Ontogenetic evolution of bone structurein Late Cretaceous Plesiosauria from New Zealand

Wiffen, J.; Buffrénil, Vivian de; Ricqlès, Armand de; Mazin, Jean‐Michel

doi:10.1016/s0016-6995(95)80216-9

Cited by 107 publications

(159 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…However, in all the taxa examined, the initial growth was rapid in comparison to later growth as seen in most extant and extinct tetrapods. This rapid growth in the juveniles may have helped to limit predation on the juvenile individuals (Wiffen et al, 1995;Steyer et al, 2004;Cooper et al, 2008). Although lamellar bone has been previously recorded in fossil and extant amphibians (Damiani, 2000;Erismis et al, 2002;Steyer et al, 2004), fibrolamellar bone tissue is noted here for the first time.…”

Section: Synthesismentioning

confidence: 54%

Preliminary observations on the bone microstructure, growth patterns, and life habits of some Triassic temnospondyls from India

Mukherjee

Ray

Sengupta

2010

Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology

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ABSTRACT-The osteohistology including bone cross-sectional geometry of skeletal elements such as the limb bones, ribs, and intercentra of three Triassic temnospondyl taxa from India were examined to reveal varied bone microstructure and differing growth patterns. The Early Triassic trematosaurid examined is characterized by a change in tissue type from a wellvascularized fibrolamellar bone early in ontogeny to peripheral lamellar bone and lines of arrested growth later in ontogeny, suggesting a fast initial growth followed by a slow and intermittent growth later in life. In contrast, the Middle Triassic paracyclotosaurid and the Late Triassic chigutisaurid examined had a cyclical, overall slow growth, as evidenced from predominance of lamellar bone in the cortex. It is hypothesized that the rapid growth of the trematosaurids was an attempt to stabilize the ecosystem after the Permo-Triassic extinction event. Fibrolamellar bone tissue is described for the first time in a Triassic temnospondyl. Bone cross-sectional geometry, low-to-average cortical porosity, and other parameters imply that the members of the Early and Middle Triassic taxa recovered from India retained a high level of terrestriality. The high cortical porosity and extensive medullary spongiosa suggest that the Late Triassic chigutisaurids had a semi-aquatic or aquatic life style. The varying cortical thickness of the limb bones in paracyclotosaurids may be attributed to different biomechanical constraints.

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Section: Synthesismentioning

confidence: 54%

Preliminary observations on the bone microstructure, growth patterns, and life habits of some Triassic temnospondyls from India

Mukherjee

Ray

Sengupta

2010

Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology

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“…A common explanation for this phenomenon is that rapid body length and mass increase limits predation on the juvenile individuals (Wiffen et al, 1995;Horner et al, 2000).…”

Section: Palaeoecologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Bone histology and skeletochronology are rarely used to gain insights into ontogeny of extinct taxa: a few exceptions are well preserved growth series of plesiosaurs (Wiffen et al, 1995), dinosaurs (Horner et al, 2000), Triassic nothosaurs (Sanders, 1990), or PlioPleistocene anurans (Esteban et al, 1998).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

First histological and skeletochronological data on temnospondyl growth: palaeoecological and palaeoclimatological implications

Steyer

Laurin

Castanet

et al. 2004

Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology

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-The metoposaurid Dutuitosaurus ouazzoui, from the Carnian (Upper Triassic) of Southern Morocco is one of the best known temnospondyls; more than 75 specimens have been found, including 15 sub-complete skeletons of various sizes from ImiN'Tanoute, a mass mortality locality (Dutuit and Heyler, 1983, p.628) in the Argana Basin, Western High Atlas. Ten femora, sampled from sub-complete skeletons belonging to a growth series, have been sectioned at the mid-diaphyseal level in order to perform histological and skeletochronological analyses. Sections from juveniles and adults show microstructures typical of aquatic stegocephalians (absence of a free medullary cavity, presence of an extensive spongiosa that merges gradually into a cortical compacta). Bone sections from juveniles reveal a relatively high initial growth rate (no secondary osteons, cortex with wide and densely vascularized growth zones, alternating with thin annuli or Lines of Arrested Growth -LAGs-). Bone sections from adults indicate a decreased growth rate (less vascularized external cortex, osteocyte lacunae parallel to the cortical stratification), probably after the acquisition of sexual maturity, and a moderate amount of remodeling (presence of a few secondary osteons, of erosion bays in the cortical compacta). Growth marks have been correlated with environmental changes, likely to be seasonal cycles. Compactness profiles have been quantified using 'Bone profiler'. Comparison with profiles of extant taxa confirm the hypothesis that Dutuitosaurus was aquatic.

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“…Ichthyosaurs (Buffr enil and Mazin, 1992;Houssaye et al, 2014) and some Sauropterygia (Buffr enil and Mazin, 1990;Wiffen et al, 1995;Klein et al, 2015a) are so far the only known non-archosaur diapsids that formed FLB throughout most of their ontogeny, which might be related-at least in Triassic forms-to a constant warm environment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Preliminary observations on the bone histology of the Middle Triassic pseudosuchian archosaurBatrachotomus kupferzellensisreveal fast growth with laminar fibrolamellar bone tissue

Klein

Foth

Schoch

2017

Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology

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ABSTRACT-The bone tissue of femur, rib, and gastralia from three different individuals of the Middle Triassic pseudosuchian Batrachotomus kupferzellensis from southern Germany is studied. The femoral bone tissue comprises laminar fibrolamellar bone tissue throughout and is stratified by three annual growth cycles, indicating that the individual died early in its fourth year of life, at which time it had reached 87% of maximum known femur length. Thus, compared with most other Pseudosuchia (e.g., phytosaurs, aetosaurs, and most crocodylomorphs, including marine taxa), Batrachotomus achieved its large body size in a very short time by fast, although interrupted, growth and not by protracted longevity. Such fast growth as well as the organization of the tissue is similar to the condition observed in ornithodirans. The pseudosuchians Effigia and Postosuchus also show fibrolamellar tissue, but vascular density is lower when compared with Batrachotomus and dominated by a longitudinal organization of primary osteons. The rib and gastralium of Batrachotomus both show an inner spongious organization surrounded by a ring of compact, avascular, highly organized parallel-fibered and/or lamellar bone largely covered by short fibers. Maximal growth cycle count in the proximal rib sample suggests an age of at least 11 years for this individual with a reduction of growth rate after the sixth cycle.

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Ontogenetic evolution of bone structurein Late Cretaceous Plesiosauria from New Zealand

Cited by 107 publications

References 24 publications

Preliminary observations on the bone microstructure, growth patterns, and life habits of some Triassic temnospondyls from India

Preliminary observations on the bone microstructure, growth patterns, and life habits of some Triassic temnospondyls from India

First histological and skeletochronological data on temnospondyl growth: palaeoecological and palaeoclimatological implications

Preliminary observations on the bone histology of the Middle Triassic pseudosuchian archosaurBatrachotomus kupferzellensisreveal fast growth with laminar fibrolamellar bone tissue

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