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Mori T, Riga A, Aytek AI, Harvati K. Virtual reconstruction and geometric morphometric analysis of the Kocabaş hominin fossil from Turkey: Implications for taxonomy and evolutionary significance. J Hum Evol 2024; 191:103517. [PMID: 38781712 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2024.103517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
The Kocabaş specimen comes from a travertine quarry near the homonymous village in the Denizli basin (Turkey). The specimen comprises three main fragments: portions of the right and left parietal and left and right parts of the frontal bone. The fossil was assumed to belong to the Homo erectus s.l. hypodigm by some authors, whereas others see similarities with Middle Pleistocene fossils (Broken Hill 1/Kabwe, Bodo, or Ceprano). Here, we present the first attempt to make a complete reconstruction of the missing medial portion of the frontal bone and a comprehensive geometric morphometric analysis of this bone. We restored the calotte by aligning and mirroring the three preserved fragments. Afterward, we restored the missing portion by applying the thin-plate spline interpolation algorithm of target fossils onto the reconstructed Kocabaş specimen. For the geometric morphometric analyses, we collected 80 landmarks on the frontal bone (11 osteometric points, 14 bilateral curve semilandmarks, and 41 surface semilandmarks). The comparative sample includes 21 fossils from different chronological periods and geographical areas and 30 adult modern humans from different populations. Shape analyses highlighted the presence in Kocabaş of features usually related to Middle Pleistocene Homo, such as a developed supraorbital torus associated with a relatively short frontal squama and reduced post-toral sulcus. Cluster analysis and linear discriminant analysis classification procedure suggest Kocabaş being part of the same taxonomic unit of Eurasian and African Middle Pleistocene Homo. In light of our results, we consider that attributing the Kocabaş hominin to H. erectus s.l. may be unwarranted. Results of our analyses are compatible with different evolutionary scenarios, but a more precise chronological framework is needed for a thorough discussion of the evolutionary significance of this specimen. Future work should clarify its geological age, given uncertainties regarding its stratigraphic provenance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommaso Mori
- Paleoanthropology, Institute for Archaeological Sciences and Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Rümelinstraasse 23, 72072, Tübingen, Germany; Anthropology Laboratory, Department of Biology, University of Florence, Via del Proconsolo 12, 50122, Florence, Italy.
| | - Alessandro Riga
- Anthropology Laboratory, Department of Biology, University of Florence, Via del Proconsolo 12, 50122, Florence, Italy
| | - Ahmet Ihsan Aytek
- Department of Anthropology, Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Faculty of Arts and Science, TR-15030, Burdur, Turkey
| | - Katerina Harvati
- Paleoanthropology, Institute for Archaeological Sciences and Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Rümelinstraasse 23, 72072, Tübingen, Germany; DFG Centre for Advanced Studies "Words, Bones, Genes, Tools", Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Rümelinstraasse 23, 72072, Tübingen, Germany
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Riga A, Profico A, Mori T, Frittitta R, Nava A, Mancini L, Dreossi D, Radovčić D, Rice H, Bondioli L, Marchi D. The Middle Pleistocene human metatarsal from Sedia del Diavolo (Rome, Italy). Sci Rep 2024; 14:6024. [PMID: 38472259 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55045-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The peopling of Europe during the Middle Pleistocene is a debated topic among paleoanthropologists. Some authors suggest the coexistence of multiple human lineages in this period, while others propose a single evolving lineage from Homo heidelbergensis to Homo neanderthalensis. The recent reassessment of the stratigraphy at the Sedia del Diavolo (SdD) site (Latium, Italy), now dated to the beginning of marine isotope stage (MIS) 8, calls for a revision of the human fossils from the site. In this paper, we present the morphometric, biomechanical and palaeopathological study of the second right metatarsal SdD2, to both re-evaluate its taxonomical affinities and possibly determine the levels of physical activity experienced by the individual during lifetime. Results demonstrate the persistence of archaic features in SdD2 suggesting new insights into the technology and hunting strategies adopted by Homo between MIS 9 and MIS 8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Riga
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | | | - Tommaso Mori
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | | | - Alessia Nava
- Department of Odontostomatological and Maxillofacial Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Lucia Mancini
- ZAG-Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute, Ljubliana, Slovenia
| | - Diego Dreossi
- Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.P.A., Basovizza, Trieste, Italy
| | - Davorka Radovčić
- Department of Geology and Paleontology, Croatian Natural History Museum, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Hannah Rice
- Department of Physical Performance, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Luca Bondioli
- Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Service of Bioarchaeology, Museum of Civilizations, Rome, Italy
| | - Damiano Marchi
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
- Centre for the Exploration of Deep Human Journey, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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Hautavoine H, Arnaud J, Balzeau A, Mounier A. Quantifying hominin morphological diversity at the end of the middle Pleistocene: Implications for the origin of Homo sapiens. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2024:e24915. [PMID: 38444398 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The Middle Pleistocene (MP) saw the emergence of new species of hominins: Homo sapiens in Africa, H. neanderthalensis, and possibly Denisovans in Eurasia, whose most recent common ancestor is thought to have lived in Africa around 600 ka ago. However, hominin remains from this period present a wide range of morphological variation making it difficult to securely determine their taxonomic attribution and their phylogenetic position within the Homo genus. This study proposes to reconsider the phenetic relationships between MP hominin fossils in order to clarify evolutionary trends and contacts between the populations they represent. MATERIALS AND METHODS We used a Geometric Morphometrics approach to quantify the morphological variation of the calvarium of controversial MP specimens from Africa and Eurasia by using a comparative sample that can be divided into 5 groups: H. ergaster, H. erectus, H. neanderthalensis, and H. sapiens, as well as individuals from current modern human populations. We performed a Generalized Procrustes Analysis, a Principal Component Analysis, and Multinomial Principal Component Logistic Regressions to determine the phenetic affinities of the controversial Middle Pleistocene specimens with the other groups. RESULTS MP African and Eurasian specimens represent several populations, some of which show strong affinities with H. neanderthalensis in Europe or H. sapiens in Africa, others presenting multiple affinities. DISCUSSION These MP populations might have contributed to the emergence of these two species in different proportions. This study proposes a new framework for the human evolutionary history during the MP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Hautavoine
- PaléoFED, Histoire Naturelle de l'Homme Préhistorique (HNHP, UMR 7194), MNHN/CNRS/UPVD, Paris, France
| | - Julie Arnaud
- PaléoFED, Histoire Naturelle de l'Homme Préhistorique (HNHP, UMR 7194), MNHN/CNRS/UPVD, Paris, France
- Dipartimento di Studi Umanistici, Università degli Studi di Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Antoine Balzeau
- PaléoFED, Histoire Naturelle de l'Homme Préhistorique (HNHP, UMR 7194), MNHN/CNRS/UPVD, Paris, France
- Département de Zoologie Africaine, Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale, Tervuren, Belgium
| | - Aurélien Mounier
- PaléoFED, Histoire Naturelle de l'Homme Préhistorique (HNHP, UMR 7194), MNHN/CNRS/UPVD, Paris, France
- Turkana Basin Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
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Profico A, Buzi C, Di Vincenzo F, Boggioni M, Borsato A, Boschian G, Marchi D, Micheli M, Cecchi JM, Samadelli M, Tafuri MA, Arsuaga JL, Manzi G. Virtual excavation and analysis of the early Neanderthal cranium from Altamura (Italy). Commun Biol 2023; 6:316. [PMID: 36964200 PMCID: PMC10039001 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04644-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Complete Neanderthal skeletons are almost unique findings. A very well-preserved specimen of this kind was discovered in 1993 in the deepest recesses of a karstic system near the town of Altamura in Southern Italy. We present here a detailed description of the cranium, after we virtually extracted it from the surrounding stalagmites and stalactites. The morphology of the Altamura cranium fits within the Neanderthal variability, though it retains features occurring in more archaic European samples. Some of these features were never observed in Homo neanderthalensis, i.e. in fossil specimens dated between 300 and 40 ka. Considering the U-Th age we previously obtained (>130 ka), the morphology of Altamura suggests that the archaic traits it retains may have been originated by geographic isolation of the early Neanderthal populations from Southern Italy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Profico
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, 00185, Italy
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, 56126, Italy
| | - Costantino Buzi
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, 00185, Italy
- Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolution (IPHES-CERCA), Tarragona, 43005, Spain
- Àrea de Prehistòria, Facultat de Lletres, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, 43005, Spain
| | - Fabio Di Vincenzo
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, 00185, Italy
- Natural History Museum - Palazzo Nonfinito, University of Florence, Florence, 50122, Italy
| | - Marco Boggioni
- School of Paleoanthropology, University of Perugia, Perugia, 06123, Italy
| | - Andrea Borsato
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | - Giovanni Boschian
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, 56126, Italy
- Palaeo-Research Institute, University of Johannesburg, P.O. Box 524, Johannesburg - Auckland Park, 2006, South Africa
| | - Damiano Marchi
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, 56126, Italy
- Centre for the Exploration of the Deep Human Journey, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, Wits, Johannesburg, 2050, South Africa
| | - Mario Micheli
- Department of Humanities, Roma Tre University, Rome, 00185, Italy
| | | | - Marco Samadelli
- Institute for Mummy Studies, EURAC Research, Bolzano, 39100, Italy
| | - Mary Anne Tafuri
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, 00185, Italy
| | - Juan Luis Arsuaga
- Centro Mixto UCM-ISCIII de Evolución y Comportamiento Humanos, Madrid, 28029, Spain
- Departamento de Paleontología, Facultad Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, 28040, Spain
| | - Giorgio Manzi
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, 00185, Italy.
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Marcé-Nogué J. One step further in biomechanical models in palaeontology: a nonlinear finite element analysis review. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13890. [PMID: 35966920 PMCID: PMC9373974 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Finite element analysis (FEA) is no longer a new technique in the fields of palaeontology, anthropology, and evolutionary biology. It is nowadays a well-established technique within the virtual functional-morphology toolkit. However, almost all the works published in these fields have only applied the most basic FEA tools i.e., linear materials in static structural problems. Linear and static approximations are commonly used because they are computationally less expensive, and the error associated with these assumptions can be accepted. Nonetheless, nonlinearities are natural to be used in biomechanical models especially when modelling soft tissues, establish contacts between separated bones or the inclusion of buckling results. The aim of this review is to, firstly, highlight the usefulness of non-linearities and secondly, showcase these FEA tool to researchers that work in functional morphology and biomechanics, as non-linearities can improve their FEA models by widening the possible applications and topics that currently are not used in palaeontology and anthropology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Marcé-Nogué
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universitat Rovira i Virgili Tarragona, Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain,Institut Català de Paleontologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain
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6
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Demuth OE, Benito J, Tschopp E, Lautenschlager S, Mallison H, Heeb N, Field DJ. Topology-Based Three-Dimensional Reconstruction of Delicate Skeletal Fossil Remains and the Quantification of Their Taphonomic Deformation. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.828006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Taphonomic and diagenetic processes inevitably distort the original skeletal morphology of fossil vertebrate remains. Key aspects of palaeobiological datasets may be directly impacted by such morphological deformation, such as taxonomic diagnoses and phylogenetic hypotheses, interpretations of the shape and orientation of anatomical structures, and assessments of interspecific and intraspecific variation. In order to overcome these ubiquitous challenges we present a novel reconstruction workflow combining retopology and retrodeformation, allowing the original morphology of both symmetrically and asymmetrically damaged areas of fossils to be reconstructed. As case studies, we present idealised three-dimensional reconstructions of the sternum of the crownward stem-bird Ichthyornis dispar, and cervical vertebrae of the diplodocid sauropod Galeamopus pabsti. Multiple Ichthyornis sterna were combined into a single, idealised composite representation through superimposition and alignment of retopologised models, and this composite was subsequently retrodeformed. The Galeamopus vertebrae were individually retrodeformed and symmetrised. Our workflow enabled us to quantify deformation of individual specimens with respect to our reconstructions, and to characterise global and local taphonomic deformation. Our workflow can be integrated with geometric morphometric approaches to enable quantitative morphological comparisons among multiple specimens, as well as quantitative interpolation of “mediotypes” of serially homologous elements such as missing vertebrae, haemal arches, or ribs.
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7
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Malfroy Camine L, Varlet V, Campana L, Grabherr S, Moghaddam N. The big puzzle: A critical review of virtual re-association methods for fragmented human remains in a DVI context'. Forensic Sci Int 2021; 330:111033. [PMID: 34883302 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2021.111033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Revised: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
During a Disaster Victims Identification (DVI) mission, international protocols rely on interdisciplinary work, especially between specialists from forensic imaging and anthropology. In case of air crashes or explosions, DVI units may face thousands of fragmented human remains (FHRs). The physical re-association of FHRs and the identification process is very complex and challenging, and relies upon expensive and destructive DNA analysis. A virtual re-association (VRA) of these fragments, using Multidetector Computed Tomography (MDCT), could be a helpful tool in forensic anthropology analysis, as it could assist in reducing the number of DNA samples. However, there is no standardized protocol for including such an approach into a DVI procedure. The aim of this study was to summarize and analyze existing techniques through a systematic review and to develop a protocol for virtual re-association of FHRs, adapted to the DVI context. A keyword-based literature search was conducted, focusing on the VRA methods using MDCT imaging and 3D surface scan methodology. Reviews and primary articles, published between 2005 and 2020 in the fields of forensic anthropology, paleoanthropology, archeology, and fracture reduction surgery were sorted out. A total of 45 publications were selected and analyzed based on their content and relevance. The results show that research on the re-association of FHRs increased significantly during the last five years. Seven steps regarding the MDCT-based method for the virtual re-association of FHRs could be identified: acquisition of 3D-images, segmentation of the MDCT-data, post-processing and surface generation, identification of intact and fracture surfaces, identification and registration of matching fragments, and validation of the re-association. The literature is surprisingly sparse regarding the FHRs re-association as a forensic tool, and mainly consists in case reports, whereas validated methods were presented in archeology and surgery publications. However, we were able to adapt the MDCT-based approach for the virtual re-association of the FHRs and propose an innovative protocol for DVI missions. This protocol includes the needed details, from the acquisition of MDCT imaging to the virtual re-association of 3D models and its validation. Each step has to be fully tested, adapted and validated in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lise Malfroy Camine
- Swiss Human Institute of Forensic Taphonomy, University Centre of Legal Medicine Lausanne Geneva, Switzerland; Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Vincent Varlet
- Swiss Human Institute of Forensic Taphonomy, University Centre of Legal Medicine Lausanne Geneva, Switzerland; Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Lorenzo Campana
- Forensic Imaging and Anthropology Unit, University Centre of Legal Medicine Lausanne Geneva, Switzerland; Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Silke Grabherr
- Swiss Human Institute of Forensic Taphonomy, University Centre of Legal Medicine Lausanne Geneva, Switzerland; Forensic Imaging and Anthropology Unit, University Centre of Legal Medicine Lausanne Geneva, Switzerland; Geneva University Hospital and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Negahnaz Moghaddam
- Swiss Human Institute of Forensic Taphonomy, University Centre of Legal Medicine Lausanne Geneva, Switzerland; Forensic Imaging and Anthropology Unit, University Centre of Legal Medicine Lausanne Geneva, Switzerland; Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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8
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Retrodeformation of the Steinheim Cranium: Insights into the Evolution of Neanderthals. Symmetry (Basel) 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/sym13091611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
A number of different approaches are currently available to digitally restore the symmetry of a specimen deformed by taphonomic processes. These tools include mirroring and retrodeformation to approximate the original shape of an object by symmetrisation. Retrodeformation has the potential to return a rather faithful representation of the original shape, but its power is limited by the availability of bilateral landmarks. A recent protocol proposed by Schlager and colleagues (2018) overcomes this issue by using bilateral landmarks and curves as well as semilandmarks. Here we applied this protocol to the Middle Pleistocene human cranium from Steinheim (Germany), the holotype of an abandoned species named Homo steinheimensis. The peculiar morphology of this fossil, associated with the taphonomic deformation of the entire cranium and the lack of a large portion of the right side of the face, has given rise to different hypotheses over its phylogenetic position. The reconstruction presented here sheds new light on the taphonomic origin of some features observed on this crucial specimen and results in a morphology consistent with its attribution to the Neanderthal lineage.
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9
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Moya-Costa R, Cuenca-Bescós G, Bauluz B. Protocol for the reconstruction of micromammals from fossils. Two case studies: The skulls of Beremendia fissidens and Dolinasorex glyphodon. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0213174. [PMID: 30893322 PMCID: PMC6426217 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0213174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Accepted: 02/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
We have developed a protocol for reconstructing 3D models of the skulls of extinct species of small mammals. For the first time, the reconstruction uses fragments of fossils from a mixture of different specimens and from related extant species. We use free software and commercial computers to make the process reproducible and usable for the scientific community. We present a semi-quantitative protocol to face the problem of making 3D reconstructions of fossil species that are incomplete in the fossil record and/or represented by a mixture of different individuals, as usually occurs with small vertebrates. Therefore this approach is useful when no complete skull is available. The protocol combines the use of microCT scan technology with a subsequent computer treatment using different software tools for 3D reconstruction from microCT and 3D design and printing (e.g. Fiji, SPIERS, Meshlab, Meshmixer) in a defined order. This kind of free and relatively simple software, plus the detailed description, makes this protocol practicable for researchers who do not necessarily have great deal of experience in working with 3D. As an example, we have performed virtual reconstructions of the skulls of two species of insectivore small mammals (Eulipotyphla): Beremendia fissidens and Dolinasorex glyphodon. The resulting skulls, plus models of the extant shrews Blarina brevicauda, Neomys fodiens, Crocidura russula and Sorex coronatus, make it possible to compare characteristics that can only be observed by means of microCT 3D reconstructions, and given the characteristics of the material, using this protocol. Among the characters we can compare are the position of the mandibles, the spatial relations among all the teeth, the shape of the snout and, in general, all parameters related with the anatomy of the rostrum. Moreover, these reconstructions can be used in different types of context: for anatomical purposes, especially to see internal features or characteristics at whole-skull scale, for bioengineering, animation, or other techniques that need a digital model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Moya-Costa
- Aragosaurus-IUCA, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
- * E-mail:
| | - Gloria Cuenca-Bescós
- Aragosaurus-IUCA, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Blanca Bauluz
- Aragosaurus-IUCA, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
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10
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Profico A, Buzi C, Davis C, Melchionna M, Veneziano A, Raia P, Manzi G. A New Tool for Digital Alignment in Virtual Anthropology. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2019; 302:1104-1115. [DOI: 10.1002/ar.24077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Revised: 09/08/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Profico
- Dipartimento di Biologia Ambientale; Sapienza Università di Roma; Rome Italy
| | - Costantino Buzi
- Dipartimento di Biologia Ambientale; Sapienza Università di Roma; Rome Italy
| | - Christopher Davis
- Department of Anthropology; University of Texas at Austin; Austin Texas
| | - Marina Melchionna
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, dell'Ambiente e delle Risorse; Università di Napoli Federico II; Naples Italy
| | - Alessio Veneziano
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology; John Moores University; Liverpool UK
| | - Pasquale Raia
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, dell'Ambiente e delle Risorse; Università di Napoli Federico II; Naples Italy
| | - Giorgio Manzi
- Dipartimento di Biologia Ambientale; Sapienza Università di Roma; Rome Italy
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11
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Simões TR, Caldwell MW, Tałanda M, Bernardi M, Palci A, Vernygora O, Bernardini F, Mancini L, Nydam RL. X-ray computed microtomography of Megachirella wachtleri. Sci Data 2018; 5:180244. [PMID: 30398474 PMCID: PMC6219415 DOI: 10.1038/sdata.2018.244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2018] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the origin and early evolution of squamates has been a considerable challenge given the extremely scarce fossil record of early squamates and their poor degree of preservation. In order to overcome those limitations, we conducted high-resolution X-ray computed tomography (CT) studies on the fossil reptile Megachirella wachtleri (Middle Triassic, northern Italy), which revealed an important set of features indicating this is the oldest known fossil squamate in the world, predating the previous oldest record by ca. 75 million years. We also compiled a new phylogenetic data set comprising a large sample of diapsid reptiles (including morphological and molecular data) to investigate the phylogenetic relationships of early squamates and other reptile groups along with the divergence time of those lineages. The re-description of Megachirella and a new phylogenetic hypothesis of diapsid relationships are presented in a separate study. Here we present the data descriptors for the tomographic scans of Megachirella, which holds fundamental information to our understanding on the early evolution of one of the largest vertebrate groups on Earth today.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiago R Simões
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Michael W Caldwell
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada.,Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Mateusz Tałanda
- Department of Palaeobiology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Żwirki we Wigury 101, 02-089 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Massimo Bernardi
- MUSE - Museo delle Scienze di Trento, Corso del Lavoro e della Scienza 3, Trento, 38123 Italy.,School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS81RJ, UK
| | - Alessandro Palci
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia 5042, Australia.,South Australian Museum, North Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia
| | - Oksana Vernygora
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Federico Bernardini
- Museo Storico della Fisica e Centro di Studi e Ricerche "Enrico Fermi", Piazza del Viminale 1, 00184 Roma, Italy.,The "Abdus Salam" International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Strada Costiera 11, Trieste, 34151 Italy
| | - Lucia Mancini
- Elettra - Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A., SS 14, Km 163.5, Area Science Park, Basovizza, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Randall L Nydam
- Department of Anatomy, Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University, 19555N. 59th Dr., Glendale, AZ 85383, USA
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12
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Profico A, Schlager S, Valoriani V, Buzi C, Melchionna M, Veneziano A, Raia P, Moggi‐Cecchi J, Manzi G. Reproducing the internal and external anatomy of fossil bones: Two new automatic digital tools. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 166:979-986. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2017] [Revised: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 04/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Profico
- Dipartimento di Biologia AmbientaleSapienza Università di RomaRome Italy
| | - Stefan Schlager
- Department of Biological AnthropologyUniversity of Freiburg Germany
| | | | - Costantino Buzi
- Dipartimento di Biologia AmbientaleSapienza Università di RomaRome Italy
| | - Marina Melchionna
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, dell'Ambiente e delle RisorseUniversità di Napoli, Federico IINaples Italy
| | - Alessio Veneziano
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Faculty of ScienceJohn Moores UniversityLiverpool L3 3AF United Kingdom
| | - Pasquale Raia
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, dell'Ambiente e delle RisorseUniversità di Napoli, Federico IINaples Italy
| | | | - Giorgio Manzi
- Dipartimento di Biologia AmbientaleSapienza Università di RomaRome Italy
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Schlager S, Profico A, Di Vincenzo F, Manzi G. Retrodeformation of fossil specimens based on 3D bilateral semi-landmarks: Implementation in the R package "Morpho". PLoS One 2018; 13:e0194073. [PMID: 29554122 PMCID: PMC5858772 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0194073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2017] [Accepted: 02/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Many fossil specimens exhibit deformations caused by taphonomic processes. Due to these deformations, even important specimens have to be excluded from morphometric analyses, impoverishing an already poor paleontological record. Techniques to retrodeform and virtually restore damaged (i.e. deformed) specimens are available, but these methods genenerally imply the use of a sparse set of bilateral landmarks, ignoring the fact that the distribution and amount of control points directly affects the result of the retrodeformation. We propose a method developed in the R environment and available in the R-package "Morpho" that, in addition to the landmark configurations, also allows using a set of semi-landmarks homogeneously distributed along curves and on surfaces. We evaluated the outcome of the retrodeformation, regarding the number of semi-landmarks used and its robustness against asymmetric noise, based on simulations using a virtually deformed gorilla cranium. Finally, we applied the method to a well-known Neanderthal cranium that exhibits signs of taphonomically induced asymmetry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Schlager
- Department Biological Anthropology, University Medical Center, Freiburg, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Antonio Profico
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Fabio Di Vincenzo
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Giorgio Manzi
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy
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Veneziano A, Landi F, Profico A. Surface smoothing, decimation, and their effects on 3D biological specimens. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 166:473-480. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2017] [Revised: 10/24/2017] [Accepted: 01/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Veneziano
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Faculty of ScienceJohn Moores UniversityLiverpoolL3 3AF United Kingdom
- Centre for Anatomical and Human SciencesUniversity of YorkYorkYO10 5DD United Kingdom
| | - Federica Landi
- Centre for Anatomical and Human SciencesUniversity of YorkYorkYO10 5DD United Kingdom
| | - Antonio Profico
- Dipartimento di Biologia AmbientaleSapienza Università di RomaRoma00185 Italy
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