Rooting Around the Eutherian Family Tree: the Origin and Relations of the Taeniodonta

Rook, Deborah L.; Hunter, John P.

doi:10.1007/s10914-013-9230-9

Cited by 11 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Here, we placed these groups as stem eutherians (Rook & Hunter, 2014). (2) Within primates, we placed Omomys , Teilhardina , Archicebus , Notharctus and Plesiadapis (Ni et al, 2013).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolution of the patellar sesamoid bone in mammals

Samuels

Regnault

Hutchinson

2017

PeerJ

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The patella is a sesamoid bone located in the major extensor tendon of the knee joint, in the hindlimb of many tetrapods. Although numerous aspects of knee morphology are ancient and conserved among most tetrapods, the evolutionary occurrence of an ossified patella is highly variable. Among extant (crown clade) groups it is found in most birds, most lizards, the monotreme mammals and almost all placental mammals, but it is absent in most marsupial mammals as well as many reptiles. Here, we integrate data from the literature and first-hand studies of fossil and recent skeletal remains to reconstruct the evolution of the mammalian patella. We infer that bony patellae most likely evolved between four and six times in crown group Mammalia: in monotremes, in the extinct multituberculates, in one or more stem-mammal genera outside of therian or eutherian mammals and up to three times in therian mammals. Furthermore, an ossified patella was lost several times in mammals, not including those with absent hindlimbs: once or more in marsupials (with some re-acquisition) and at least once in bats. Our inferences about patellar evolution in mammals are reciprocally informed by the existence of several human genetic conditions in which the patella is either absent or severely reduced. Clearly, development of the patella is under close genomic control, although its responsiveness to its mechanical environment is also important (and perhaps variable among taxa). Where a bony patella is present it plays an important role in hindlimb function, especially in resisting gravity by providing an enhanced lever system for the knee joint. Yet the evolutionary origins, persistence and modifications of a patella in diverse groups with widely varying habits and habitats—from digging to running to aquatic, small or large body sizes, bipeds or quadrupeds—remain complex and perplexing, impeding a conclusive synthesis of form, function, development and genetics across mammalian evolution. This meta-analysis takes an initial step toward such a synthesis by collating available data and elucidating areas of promising future inquiry.

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“…Here, we placed these groups as stem eutherians (Rook & Hunter, 2014). (2) Within primates, we placed Omomys , Teilhardina , Archicebus , Notharctus and Plesiadapis (Ni et al, 2013).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolution of the patellar sesamoid bone in mammals

Samuels

Regnault

Hutchinson

2017

PeerJ

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“…This early Paleocene genus has been allied by many to the plesiadapiforms (Clemens, ; Fox & Scott, ), with the implication that it represents an early stem primate. Alternative topologies have placed Purgatorius on the stem of Placentalia, due to the conservativeness of its morphology (Wible et al , ; Rook & Hunter, ), although counterarguments suggest that this more basal position has resulted from inadequate sampling of plesiadapiforms and early Primates (Chester et al , ), which could also potentially affect its positioning in this analysis. In order to accommodate these alternative hypotheses, which are both substantially supported on the basis of tarsal and dental similarities, respectively, Purgatorius was constrained along with Primates and their kin in a further analysis, and left unconstrained in the others.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Resolving the relationships of Paleocene placental mammals

2015

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The 'Age of Mammals' began in the Paleocene epoch, the 10 million year interval immediately following the Cretaceous-Palaeogene mass extinction. The apparently rapid shift in mammalian ecomorphs from small, largely insectivorous forms to many small-to-large-bodied, diverse taxa has driven a hypothesis that the end-Cretaceous heralded an adaptive radiation in placental mammal evolution. However, the affinities of most Paleocene mammals have remained unresolved, despite significant advances in understanding the relationships of the extant orders, hindering efforts to reconstruct robustly the origin and early evolution of placental mammals. Here we present the largest cladistic analysis of Paleocene placentals to date, from a data matrix including 177 taxa (130 of which are Palaeogene) and 680 morphological characters. We improve the resolution of the relationships of several enigmatic Paleocene clades, including families of 'condylarths'. Protungulatum is resolved as a stem eutherian, meaning that no crown-placental mammal unambiguously pre-dates the Cretaceous-Palaeogene boundary. Our results support an Atlantogenata-Boreoeutheria split at the root of crown Placentalia, the presence of phenacodontids as closest relatives of Perissodactyla, the validity of Euungulata, and the placement of Arctocyonidae close to Carnivora. Periptychidae and Pantodonta are resolved as sister taxa, Leptictida and Cimolestidae are found to be stem eutherians, and Hyopsodontidae is highly polyphyletic. The inclusion of Paleocene taxa in a placental phylogeny alters interpretations of relationships and key events in mammalian evolutionary history. Paleocene mammals are an essential source of data for understanding fully the biotic dynamics associated with the end-Cretaceous mass extinction. The relationships presented here mark a critical first step towards accurate reconstruction of this important interval in the evolution of the modern fauna.

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“…lxceptionm and expanmionm to the topology of O'Leary et al (2013) were am followm: (1) The placement of Pantodonta and Taeniodonta im ambiguoum, but both groupm were muggemted to be derived from the cimolemtidm (McKenna & Bell 1997). Here we placed theme groupm am mtem eutherianm (Rook & Hunter 2014). (2) Within primatem, we placed Omomys, Teiluardina, Arcuicebus, Notuarctus and Plesiadapis (Ni et al 2013).…”

Section: Matlrials and Mlthodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Peer Review #2 of "Evolution of the patellar sesamoid bone in mammals (v0.1)"

2017

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The patella im a memamoid bone located in the major extenmor tendon of the knee joint, in the hindlimb of many tetrapodm. Although numeroum ampectm of knee morphology are ancient and conmerved among momt tetrapodm, the evolutionary occurrence of an ommified patella im highly variable. Among extant (crown clade) groupm it im found in momt birdm, momt lizardm, the monotreme mammalm and almomt all placental mammalm, but it im abment in momt marmupial mammalm am well am many reptilem. Here we integrate data from the literature and firmt-hand mtudiem of fommil and recent mkeletal remainm to reconmtruct the evolution of the mammalian patella. We infer that bony patellae momt likely evolved between four to mix timem in crown group Mammalia: in monotremem, in the extinct multituberculatem, in one or more mtem-mammal genera outmide of therian or eutherian mammalm, and up to three timem in therian mammalm. Furthermore, an ommified patella wam lomt meveral timem in mammalm, not including thome with abment hindlimbm: once or more in marmupialm (with mome re-acquimition), and at leamt once in batm. Our inferencem about patellar evolution in mammalm are reciprocally informed by the eximtence of meveral human genetic conditionm in which the patella im either abment or meverely reduced. Clearly, development of the patella im under clome genomic control, although itm remponmivenemm to itm mechanical environment im almo important (and perhapm variable among taxa). Where a bony patella im prement it playm an important role in hindlimb function; empecially in remimting gravity by providing an enhanced lever mymtem for the knee joint. Yet the evolutionary originm, permimtence and modificationm of a patella in diverme groupm with widely varying habitm and habitatm-from digging to running to aquatic, mmall or large body mizem, bipedm or quadrupedm-remain complex and perplexing, impeding a conclumive mynthemim of form, function, development and geneticm acromm mammalian evolution. Thim meta-analymim takem an initial mtep toward much a mynthemim by collating available data and elucidating aream of promiming future inquiry.

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Rooting Around the Eutherian Family Tree: the Origin and Relations of the Taeniodonta

Cited by 11 publications

References 28 publications

Evolution of the patellar sesamoid bone in mammals

Evolution of the patellar sesamoid bone in mammals

Resolving the relationships of Paleocene placental mammals

Peer Review #2 of "Evolution of the patellar sesamoid bone in mammals (v0.1)"

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