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Sarasa JL, Okamoto AS, Wright MA, Pierce SE, Capellini TD. Lions & sea lions & bears, oh my: utilizing museum specimens to study the ossification sequence of carnivoran taxa. BMC ZOOL 2024; 9:10. [PMID: 38685130 PMCID: PMC11057098 DOI: 10.1186/s40850-024-00201-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mammalian skeletons are largely formed before birth. Heterochronic changes in skeletal formation can be investigated by comparing the order of ossification for different elements of the skeleton. Due to the challenge of collecting prenatal specimens in viviparous taxa, opportunistically collected museum specimens provide the best material for studying prenatal skeletal development across many mammalian species. Previous studies have investigated ossification sequence in a range of mammalian species, but little is known about the pattern of bone formation in Carnivora. Carnivorans have diverse ecologies, diets, and biomechanical specializations and are well-suited for investigating questions in evolutionary biology. Currently, developmental data on carnivorans is largely limited to domesticated species. To expand available data on carnivoran skeletal development, we used micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) to non-invasively evaluate the degree of ossification in all prenatal carnivoran specimens housed in the Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology. By coding the presence or absence of bones in each specimen, we constructed ossification sequences for each species. Parsimov-based genetic inference (PGi) was then used to identify heterochronic shifts between carnivoran lineages and reconstruct the ancestral ossification sequence of Carnivora. RESULTS We used micro-CT to study prenatal ossification sequence in six carnivora species: Eumetopias jubatus (Steller sea lion, n = 6), Herpestes javanicus (small Indian mongoose, n = 1), Panthera leo (lion, n = 1), Urocyon cinereoargenteus (gray fox, n = 1), Ursus arctos arctos (Eurasian brown bear, n = 1), and Viverricula indica (small Indian civet, n = 5). Due to the relatively later stage of collection for the available specimens, few heterochronic shifts were identified. Ossification sequences of feliform species showed complete agreement with the domestic cat. In caniforms, the bear and fox ossification sequences largely matched the dog, but numerous heterochronic shifts were identified in the sea lion. CONCLUSIONS We use museum specimens to generate cranial and postcranial micro-CT data on six species split between the two major carnivoran clades: Caniformia and Feliformia. Our data suggest that the ossification sequence of domestic dogs and cats are likely good models for terrestrial caniforms and feliforms, respectively, but not pinnipeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan L Sarasa
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Mark A Wright
- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Stephanie E Pierce
- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Terence D Capellini
- Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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2
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Kłys G, Koenig E. Anatomical and Morphological Structure of the Skull of a Juvenile Specimen of Myotis myotis (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae). Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1225. [PMID: 38672373 PMCID: PMC11047484 DOI: 10.3390/ani14081225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Few studies analyze the morphology and anatomy of the bat skull, and most of them are incomplete. Some of the difficulties stem from the fact that, in the representatives of the order Chiroptera, the interosseous sutures disappear by fusing together before active flight begins, which takes place over only a few months. This study presents a detailed morphological and anatomical description of the skull of a juvenile specimen of Myotis myotis (Borkhausen, 1797). Juvenile skulls are difficult to preserve and often incomplete. Previously inconsistent terminology related to bones, sutures, and other cranial structures was unified, which will provide insight on the distribution of each structure in both juvenile and adult specimens to be investigated. The description fill in the gaps in knowledge about the cranial structures of Myotis myotis and the representatives of the family Vespertilionidae. This will allow for precise descriptions of the skulls of bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grzegorz Kłys
- Institute of Biology, University of Opole, ul. Oleska 22, 45-052 Opole, Poland;
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3
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Koyabu D. Evolution, conservatism and overlooked homologies of the mammalian skull. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220081. [PMID: 37183902 PMCID: PMC10184252 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
In the last decade, studies integrating palaeontology, embryology and experimental developmental biology have markedly altered our homological understanding of the mammalian skull. Indeed, new evidence suggests that we should revisit and restructure the conventional anatomical terminology applied to the components of the mammalian skull. Notably, these are classical problems that have remained unresolved since the ninteenth century. In this review, I offer perspectives on the overlooked problems associated with the homology, development, and conservatism of the mammalian skull, aiming to encourage future studies in these areas. I emphasise that ossification patterns, bone fusion, cranial sutures and taxon-specific neomorphic bones in the skull are virtually unexplored, and further studies would improve our homological understanding of the mammalian skull. Lastly, I highlight that overlooked bones may exist in the skull that are not yet known to science and suggest that further search is needed. This article is part of the theme issue 'The mammalian skull: development, structure and function'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Koyabu
- Research and Development Center for Precision Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China
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4
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White HE, Tucker AS, Fernandez V, Portela Miguez R, Hautier L, Herrel A, Urban DJ, Sears KE, Goswami A. Pedomorphosis in the ancestry of marsupial mammals. Curr Biol 2023:S0960-9822(23)00457-8. [PMID: 37119816 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/01/2023]
Abstract
Within mammals, different reproductive strategies (e.g., egg laying, live birth of extremely underdeveloped young, and live birth of well-developed young) have been linked to divergent evolutionary histories. How and when developmental variation across mammals arose is unclear. While egg laying is unquestionably considered the ancestral state for all mammals, many long-standing biases treat the extreme underdeveloped state of marsupial young as the ancestral state for therian mammals (clade including both marsupials and placentals), with the well-developed young of placentals often considered the derived mode of development. Here, we quantify mammalian cranial morphological development and estimate ancestral patterns of cranial shape development using geometric morphometric analysis of the largest comparative ontogenetic dataset of mammals to date (165 specimens, 22 species). We identify a conserved region of cranial morphospace for fetal specimens, after which cranial morphology diversified through ontogeny in a cone-shaped pattern. This cone-shaped pattern of development distinctively reflected the upper half of the developmental hourglass model. Moreover, cranial morphological variation was found to be significantly associated with the level of development (position on the altricial-precocial spectrum) exhibited at birth. Estimation of ancestral state allometry (size-related shape change) reconstructs marsupials as pedomorphic relative to the ancestral therian mammal. In contrast, the estimated allometries for the ancestral placental and ancestral therian were indistinguishable. Thus, from our results, we hypothesize that placental mammal cranial development most closely reflects that of the ancestral therian mammal, while marsupial cranial development represents a more derived mode of mammalian development, in stark contrast to many interpretations of mammalian evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather E White
- Science Department, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK; Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, King's College London, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 9RT, UK; Division of Biosciences, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6DE, UK.
| | - Abigail S Tucker
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, King's College London, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Vincent Fernandez
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 rue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | | | - Lionel Hautier
- Science Department, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK; Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Montpellier 34095, France
| | - Anthony Herrel
- UMR 7179, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique/Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Département Adaptations du Vivant, 55 rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Daniel J Urban
- Institute of Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Karen E Sears
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Anjali Goswami
- Science Department, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK; Division of Biosciences, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6DE, UK
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5
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Nojiri T, Werneburg I, Tu VT, Fukui D, Takechi M, Iseki S, Furutera T, Koyabu D. Timing of organogenesis underscores the evolution of neonatal life histories and powered flight in bats. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20221928. [PMID: 36629110 PMCID: PMC9832570 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.1928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Bats have undergone one of the most drastic limb innovations in vertebrate history, associated with the evolution of powered flight. Knowledge of the genetic basis of limb organogenesis in bats has increased but little has been documented regarding the differences between limb organogenesis in bats and that of other vertebrates. We conducted embryological comparisons of the timelines of limb organogenesis in 24 bat species and 72 non-bat amniotes. In bats, the time invested for forelimb organogenesis has been considerably extended and the appearance timing of the forelimb ridge has been significantly accelerated, whereas the timing of the finger and first appearance of the claw development has been delayed, facilitating the enlargement of the manus. Furthermore, we discovered that bats initiate the development of their hindlimbs earlier than their forelimbs compared with other placentals. Bat neonates are known to be able to cling continuously with their well-developed foot to the maternal bodies or habitat substrates soon after birth. We suggest that this unique life history of neonates, which possibly coevolved with powered flight, has driven the accelerated development of the hindlimb and precocious foot.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taro Nojiri
- Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, 2-1-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
- Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, North 11, West 10, Sapporo 060-0811, Japan
- Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1, Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
| | - Ingmar Werneburg
- Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment an der Eberhard Karls Universität, Sigwartstraße 10, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Fachbereich Geowissenschaften, Eberhard Karls Universität, Hölderlinstraße 12, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Vuong Tan Tu
- Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, No. 18, Hoang Quoc Viet road, Cau Giay district, Hanoi, Vietnam
- Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Graduate University of Science and Technology, No. 18, Hoang Quac Viet road, Cau Giay district, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Dai Fukui
- The University of Tokyo Hokkaido Forest, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 9-61, Yamabe-Higashimachi, Furano, Hokkaido 079-1563, Japan
| | - Masaki Takechi
- Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, 2-1-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
- Molecular Craniofacial Embryology, Graduate School of Medicine and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8549, Japan
| | - Sachiko Iseki
- Molecular Craniofacial Embryology, Graduate School of Medicine and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8549, Japan
| | - Toshiko Furutera
- Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, 2-1-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
- Molecular Craniofacial Embryology, Graduate School of Medicine and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8549, Japan
| | - Daisuke Koyabu
- Molecular Craniofacial Embryology, Graduate School of Medicine and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8549, Japan
- Research and Development Center for Precision Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 1-2 Kasuga, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki 305-8550, Japan
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6
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Newton AH. Marsupials and Multi-Omics: Establishing New Comparative Models of Neural Crest Patterning and Craniofacial Development. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:941168. [PMID: 35813210 PMCID: PMC9260703 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.941168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies across vertebrates have revealed significant insights into the processes that drive craniofacial morphogenesis, yet we still know little about how distinct facial morphologies are patterned during development. Studies largely point to evolution in GRNs of cranial progenitor cell types such as neural crest cells, as the major driver underlying adaptive cranial shapes. However, this hypothesis requires further validation, particularly within suitable models amenable to manipulation. By utilizing comparative models between related species, we can begin to disentangle complex developmental systems and identify the origin of species-specific patterning. Mammals present excellent evolutionary examples to scrutinize how these differences arise, as sister clades of eutherians and marsupials possess suitable divergence times, conserved cranial anatomies, modular evolutionary patterns, and distinct developmental heterochrony in their NCC behaviours and craniofacial patterning. In this review, I lend perspectives into the current state of mammalian craniofacial biology and discuss the importance of establishing a new marsupial model, the fat-tailed dunnart, for comparative research. Through detailed comparisons with the mouse, we can begin to decipher mammalian conserved, and species-specific processes and their contribution to craniofacial patterning and shape disparity. Recent advances in single-cell multi-omics allow high-resolution investigations into the cellular and molecular basis of key developmental processes. As such, I discuss how comparative evolutionary application of these tools can provide detailed insights into complex cellular behaviours and expression dynamics underlying adaptive craniofacial evolution. Though in its infancy, the field of "comparative evo-devo-omics" presents unparalleled opportunities to precisely uncover how phenotypic differences arise during development.
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7
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Zhang Z, Yaryhin O, Koyabu D, Werneburg I. Morphological association between muscle attachments and ossification sites in the late cartilaginous skull of tuatara embryos. J Morphol 2022; 283:908-931. [DOI: 10.1002/jmor.21474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zitong Zhang
- Fachbereich Geowissenschaften, Universität Tübingen Hölderlinstraße 12 72074 Tübingen Germany
- Fachbereich Biologie, Universität Tübingen Auf der Morgenstelle 28 72076 Tübingen Germany
| | | | - Daisuke Koyabu
- Research and Development Center for Precision Medicine University of Tsukuba 1‐2 Kasuga, Tsukuba‐shi Ibaraki 305‐8550 Japan
- Department of Molecular Craniofacial Embryology Tokyo Medical and Dental University 1‐5‐45 Yushima, Bunkyo‐ku Tokyo 113‐8549 Japan
| | - Ingmar Werneburg
- Fachbereich Geowissenschaften, Universität Tübingen Hölderlinstraße 12 72074 Tübingen Germany
- Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment (SHEP) an der Universität Tübingen Hölderlinstraße 12 Tübingen 72076 Germany
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8
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Shkil FN, Borisov V, Seleznev D, Kapitanova D, Abdissa B, Dzerzhinskii K, Smirnov S. Intra- and interspecific variability of the cranial ossification sequences in Barbus sensu lato. Evol Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11692-022-09563-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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9
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Conith AJ, Meagher MA, Dumont ER. The influence of divergent reproductive strategies in shaping modularity and morphological evolution in mammalian jaws. J Evol Biol 2021; 35:164-179. [PMID: 34624153 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Marsupial neonates are born at an earlier developmental stage than placental mammals, but the rapid development of their forelimbs and cranial skeleton allows them to climb to the pouch, begin suckling and complete their development ex utero. The mechanical environment in which marsupial neonates develop is vastly different from that of placental neonates, which exhibit a more protracted development of oral muscles and bones. This difference in reproductive strategy has been theorized to constrain morphological evolution in the oral region of marsupials. Here, we use 3D morphometrics to characterize one of these oral bones, the lower jaw (dentary), and assess modularity (pattern of covariation among traits), morphological disparity and rates of morphological evolution in two clades of carnivorous mammals: the marsupial Dasyuromorphia and placental fissiped Carnivora. We find that dasyuromorph dentaries have fewer modules than carnivorans and exhibit tight covariation between the angular and coronoid processes, the primary attachment sites for jaw-closing muscles. This pattern of modularity may result from the uniform action of muscles on the developing mandible during suckling. Carnivorans are free from this constraint and exhibit a pattern of modularity that more strongly reflects genetic and developmental signals of trait covariation. Alongside differences in modularity, carnivorans exhibit greater disparity and faster rates of morphological evolution compared with dasyuromorphs. Taken together, this suggests dasyuromorphs have retained a signal of trait covariation that reflects the outsized influence of muscular force during early development, a feature that may have impacted the ability of marsupial carnivores to explore specialized regions of morphospace.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Conith
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Molly A Meagher
- Natural Resources Conservation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Elizabeth R Dumont
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of California, Merced, California, USA
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10
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Duhamel A, Benoit J, Day M, Rubidge B, Fernandez V. Computed Tomography elucidates ontogeny within the basal therapsid clade Biarmosuchia. PeerJ 2021; 9:e11866. [PMID: 34527434 PMCID: PMC8403480 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Biarmosuchia is a clade of basal therapsids that includes forms possessing plesiomorphic ‘pelycosaurian’ cranial characters as well as the highly derived Burnetiamorpha which are characterised by cranial pachyostosis and a variety of cranial bosses. Potential ontogenetic variation in these structures has been suggested based on growth series of other therapsids with pachyostosed crania, which complicates burnetiamorph taxonomic distinction and thus it is essential to better understand cranial ontogeny of the Burnetiamorpha. Here, three new juvenile biarmosuchian skulls from the late Permian of South Africa are described using X-ray micro computed tomography (CT). We found that juvenile biarmosuchians are distinguished from adults by their relatively large orbits, open cranial sutures, and incomplete ossification of the braincase and bony labyrinth. Also, they manifest multiple centres of ossification within the parietal and preparietal bones. CT examination reveals that the holotype of Lemurosaurus pricei (BP/1/816), previously alleged to be a juvenile, shows no evidence of juvenility and is thus probably an adult. This suggests that the larger skull NMQR 1702, previously considered to be an adult L. pricei, may represent a new taxon. This study provides, for the first time, a list of characters by which to recognise juvenile biarmosuchians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aliénor Duhamel
- ENS de Lyon, CNRS, UMR 5276, LGL-TPE, Université Claude Bernard (Lyon I), Lyon, France.,Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.,School of Geosciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Julien Benoit
- Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.,School of Geosciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Michael Day
- Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.,Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
| | - Bruce Rubidge
- Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.,School of Geosciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Vincent Fernandez
- Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom.,European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Grenoble, France
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11
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Cook LE, Newton AH, Hipsley CA, Pask AJ. Postnatal development in a marsupial model, the fat-tailed dunnart (Sminthopsis crassicaudata; Dasyuromorphia: Dasyuridae). Commun Biol 2021; 4:1028. [PMID: 34475507 PMCID: PMC8413461 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02506-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Marsupials exhibit unique biological features that provide fascinating insights into many aspects of mammalian development. These include their distinctive mode of reproduction, altricial stage at birth, and the associated heterochrony that is required for their crawl to the pouch and teat attachment. Marsupials are also an invaluable resource for mammalian comparative biology, forming a distinct lineage from the extant placental and egg-laying monotreme mammals. Despite their unique biology, marsupial resources are lagging behind those available for placentals. The fat-tailed dunnart (Sminthopsis crassicaudata) is a laboratory based marsupial model, with simple and robust husbandry requirements and a short reproductive cycle making it amenable to experimental manipulations. Here we present a detailed staging series for the fat-tailed dunnart, focusing on their accelerated development of the forelimbs and jaws. This study provides the first skeletal developmental series on S. crassicaudata and provides a fundamental resource for future studies exploring mammalian diversification, development and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura E Cook
- School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Axel H Newton
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Christy A Hipsley
- School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Sciences, Museums Victoria, Carlton, VIC, Australia
| | - Andrew J Pask
- School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
- Department of Sciences, Museums Victoria, Carlton, VIC, Australia.
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12
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Olroyd SL, LeBlanc ARH, Araújo R, Angielczyk KD, Duhamel A, Benoit J, Amaral M. Histology and μCT reveal the unique evolution and development of multiple tooth rows in the synapsid Endothiodon. Sci Rep 2021; 11:16875. [PMID: 34413357 PMCID: PMC8377087 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-95993-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Several amniote lineages independently evolved multiple rows of marginal teeth in response to the challenge of processing high fiber plant matter. Multiple tooth rows develop via alterations to tooth replacement in captorhinid reptiles and ornithischian dinosaurs, but the specific changes that produce this morphology differ, reflecting differences in their modes of tooth attachment. To further understand the mechanisms by which multiple tooth rows can develop, we examined this feature in Endothiodon bathystoma, a member of the only synapsid clade (Anomodontia) to evolve a multi-rowed marginal dentition. We histologically sampled Endothiodon mandibles with and without multiple tooth rows as well as single-rowed maxillae. We also segmented functional and replacement teeth in µ-CT scanned mandibles and maxillae of Endothiodon and several other anomodonts with 'postcanine' teeth to characterize tooth replacement in the clade. All anomodonts in our sample displayed a space around the tooth roots for a soft tissue attachment between tooth and jaw in life. Trails of alveolar bone indicate varying degrees of labial migration of teeth through ontogeny, often altering the spatial relationships of functional and replacement teeth in the upper and lower jaws. We present a model of multiple tooth row development in E. bathystoma in which labial migration of functional teeth was extensive enough to prevent resorption and replacement by newer generations of teeth. This model represents another mechanism by which multiple tooth rows evolved in amniotes. The multiple tooth rows of E. bathystoma may have provided more extensive contact between the teeth and a triturating surface on the palatine during chewing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aaron R H LeBlanc
- Centre for Oral, Clinical & Translational Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Ricardo Araújo
- Instituto de Plasmas e Fusão Nuclear, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Kenneth D Angielczyk
- Negaunee Integrative Research Center, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, USA
| | - Aliénor Duhamel
- Evolutionary Studies Institute, School of Geosciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Julien Benoit
- Evolutionary Studies Institute, School of Geosciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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13
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Fabre AC, Dowling C, Portela Miguez R, Fernandez V, Noirault E, Goswami A. Functional constraints during development limit jaw shape evolution in marsupials. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20210319. [PMID: 33906406 PMCID: PMC8079998 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.0319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Differences in jaw function experienced through ontogeny can have striking consequences for evolutionary outcomes, as has been suggested for the major clades of mammals. By contrast to placentals, marsupial newborns have an accelerated development of the head and forelimbs, allowing them to crawl to the mother's teats to suckle within just a few weeks of conception. The different functional requirements that marsupial newborns experience in early postnatal development have been hypothesized to have constrained their morphological diversification relative to placentals. Here, we test whether marsupials have a lower ecomorphological diversity and rate of evolution in comparison with placentals, focusing specifically on their jaws. To do so, a geometric morphometric approach was used to characterize jaw shape for 151 living and extinct species of mammals spanning a wide phylogenetic, developmental and functional diversity. Our results demonstrate that jaw shape is significantly influenced by both reproductive mode and diet, with substantial ecomorphological convergence between metatherians and eutherians. However, metatherians have markedly lower disparity and rate of mandible shape evolution than observed for eutherians. Thus, despite their ecomorphological diversity and numerous convergences with eutherians, the evolution of the jaw in metatherians appears to be strongly constrained by their specialized reproductive biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Claire Fabre
- Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5DB, UK
- Palaeontological Institute and Museum, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Carys Dowling
- Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5DB, UK
| | | | - Vincent Fernandez
- Imaging and Analysis Centre, The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5DB, UK
| | - Eve Noirault
- Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5DB, UK
| | - Anjali Goswami
- Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5DB, UK
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14
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Nojiri T, Tu VT, Sohn JH, Koyabu D. On the sequence heterochrony of cranial ossification of bats in light of Haeckel's recapitulation theory. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2021; 338:137-148. [PMID: 33773030 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.23042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Haeckel's recapitulation theory has been a controversial topic in evolutionary biology. However, we have seen some recent cases applying Haeckel's view to interpret the interspecific variation of prenatal ontogeny. To revisit the validity of Haeckel's recapitulation theory, we take bats that have undergone drastic morphological changes and possess a characteristic ecology as a case study. All members of Rhinolophoidea and Yangochiroptera can generate an ultrasonic pulse from the larynx to interpret surrounding objects (laryngeal echolocation) whereas Pteropodidae lacks such ability. It is known that the petrosal bone is particularly derived in shape and expanded in laryngeal echolocators. If Haeckel's recapitulation theory holds, the formation of this derived trait should occur later than those of other bones. Therefore, we compared the prenatal ossification timing of the petrosal in 15 bat species and five outgroup species. We found that the ossification of the petrosal is accelerated in laryngeal echolocators while it is the last bone to ossify in non-laryngeal echolocating bats and non-volant mammals, which runs counter to the prediction generated by Haeckel's recapitulation theory. We point out the evolutionarily labile nature of trait developmental timing and emphasize that Haeckel's recapitulation theory does not hold in many cases. We caution that generating predictions on ancestral conditions and evolutionary history leading from Haeckel's recapitulation theory is not well supported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taro Nojiri
- Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Vuong Tan Tu
- Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam.,Graduate University of Science and Technology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Joon Hyuk Sohn
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Tokyo, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Daisuke Koyabu
- Research and Development Center for Precision Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki, Japan.,Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong.,Department of Molecular Craniofacial Embryology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
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15
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Ontogenetic origins of cranial convergence between the extinct marsupial thylacine and placental gray wolf. Commun Biol 2021; 4:51. [PMID: 33420327 PMCID: PMC7794302 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-01569-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic convergence, describing the independent evolution of similar characteristics, offers unique insights into how natural selection influences developmental and molecular processes to generate shared adaptations. The extinct marsupial thylacine and placental gray wolf represent one of the most extraordinary cases of convergent evolution in mammals, sharing striking cranial similarities despite 160 million years of independent evolution. We digitally reconstructed their cranial ontogeny from birth to adulthood to examine how and when convergence arises through patterns of allometry, mosaicism, modularity, and integration. We find the thylacine and wolf crania develop along nearly parallel growth trajectories, despite lineage-specific constraints and heterochrony in timing of ossification. These constraints were found to enforce distinct cranial modularity and integration patterns during development, which were unable to explain their adult convergence. Instead, we identify a developmental origin for their convergent cranial morphologies through patterns of mosaic evolution, occurring within bone groups sharing conserved embryonic tissue origins. Interestingly, these patterns are accompanied by homoplasy in gene regulatory networks associated with neural crest cells, critical for skull patterning. Together, our findings establish empirical links between adaptive phenotypic and genotypic convergence and provides a digital resource for further investigations into the developmental basis of mammalian evolution.
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16
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Newton AH, Spoutil F, Prochazka J, Black JR, Medlock K, Paddle RN, Knitlova M, Hipsley CA, Pask AJ. Letting the 'cat' out of the bag: pouch young development of the extinct Tasmanian tiger revealed by X-ray computed tomography. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2018; 5:171914. [PMID: 29515893 PMCID: PMC5830782 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.171914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2017] [Accepted: 01/22/2018] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
The Tasmanian tiger or thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus) was an iconic Australian marsupial predator that was hunted to extinction in the early 1900s. Despite sharing striking similarities with canids, they failed to evolve many of the specialized anatomical features that characterize carnivorous placental mammals. These evolutionary limitations are thought to arise from functional constraints associated with the marsupial mode of reproduction, in which otherwise highly altricial young use their well-developed forelimbs to climb to the pouch and mouth to suckle. Here we present the first three-dimensional digital developmental series of the thylacine throughout its pouch life using X-ray computed tomography on all known ethanol-preserved specimens. Based on detailed skeletal measurements, we refine the species growth curve to improve age estimates for the individuals. Comparison of allometric growth trends in the appendicular skeleton (fore- and hindlimbs) with that of other placental and marsupial mammals revealed that despite their unique adult morphologies, thylacines retained a generalized early marsupial ontogeny. Our approach also revealed mislabelled specimens that possessed large epipubic bones (vestigial in thylacine) and differing vertebral numbers. All of our generated CT models are publicly available, preserving their developmental morphology and providing a novel digital resource for future studies of this unique marsupial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axel H. Newton
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Melbourne Museum, Museums Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Frantisek Spoutil
- Czech Centre for Phenogenomics, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, v.v.i., Prague, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Prochazka
- Czech Centre for Phenogenomics, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, v.v.i., Prague, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Jay R. Black
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Robert N. Paddle
- School of Psychology, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Christy A. Hipsley
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Melbourne Museum, Museums Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Andrew J. Pask
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Melbourne Museum, Museums Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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17
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Koyabu D. Prenatal postcranial development in two species of sympatric Japanese wood mice (Apodemus argenteus and A. speciosus): a comparison of arboreal versus terrestrial congeners. J Vet Med Sci 2017; 79:952-956. [PMID: 28413175 PMCID: PMC5447988 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.17-0130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Habitats of two closely related Japanese field mice, Apodemus argenteus and A. speciosus, broadly overlap in many Japanese forests. A. argenteus being more arboreal and A. speciosus being more terrestrial, it is thought that such ecological segregation allows their sympatric distribution. Comparing these two congeners, whether ecological difference is reflected in postcranial development was examined. Although overall ossification sequences were virtually identical, development of the caudal vertebrae was remarkably earlier in A. argenteus. One of the clearest morphological differences between the two species is the relative length of the tail, which is arguably related to the degree of arboreality. I suggest that accelerated ossification of the caudal vertebrae found in A. argenteus is related to its elongation of the tail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Koyabu
- The University Museum, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
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