary ligament that (1) stabilizes the breast against the thoracic wall and (2) is continuous with Scarpa's fascia on the rest of the anterior body wall. The suspensory ligaments of the breast represent the typical retinaculae cuti found consistently throughout the human body wall, and do not directly attach to the skin. Instead, these retinaculae attach to the anterior or posterior lamella of Scarpa's fascia.","PeriodicalId":22308,"journal":{"name":"The Anatomical Record: Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140830305","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kai R. Caspar, Cristián Gutiérrez‐Ibáñez, Ornella C. Bertrand, Thomas Carr, Jennifer A. D. Colbourne, Arthur Erb, Hady George, Thomas R. Holtz, Darren Naish, Douglas R. Wylie, Grant R. Hurlburt
Recent years have seen increasing scientific interest in whether neuron counts can act as correlates of diverse biological phenomena. Lately, Herculano‐Houzel (2023) argued that fossil endocasts and comparative neurological data from extant sauropsids allow to reconstruct telencephalic neuron counts in Mesozoic dinosaurs and pterosaurs, which might act as proxies for behaviors and life history traits in these animals. According to this analysis, large theropods such as Tyrannosaurus rex were long‐lived, exceptionally intelligent animals equipped with “macaque‐ or baboon‐like cognition”, whereas sauropods and most ornithischian dinosaurs would have displayed significantly smaller brains and an ectothermic physiology. Besides challenging established views on Mesozoic dinosaur biology, these claims raise questions on whether neuron count estimates could benefit research on fossil animals in general. Here, we address these findings by revisiting Herculano‐Houzel's (2023) work, identifying several crucial shortcomings regarding analysis and interpretation. We present revised estimates of encephalization and telencephalic neuron counts in dinosaurs, which we derive from phylogenetically informed modeling and an amended dataset of endocranial measurements. For large‐bodied theropods in particular, we recover significantly lower neuron counts than previously proposed. Furthermore, we review the suitability of neurological variables such as neuron numbers and relative brain size to predict cognitive complexity, metabolic rate and life history traits in dinosaurs, coming to the conclusion that they are flawed proxies for these biological phenomena. Instead of relying on such neurological estimates when reconstructing Mesozoic dinosaur biology, we argue that integrative studies are needed to approach this complex subject.
{"title":"How smart was T. rex? Testing claims of exceptional cognition in dinosaurs and the application of neuron count estimates in palaeontological research","authors":"Kai R. Caspar, Cristián Gutiérrez‐Ibáñez, Ornella C. Bertrand, Thomas Carr, Jennifer A. D. Colbourne, Arthur Erb, Hady George, Thomas R. Holtz, Darren Naish, Douglas R. Wylie, Grant R. Hurlburt","doi":"10.1002/ar.25459","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.25459","url":null,"abstract":"Recent years have seen increasing scientific interest in whether neuron counts can act as correlates of diverse biological phenomena. Lately, Herculano‐Houzel (2023) argued that fossil endocasts and comparative neurological data from extant sauropsids allow to reconstruct telencephalic neuron counts in Mesozoic dinosaurs and pterosaurs, which might act as proxies for behaviors and life history traits in these animals. According to this analysis, large theropods such as <jats:italic>Tyrannosaurus rex</jats:italic> were long‐lived, exceptionally intelligent animals equipped with “macaque‐ or baboon‐like cognition”, whereas sauropods and most ornithischian dinosaurs would have displayed significantly smaller brains and an ectothermic physiology. Besides challenging established views on Mesozoic dinosaur biology, these claims raise questions on whether neuron count estimates could benefit research on fossil animals in general. Here, we address these findings by revisiting Herculano‐Houzel's (2023) work, identifying several crucial shortcomings regarding analysis and interpretation. We present revised estimates of encephalization and telencephalic neuron counts in dinosaurs, which we derive from phylogenetically informed modeling and an amended dataset of endocranial measurements. For large‐bodied theropods in particular, we recover significantly lower neuron counts than previously proposed. Furthermore, we review the suitability of neurological variables such as neuron numbers and relative brain size to predict cognitive complexity, metabolic rate and life history traits in dinosaurs, coming to the conclusion that they are flawed proxies for these biological phenomena. Instead of relying on such neurological estimates when reconstructing Mesozoic dinosaur biology, we argue that integrative studies are needed to approach this complex subject.","PeriodicalId":22308,"journal":{"name":"The Anatomical Record: Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140806803","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Elongated upper canine teeth, commonly known as saber‐teeth, have evolved three times within the sub‐order Feliformia. The species that wielded them flourished throughout the Cenozoic and have historically been separated into two morphological groups: the dirk‐tooths with longer, flatter canines, and the scimitar‐tooths with shorter, serrated teeth. However, quantitative morphological analysis has not been conducted on these teeth to determine the true amount of diversity within the group, and how the upper canine morphology of extant feliforms compared to their extinct relatives has also not been explored. Using Geometric Morphometric analysis, it is shown that saber‐tooth upper canine morphology is exceptionally diverse, with no extant clade having all its members occupy the same morphospace based on tooth length and curvature. Instead, a neutral basal morphospace is observed for all groups and diversification from this basal position is seen as species become more derived. A distinct and consistent scimitar tooth morphology is also not observed within the morphospace. When compared with extant taxa, several saber‐tooth species are seen to be morphologically similar to extant feliforms, several of which exhibit novel dietary strategies in comparison to the obligate carnivore felids. Biomechanical analyses of different actual and theoretical tooth shapes demonstrate that saber‐teeth upper canines further represent a functional compromise between sharpness, curvature, and length on the one hand, and robustness and material investment on the other.
{"title":"Morphological diversity of saber‐tooth upper canines and its functional implications","authors":"Caitlin D. Shelbourne, Stephan Lautenschlager","doi":"10.1002/ar.25458","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.25458","url":null,"abstract":"Elongated upper canine teeth, commonly known as saber‐teeth, have evolved three times within the sub‐order Feliformia. The species that wielded them flourished throughout the Cenozoic and have historically been separated into two morphological groups: the dirk‐tooths with longer, flatter canines, and the scimitar‐tooths with shorter, serrated teeth. However, quantitative morphological analysis has not been conducted on these teeth to determine the true amount of diversity within the group, and how the upper canine morphology of extant feliforms compared to their extinct relatives has also not been explored. Using Geometric Morphometric analysis, it is shown that saber‐tooth upper canine morphology is exceptionally diverse, with no extant clade having all its members occupy the same morphospace based on tooth length and curvature. Instead, a neutral basal morphospace is observed for all groups and diversification from this basal position is seen as species become more derived. A distinct and consistent scimitar tooth morphology is also not observed within the morphospace. When compared with extant taxa, several saber‐tooth species are seen to be morphologically similar to extant feliforms, several of which exhibit novel dietary strategies in comparison to the obligate carnivore felids. Biomechanical analyses of different actual and theoretical tooth shapes demonstrate that saber‐teeth upper canines further represent a functional compromise between sharpness, curvature, and length on the one hand, and robustness and material investment on the other.","PeriodicalId":22308,"journal":{"name":"The Anatomical Record: Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140636422","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Holly N. Woodward, Paul Aubier, Mariana Valéria Araújo de Sena, Jorge Cubo
The clade Pseudosuchia appeared 250 million years ago. The exclusively semi‐aquatic Crocodylia, which includes crocodiles, alligators, caimans, and gharials is the only surviving subgroup. Investigating Crocodylia biology is pivotal for inferring traits of extinct pseudosuchians. Alligator femur length is widely used for modeling pseudosuchian body mass, but the regression is influenced by sex and captivity status, leading to potential accuracy problems. An alternative model results from the correlation between alligator femur volume and body mass, which is unaffected by those covariates. Here, an alligator femur volume‐based regression is applied to estimate the masses of non‐crocodylian pseudosuchians, encompassing goniopholids, dyrosaurs, notosuchians, and thalattosuchians. For each, femur volume as the predictor yields lower body masses than does femur length. Morphological resemblances to existing crocodylians support the inference that extinct goniopholids and dyrosaurs were semi‐aquatic. Therefore, body masses predicted from femur length and volume should be reasonable, although larger body masses obtained from femur length may reflect sensitivity to sex or environmental factors. Fully terrestrial notosuchians had proportionately longer femora for their body sizes compared to semi‐aquatic crocodylians, suggesting that the higher body masses predicted from alligator femur length are overestimates. Fully aquatic thalattosuchians, skeletally adapted for buoyancy and with reduced reliance on the femur for locomotion, pose challenges for both femur length and volume‐based models. The results of this study advocate for the use of femur volume to predict body mass, particularly for semi‐aquatic and terrestrial pseudosuchians, and encourage further exploration of volumetric models as body size predictors for extinct vertebrates.
{"title":"Evaluating extinct pseudosuchian body mass estimates using a femur volume‐based model","authors":"Holly N. Woodward, Paul Aubier, Mariana Valéria Araújo de Sena, Jorge Cubo","doi":"10.1002/ar.25452","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.25452","url":null,"abstract":"The clade Pseudosuchia appeared 250 million years ago. The exclusively semi‐aquatic Crocodylia, which includes crocodiles, alligators, caimans, and gharials is the only surviving subgroup. Investigating Crocodylia biology is pivotal for inferring traits of extinct pseudosuchians. <jats:italic>Alligator</jats:italic> femur length is widely used for modeling pseudosuchian body mass, but the regression is influenced by sex and captivity status, leading to potential accuracy problems. An alternative model results from the correlation between alligator femur volume and body mass, which is unaffected by those covariates. Here, an alligator femur volume‐based regression is applied to estimate the masses of non‐crocodylian pseudosuchians, encompassing goniopholids, dyrosaurs, notosuchians, and thalattosuchians. For each, femur volume as the predictor yields lower body masses than does femur length. Morphological resemblances to existing crocodylians support the inference that extinct goniopholids and dyrosaurs were semi‐aquatic. Therefore, body masses predicted from femur length and volume should be reasonable, although larger body masses obtained from femur length may reflect sensitivity to sex or environmental factors. Fully terrestrial notosuchians had proportionately longer femora for their body sizes compared to semi‐aquatic crocodylians, suggesting that the higher body masses predicted from alligator femur length are overestimates. Fully aquatic thalattosuchians, skeletally adapted for buoyancy and with reduced reliance on the femur for locomotion, pose challenges for both femur length and volume‐based models. The results of this study advocate for the use of femur volume to predict body mass, particularly for semi‐aquatic and terrestrial pseudosuchians, and encourage further exploration of volumetric models as body size predictors for extinct vertebrates.","PeriodicalId":22308,"journal":{"name":"The Anatomical Record: Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140623020","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Bayram Bayram, Narin Liman, Emel Alan, Hakan Sağsöz
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family members are responsible for endothelial cells' growth, proliferation, migration, angiogenesis, vascular permeability, and differentiation and proliferation of non-endothelial cell types. VEGF and its receptors are found in mammalian lymphoid organs. The present study was conceived to determine (a) the presence and localization of angiogenic VEGF and its receptors (Fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 [Flt1/fms], fetal liver kinase 1 [Flk1]/kinase insert domain receptor [KDR], Fms-like tyrosine kinase 4 [Flt4]) and vascular endothelial growth inhibitor (VEGI) in the quail spleen; and (b) whether their expressions in the spleen components change during the post-hatching growth of the organ, using immunohistochemistry. Immunohistochemical stainings showed that VEGI, VEGF, and VEGF receptors were expressed in many components, including the vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells, ellipsoid-associated cells (EACs), and immune cells, of quail spleen and that VEGF and its receptors' immunostaining intensity scores (ISs) varied depending on the post-hatching growth period, while VEGI-IS did not change. In addition, ISs of VEGI, VEGF, Flt1/fms, and Flt4 in EACs were weak to moderate, while flk1/KDR-IS in EACs adjacent to the capsule of Schweigger-Seidel sheaths (ellipsoids) was higher than other proteins, supports a more important and specific role of Flk1/KDR in the EAC function. These specific expressions of VEGI, VEGF, flt1/fms, flk1/KDR, and flt4 proteins in splenic cell types suggest their particular roles, in the functional development of splenic components and thus, are critical to post-hatching maturation of quail spleen. These findings indicate that the expression levels of VEGF, Flt1/fms, and Flt4, except Flk1/KDR, are low in the quail spleen, and only a few components of the spleen express VEGF, Flt1/fms, and Flt4 under normal conditions.
{"title":"Angiogenic and anti-angiogenic factors during the post-hatching growth of the quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) spleen","authors":"Bayram Bayram, Narin Liman, Emel Alan, Hakan Sağsöz","doi":"10.1002/ar.25454","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.25454","url":null,"abstract":"Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family members are responsible for endothelial cells' growth, proliferation, migration, angiogenesis, vascular permeability, and differentiation and proliferation of non-endothelial cell types. VEGF and its receptors are found in mammalian lymphoid organs. The present study was conceived to determine (a) the presence and localization of angiogenic VEGF and its receptors (Fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 [Flt1/fms], fetal liver kinase 1 [Flk1]/kinase insert domain receptor [KDR], Fms-like tyrosine kinase 4 [Flt4]) and vascular endothelial growth inhibitor (VEGI) in the quail spleen; and (b) whether their expressions in the spleen components change during the post-hatching growth of the organ, using immunohistochemistry. Immunohistochemical stainings showed that VEGI, VEGF, and VEGF receptors were expressed in many components, including the vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells, ellipsoid-associated cells (EACs), and immune cells, of quail spleen and that VEGF and its receptors' immunostaining intensity scores (ISs) varied depending on the post-hatching growth period, while VEGI-IS did not change. In addition, ISs of VEGI, VEGF, Flt1/fms, and Flt4 in EACs were weak to moderate, while flk1/KDR-IS in EACs adjacent to the capsule of Schweigger-Seidel sheaths (ellipsoids) was higher than other proteins, supports a more important and specific role of Flk1/KDR in the EAC function. These specific expressions of VEGI, VEGF, flt1/fms, flk1/KDR, and flt4 proteins in splenic cell types suggest their particular roles, in the functional development of splenic components and thus, are critical to post-hatching maturation of quail spleen. These findings indicate that the expression levels of VEGF, Flt1/fms, and Flt4, except Flk1/KDR, are low in the quail spleen, and only a few components of the spleen express VEGF, Flt1/fms, and Flt4 under normal conditions.","PeriodicalId":22308,"journal":{"name":"The Anatomical Record: Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140560361","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Recent studies have suggested a connection between disturbances of the apelin system and various cardiac pathologies, including hypertension, heart failure, and atherosclerosis. Vascular endothelial growth factor is crucial for cardiac homeostasis as a critical molecule in cardiac angiogenesis. Neuronal nitric oxide synthase is an essential enzyme producing nitric oxide, a key regulator of vascular tone. The present study aims to shed light upon the complex interactions between these three vital signaling molecules and examine their changes with the progression of hypertensive heart disease. We used two groups of spontaneously hypertensive rats and age‐matched Wistar rats as controls. The expression of the apelin receptor, vascular endothelial growth factor, and neuronal nitric oxide synthase were assessed immunohistochemically. We used capillary density and cross‐sectional area of the cardiomyocytes as quantitative parameters of cardiac hypertrophy. Immunoreactivity of the molecules was more potent in both ventricles of spontaneously hypertensive rats compared with age‐matched controls. However, capillary density was lower in both ventricles of the two age groups of spontaneously hypertensive rats compared with controls, and the difference was statistically significant. In addition, the cross‐sectional area of the cardiomyocytes was higher in both ventricles of the two age groups of spontaneously hypertensive rats compared with controls, and the difference was statistically significant. Our study suggests a potential link between the apelin receptor, vascular endothelial growth factor, and neuronal nitric oxide synthase in cardiac homeostasis and the hypertensive myocardium. Nevertheless, further research is required to better comprehend these interactions and their potential therapeutic implications.
{"title":"The vascular footprint in cardiac homeostasis and hypertensive heart disease—A link between apelin receptor, vascular endothelial growth factor, and neuronal nitric oxide synthase","authors":"Alexandar Iliev, Lyubomir Gaydarski, Georgi Kotov, Boycho Landzhov, Vidin Kirkov, Stancho Stanchev","doi":"10.1002/ar.25453","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.25453","url":null,"abstract":"Recent studies have suggested a connection between disturbances of the apelin system and various cardiac pathologies, including hypertension, heart failure, and atherosclerosis. Vascular endothelial growth factor is crucial for cardiac homeostasis as a critical molecule in cardiac angiogenesis. Neuronal nitric oxide synthase is an essential enzyme producing nitric oxide, a key regulator of vascular tone. The present study aims to shed light upon the complex interactions between these three vital signaling molecules and examine their changes with the progression of hypertensive heart disease. We used two groups of spontaneously hypertensive rats and age‐matched Wistar rats as controls. The expression of the apelin receptor, vascular endothelial growth factor, and neuronal nitric oxide synthase were assessed immunohistochemically. We used capillary density and cross‐sectional area of the cardiomyocytes as quantitative parameters of cardiac hypertrophy. Immunoreactivity of the molecules was more potent in both ventricles of spontaneously hypertensive rats compared with age‐matched controls. However, capillary density was lower in both ventricles of the two age groups of spontaneously hypertensive rats compared with controls, and the difference was statistically significant. In addition, the cross‐sectional area of the cardiomyocytes was higher in both ventricles of the two age groups of spontaneously hypertensive rats compared with controls, and the difference was statistically significant. Our study suggests a potential link between the apelin receptor, vascular endothelial growth factor, and neuronal nitric oxide synthase in cardiac homeostasis and the hypertensive myocardium. Nevertheless, further research is required to better comprehend these interactions and their potential therapeutic implications.","PeriodicalId":22308,"journal":{"name":"The Anatomical Record: Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140560354","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Clara Araújo Salvino, Cristian Hernandéz‐Morales, Juan Diego Daza, Pedro M. Sales Nunes
The atlas and axis are the first two vertebrae from the cervical series; these two vertebrae are responsible for neck flexion, extension, and rotation movements, while providing insertion points for muscles and tendons. Amphisbaenia is a group of fossorial squamates known for having four distinctive head shapes, which are related to different excavation methods. However, little is known about the relationship between these different digging patterns and the anatomy and evolution of the atlantoaxial complex. In this study, we used computed microtomography data to describe in detail of the atlantoaxial complex for 15 species, belonging to all six current families of Amphisbaenia. Furthermore, we evaluate evolutionary scenarios of selected characters related to the atlantoaxial complex in the most recent phylogeny for Amphisbaenia, using the criteria of parsimony and maximum likelihood. Our results indicate that the evolutionary pattern of the atlantoaxial complex presents a diversification in its morphology that is not always correlated with the shape of the head. This analysis reinforces the hypothesis of remarkable morphological convergences in the evolutionary history of Amphisbaenia. Additionally, some of the characters studied may represent independent evolution through convergence in some cases (e.g., horizontal axis of the neural column) and parallelism in others (e.g., present or absent from the transverse process).
{"title":"Comparative anatomy and evolution of the atlantoaxial complex in the fossorial lineage Amphisbaenia (Squamata: Lacertoidea)","authors":"Clara Araújo Salvino, Cristian Hernandéz‐Morales, Juan Diego Daza, Pedro M. Sales Nunes","doi":"10.1002/ar.25448","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.25448","url":null,"abstract":"The atlas and axis are the first two vertebrae from the cervical series; these two vertebrae are responsible for neck flexion, extension, and rotation movements, while providing insertion points for muscles and tendons. Amphisbaenia is a group of fossorial squamates known for having four distinctive head shapes, which are related to different excavation methods. However, little is known about the relationship between these different digging patterns and the anatomy and evolution of the atlantoaxial complex. In this study, we used computed microtomography data to describe in detail of the atlantoaxial complex for 15 species, belonging to all six current families of Amphisbaenia. Furthermore, we evaluate evolutionary scenarios of selected characters related to the atlantoaxial complex in the most recent phylogeny for Amphisbaenia, using the criteria of parsimony and maximum likelihood. Our results indicate that the evolutionary pattern of the atlantoaxial complex presents a diversification in its morphology that is not always correlated with the shape of the head. This analysis reinforces the hypothesis of remarkable morphological convergences in the evolutionary history of Amphisbaenia. Additionally, some of the characters studied may represent independent evolution through convergence in some cases (e.g., horizontal axis of the neural column) and parallelism in others (e.g., present or absent from the transverse process).","PeriodicalId":22308,"journal":{"name":"The Anatomical Record: Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140560550","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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