Evidence from Claw Geometry Indicating Arboreal Habits of
            <i>Archaeopteryx</i>

Feduccia, Alan

doi:10.1126/science.259.5096.790

Cited by 143 publications

(180 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…The terminal phalanges of Suminia are strongly curved and laterally compressed, resulting in a claw-like morphology, which is known to be indicative of clinging abilities in arboreal tetrapods (e.g. Feduccia 1993). These features are particularly conspicuous when compared with other Palaeozoic anomodonts (figure 3a,c).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Late Permian herbivore Suminia and the early evolution of arboreality in terrestrial vertebrate ecosystems

Fröbisch

Reisz

2009

Proc. R. Soc. B.

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Vertebrates have repeatedly filled and partitioned the terrestrial ecosystem, and have been able to occupy new, previously unexplored habitats throughout their history on land. The arboreal ecospace is particularly important in vertebrate evolution because it provides new food resources and protection from large ground-dwelling predators. We investigated the skeletal anatomy of the Late Permian (approx. 260 Ma) herbivorous synapsid Suminia getmanovi and performed a morphometric analysis of the phalangeal proportions of a great variety of extant and extinct terrestrial and arboreal tetrapods to discern locomotor function and habitat preference in fossil taxa, with special reference to Suminia. The postcranial anatomy of Suminia provides the earliest skeletal evidence for prehensile abilities and arboreality in vertebrates, as indicated by its elongate limbs, intrinsic phalangeal proportions, a divergent first digit and potentially prehensile tail. The morphometric analysis further suggests a differentiation between grasping and clinging morphotypes among arboreal vertebrates, the former displaying elongated proximal phalanges and the latter showing an elongation of the penultimate phalanges. The fossil assemblage that includes Suminia demonstrates that arboreality and resource partitioning occurred shortly after the initial establishment of the modern type of terrestrial vertebrate ecosystems, with a large number of primary consumers and few top predators.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Late Permian herbivore Suminia and the early evolution of arboreality in terrestrial vertebrate ecosystems

Fröbisch

Reisz

2009

Proc. R. Soc. B.

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“…Modern claws are often correlated with those of nonavian dinosaurs to extrapolate paleo‐behavior (Burnham, Feduccia, Martin, & Falk, 2011; Fowler, Freedman, Scannella, & Kambic, 2011; Lautenschlager, 2014). These studies quantified claw morphology in several ways, including Euclidean distance measures, claw curvature based on triangles, outline‐based morphometrics, and digital modelling (respective examples in Ribas et al., 2004; Feduccia, 1993; MacLeod & Rose, 1993; Manning et al., 2009). Most studies of lizard claw morphology in particular are a variation of the method presented by Zani (2000), which combined Euclidean measures and angular values.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Claw morphometrics in monitor lizards: Variable substrate and habitat use correlate to shape diversity within a predator guild

D’Amore

Clulow

Doody

et al. 2018

Ecology and Evolution

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Numerous studies investigate morphology in the context of habitat, and lizards have received particular attention. Substrate usage is often reflected in the morphology of characters associated with locomotion, and, as a result, claws have become well‐studied ecomorphological traits linking the two. The Kimberley predator guild of Western Australia consists of 10 sympatric varanid species. The purpose of this study was to quantify claw size and shape in the guild using geometric morphometrics, and determine whether these features correlated with substrate use and habitat. Each species was assigned a Habitat/substrate group based on the substrate their claws interact with in their respective habitat. Claw morphometrics were derived for both wild caught and preserved specimens from museum collections, using a 2D semilandmark analysis. Claw shape significantly separated based on Habitat/substrate group. Varanus gouldii and Varanus panoptes claws were associated with sprinting and extensive digging. Varanus mertensi claws were for shallow excavation. The remaining species’ claws reflected specialization for some form of climbing, and differed based on substrate compliance. Varanus glauerti was best adapted for climbing rough sandstone, whereas Varanus scalaris and Varanus tristis had claws ideal for puncturing wood. Phylogenetic signal also significantly influenced claw shape, with Habitat/substrate group limited to certain clades. Positive size allometry allowed for claws to cope with mass increases, and shape allometry reflected a potential size limit on climbing. Claw morphology may facilitate niche separation within this trophic guild, especially when considered with body size. As these varanids are generalist predators, morphological traits associated with locomotion may be more reliable candidates for detecting niche partitioning than those associated directly with diet.

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“…Archaeopteryx lithographica, and extant species (Yalden 1985;Peters & Görgner 1992;Feduccia 1993), trying to find indications of whether the former was a cursorial or perching bird, and the ability to fly of fossil species during the transition from non-avian theropods to birds. More recently, interest in claws has shifted to adaptive aspects in modern birds, particularly modes of life and foraging (Pike & Maitland 2004;Glen & Bennett 2007;Fowler et al 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparison of claw geometrical characteristics among birds of prey and non-raptorial birds

Csermely

Rossi

Nasi

2012

Italian Journal of Zoology

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It has long been held that Falconiformes and Strigiformes possess a strong similarity in their claws due to their adaptive convergence for preying specialisation and that claws differ from those of other bird species, justifying the usual name of talons, instead of claws. It is subjectively felt that talons in birds of prey are very similar and somewhat different from claws of other birds, but the analysis of the geometrical reason for that has been neglected so far. The aim of this study is to answer two questions: (1) whether raptor and owl talons are actually similar, (2) which parameter can describe the similarity or difference. The structure of toes and claws of first (toe-1) and third toe (toe-3) was evaluated in four groups: Strigiformes (suborder Strigi), Accipitridae, Falconidae, for the analysis of difference between birds of prey, and Non-raptorial species, used as out-group. One adult male per species was considered, and, among Non-raptorial birds, only species belonging to typically or partially perching families. Only one specimen per species was chosen, from museum skin collections. The species and families considered were those listed in a reliable worldwide checklist. The multiple discriminant analysis segregated Strigiformes from both Accipitridae and Non-raptorials. The Falconidae, however, had an almost symmetrical overlap on other groups. Function-1 separated Strigiformes from Non-raptorials, mainly involving the section shape of claw-1, claw-3, and of phalax-1, as well as how much claws are hooked in relation to their radius. Function-2 segregated Strigiformes from Accipitridae, basically involving the curvature of claw-1 and also that of claw-3 in relation to its toe length. Our results show that although apparently similar, owls' talons differ in several characters from Accipitrids' and Non-raptorials ones, while Falcons show intermediate characteristics, proving not to have particular specialisation in their talons, in accordance to recent phylogenomic studies.

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Evidence from Claw Geometry Indicating Arboreal Habits of Archaeopteryx

Cited by 143 publications

References 14 publications

The Late Permian herbivore Suminia and the early evolution of arboreality in terrestrial vertebrate ecosystems

The Late Permian herbivore Suminia and the early evolution of arboreality in terrestrial vertebrate ecosystems

Claw morphometrics in monitor lizards: Variable substrate and habitat use correlate to shape diversity within a predator guild

Comparison of claw geometrical characteristics among birds of prey and non-raptorial birds

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