Journal of Anatomy最新文献

{"title":"The osteohistology of gorgonopsian therapsids and implications for Permo-Triassic theriodont growth.","authors":"Jennifer Botha","doi":"10.1111/joa.14201","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/joa.14201","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>During the Late Permian, saber-toothed gorgonopsian therapsids were the dominant terrestrial predators, playing crucial roles as apex predators alongside therocephalian therapsids within Permian terrestrial ecosystems. The entire gorgonopsian clade went extinct during the Permo-Triassic mass extinction, leaving other therapsids to continue into the Triassic. Gorgonopsians have not been well studied, particularly in terms of their growth patterns, with only a few genera having undergone osteohistological analysis. In this study, I present a thorough osteohistological examination of the most extensive collection of gorgonopsian specimens to date, spanning a diverse range of limb bones sourced from various species. The osteohistological analysis of gorgonopsian specimens reveals a trend of rapid growth characterized by a highly vascularized woven-parallel complex. The abundance of growth marks and variable zone widths suggests a growth trajectory that could indicate longer lifespans and slower growth rates when compared to Early Triassic therapsids. The high vascularity, coupled with the observed growth patterns, implies that gorgonopsians experienced rapid growth during favorable conditions. However, the multiple growth marks indicate that they likely had the capacity for longer lifespans and more gradual maturation than their Early Triassic counterparts. Additionally, their ability to reach later ontogenetic stages supports the hypothesis that favorable environmental conditions facilitated larger body sizes. In contrast, Early Triassic therapsids primarily consisted of juveniles or individuals who reached reproductive maturity within a year, likely indicative of harsher conditions that contributed to higher mortality rates at younger ages. The onset of decreased growth rates, usually indicative of reproductive maturity, occurred later in gorgonopsians compared to Early Triassic therapsids and may have contributed to their decline, as the heightened juvenile mortality rates during the PTME would have limited the gorgonopsians' ability to reproduce effectively.</p>","PeriodicalId":14971,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Anatomy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142872060","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Transauricular vagal nerve stimulation suppresses inflammatory responses in the gut and brain in an inflammatory bowel disease model","authors":"Kerem Atalar,&nbsp;Ece Alim,&nbsp;Zeynep Yigman,&nbsp;Hayrunnisa Bolay Belen,&nbsp;Fusun Erten,&nbsp;Kazım Sahin,&nbsp;Ayse Soylu,&nbsp;Saadet Ozen Akarca Dizakar,&nbsp;Meltem Bahcelioglu","doi":"10.1111/joa.14178","DOIUrl":"10.1111/joa.14178","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) encompasses Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), is a major health problem on a global scale and its treatment is unsatisfactory. We aimed to investigate the effects of transauricular vagal nerve stimulation (tVNS) on inflammation in rats with IBD induced by trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS). A total of 36 adult female Sprague–Dawley rats were given TNBS, or vehicle, and tVNS, or sham, every other day for 30 min for 10 days. Postmortem macroscopic and microscopic colon morphology were evaluated by histological staining. Additionally, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α cytokine levels in the colon and the brain were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and western blotting analysis. TNBS induced epithelial damage, inflammation, ulceration, and thickened mucosal layer in the colonic tissues. Administration of tVNS significantly ameliorated the severity of TNBS-induced tissue damage and inflammatory response. TNBS also alters pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory balance in the brain tissue. TVNS application significantly suppressed the protein levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, namely IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF- α while augmenting the level of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 in the colonic and the brain tissue. We have shown that TNBS-mediated colonic inflammation and tissue damage are associated with neuroinflammatory responses in the brain tissue. Also demonstrated for the first time that neuroinflammatory response in the gut-brain axis is suppressed by tVNS in the IBD model. Non-invasive tVNS stands out as a new potential treatment option for types of IBD.</p>","PeriodicalId":14971,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Anatomy","volume":"246 4","pages":"602-615"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142872062","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cap-to-bell stage molar tooth morphogenesis occurs through proliferation-independent sulcus sharpening and condensation-associated tension in the dental papilla.","authors":"Claire Piper, Jeremy B A Green","doi":"10.1111/joa.14187","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/joa.14187","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The anatomy of molar teeth is important both functionally for chewing food and in evolutionary studies as a well-preserved species marker in the fossil record. Molar teeth begin to develop their characteristic biting-surface shape of cusps (peaks) and sulci (valleys) at the bell stage, when corresponding folds in the dental epithelium become apparent. Theories about the developmental mechanisms of cusp and sulcus morphogenesis have hitherto largely focused on the non-proliferating nature of the secondary enamel knots (EKs) at the cusp tips. EKs have been thought to direct cusp/sulcus formation by stimulating proliferative growth of the surrounding epithelium which, being confined within a capsule of condensed mesenchyme, bends by mechanical buckling. Here we show, using explant inhibition and cut-and-recoil experiments, that cap-to-bell morphogenesis is largely proliferation-independent (sulcus sharpening entirely so) and that tension in the mesenchyme of the dental papilla, immediately sub-adjacent to the cusps, rather than compression by the mesenchyme surrounding the whole structure, is what holds the structure in shape. Fine mapping of the degree of condensation shows that it is highest in the mesenchyme of the dental papilla and becomes progressively more focused to the cusp regions, consistent with a key role in cusp shaping. Together these findings overturn the prevailing models of molar morphogenesis, including both cusp and sulcus formation.</p>","PeriodicalId":14971,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Anatomy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142872057","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An anatomical investigation of alkaptonuria: Novel insights into ochronosis of cartilage and bone.","authors":"Juliette H Hughes, Gemma Charlesworth, Amanda Prior, Claire M Tierney, Paul D Rothwell, Neil P Thomas, Lakshminarayan R Ranganath, James A Gallagher, Alistair P Bond","doi":"10.1111/joa.14190","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/joa.14190","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ochronotic pigmentation of connective tissue is the central pathological process in the rare metabolic disease alkaptonuria (AKU). Tissue pigmentation in AKU occurs due to unmetabolised homogentisic acid (HGA) in the circulation, caused by an enzyme deficiency in the liver. Ochronotic pigmentation, derived from HGA, has previously been reported and described in large joints obtained from arthroplasty surgeries, which typically have advanced disease. Many tissues that are affected by ochronosis are not accessible for study during life, including tissues subjected to early and mid-stage disease. Here, the opportunity arose to anatomically examine a 60-year-old AKU female body donor, allowing the investigation of previously understudied tissue, including those undergoing early-stage pathological changes. Dissection of fresh-frozen tissue was carried out and harvested tissues were fixed and examined histologically using H&E and Schmorl's stains to aid identification of ochronotic pigment. This work focusses on osteochondral tissues including extra-skeletal cartilage, viscera and eyes. Gross and histological images demonstrating pigmentation in the cartilage and perichondrium of the ear ossicles, tympanic membrane and the pubic symphysis fibrocartilaginous disc are described for the first time here. We also show the first examination of the temporomandibular joint, which macroscopically appeared unpigmented, with histological analysis of the fibrocartilaginous disc showing no pigmentation. Pigmentation of non-articular hyaline cartilage was observed in the respiratory tract, in both the hyaline cartilage and perichondrium, confirming previous findings. Within smaller joints, pigmentation of chondrons and the surrounding territorial matrix was observed, but was confined to calcified articular cartilage, and was not generally found in the hyaline articular cartilage. Dark pigmentation of the perichondrium adjacent to the articular surface was observed in numerous small joints. The calcified bone matrix was not pigmented but ochronosis was identified in a small fraction of trabecular osteocytes in the capitate and radius, with substantially more pigmented osteocytes observed in bone of the ear ossicles. Viscera examined were unpigmented. This anatomical examination of tissues from an AKU individual highlights that most osteochondral tissues are susceptible to HGA-derived pigmentation, including the ear ossicles which are the smallest bones in the body. Within joints, calcified cartilage and perichondrium appear to be the earliest affected tissues, but why this is the case is not understood. Furthermore, why the TMJ disc was unaffected by pigmentation is intriguing. The heterogenous appearance of pigmentation both within and between different tissues indicates that factors other than tissue type (i.e. cartilage, perichondrium) and matrix composition (i.e. collagen-rich, calcified) may affect the process of ochronosis, such as oxygen tension, loading","PeriodicalId":14971,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Anatomy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142872056","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A complete workflow from embalmed specimens to life-like 3D virtual models for veterinary anatomy teaching.","authors":"Zeeshan Durrani, Fay Penrose, James Anderson, Emanuele Ricci, Stephanie Carr, Lorenzo Ressel","doi":"10.1111/joa.14192","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/joa.14192","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Understanding normal structural and functional anatomy is critical for health professionals across various fields such as medicine, veterinary, and dental courses. The landscape of anatomical education has evolved tremendously due to several challenges and advancements in blended learning approaches, which have led to the adoption of the use of high-fidelity 3D digital models in anatomical education. Cost-effective methods such as photogrammetry, which creates digital 3D models from aligning 2D photographs, provide a viable alternative to expensive imaging techniques (i.e. computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging) whilst maintaining photorealism and serving multiple purposes, including surgical planning and research. This study outlines a comprehensive workflow for producing realistic 3D digital models from embalmed veterinary specimens. The process begins with the preservation of specimens using the modified-WhitWell (WhitWell-Liverpool) embalming protocol, which ensures optimal tissue rigidity and improved colour enhancement, facilitating easier manipulation and better photogrammetry outcomes. Once embalmed, specimens are photographed to create digital 3D models using photogrammetry. Briefly, all images are processed to generate a sparse point cloud, which is then rendered into a 3D mesh. The mesh undergoes decimation and smoothing to reduce computational load, and a texture is applied to create a lifelike model. Additional colour enhancements and adjustments are made using digital tools to restore the natural appearance of the specimens. The 3D models are stored on a cloud repository and integrated into the University of Liverpool's Virtual Learning Environment, providing continuous, remote access to high-quality anatomical resources. The switch to embalmed specimens during the COVID-19 pandemic allowed for longer-term use and detailed dissections, enhancing the quality of digital models. Fresh specimens, though naturally coloured, are less stable for photogrammetry, making embalmed specimens preferable for accurate 3D modelling. Our method ensures embalmed specimens are rigid enough for precise modelling while allowing texture adjustments to enhance digital representation. This approach has improved logistical efficiency, educational delivery, and specimen quality. Innovative embalming techniques and advanced photogrammetry have the power to revolutionise anatomical education with the creation of a vast digital library accessible online to students at any time. This approach paves the way for integrating digital 3D models into immersive environments and assessing their impact on learning outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":14971,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Anatomy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142872146","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Increased sampling reveals the complex evolution of sauropod dinosaur tooth replacement rates.","authors":"Michael D D'Emic, Stephen P Finch, Brooks B Britt, Jeffrey A Wilson Mantilla","doi":"10.1111/joa.14169","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/joa.14169","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Unlike most herbivores, sauropod dinosaurs evolved simple teeth that were replaced rapidly. Sauropod craniodental morphology is conserved relative to that of many archosaur clades, but tooth breadth and replacement rate vary substantially. Two neosauropod clades, Titanosauria and Diplodocoidea, independently evolved both narrow-crowned teeth and high tooth replacement rates among a suite of other convergent features. Brachiosaurids also evolved somewhat narrower-crowned teeth, but the two brachiosaurids whose tooth replacement rate has been examined to date have low replacement rates. Poor and uneven sampling across Sauropoda limits our understanding of the evolution of tooth replacement rate and related ecological inferences. To better understand the evolution of tooth replacement rate and tooth breadth, we integrated histological and tomographic data to nearly double the number of examined sauropod genera, focusing on improved sampling through the Cretaceous. We provide histological descriptions of the dentine and enamel of two Early Cretaceous taxa, Abydosaurus and Moabosaurus. The former has unusually thin daily increments in its dentine, indicating prolonged tooth formation times. The dentine of the latter is typical of what is observed in most sauropods, but it has enigmatic banding in its enamel. We performed ancestral state reconstruction on a time-calibrated phylogeny to show that the earliest macronarians and brachiosaurids retain the ancestral sauropod condition of relatively low tooth replacement rates (2-3 months to replace a tooth in each alveolus), whereas diplodocoids evolved much higher rates (2-5 weeks to replace a tooth in each alveolus). Early diverging somphospondylans had a broad range of tooth replacement rates. Broad-crowned teeth exhibit some correlation with low tooth replacement rates, whereas narrow-crowned teeth display a more variable relationship with replacement rate.</p>","PeriodicalId":14971,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Anatomy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142872058","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Size, not phylogeny, explains the morphology of the endosseous labyrinth in the crown clade Crocodylia","authors":"Yohan Pochat-Cottilloux,&nbsp;Gwendal Perrichon,&nbsp;Lionel Hautier,&nbsp;Nicolas Rinder,&nbsp;Romain Amiot,&nbsp;Irena Raselli,&nbsp;Jérôme Adrien,&nbsp;Joël Lachambre,&nbsp;Vincent Fernandez,&nbsp;Jeremy E. Martin","doi":"10.1111/joa.14170","DOIUrl":"10.1111/joa.14170","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The endosseous labyrinths are associated with several functions, including hearing and spatial orientation. Throughout their evolutionary history, crocodylomorphs have thrived in diverse environments, and the morphology of their endosseous labyrinths has been suggested as a proxy for inferring their lifestyle. However, the relationships between the shape of their endosseous labyrinths and ontogenetic and phylogenetic factors are difficult to interpret and have rarely been investigated in depth previously, particularly in terms of dataset size. Here, we present the most complete dataset to date on the endosseous labyrinths of extant crocodylians, including 111 specimens covering 22 species of different ontogenetic status (from hatchlings to adults). Using 3D geometric morphometrics, we show that allometry constitutes a major contributor of the shape variation of the crocodylian endosseous labyrinths and that the development of this structure is likely linked to the braincase conformation, in all extant genera. We also find a moderate phylogenetic signal, but only without considering the size effect, so it could not be translated into relevant discrete morphological characters. Based on these results, we discuss several remaining problems that prevent the inclusion of fossil forms with highly divergent lifestyles to study how ecological differences shaped the endosseous labyrinths of crocodylomorphs.</p>","PeriodicalId":14971,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Anatomy","volume":"246 4","pages":"558-574"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/joa.14170","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142872059","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hindlimb biomechanics of Lagosuchus talampayensis (Archosauria, Dinosauriformes), with comments on skeletal morphology.","authors":"Alejandro Otero, Peter J Bishop, John R Hutchinson","doi":"10.1111/joa.14183","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/joa.14183","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Lagosuchus talampayensis is a small-bodied (~0.5 m long) Late Triassic dinosauriform archosaur from Argentina. Lagosuchus long has been a pivotal taxon for reconstructing the evolution of form and function on the dinosaur lineage. This importance is because it has a mix of ancestral archosaurian traits, such as a small pelvis with a mostly closed acetabulum lacking prominences that would restrict hip mobility much, with derived \"dinosaurian\" traits such as bipedalism, proximally shifted thigh muscle insertions, elongate hindlimbs, \"advanced mesotarsal\" ankle joints and digitigrade feet. Here, to quantify key functional traits related to the locomotor biomechanics of Lagosuchus, we build a three-dimensional musculoskeletal model, focussing on morphofunctional analysis of the pelvic limb. We survey skeletal material that we have digitised, pointing out hitherto undescribed features and elements, many of which are from taxa other than Lagosuchus. Next, we select ideal elements amongst these to construct a composite model, and articulate adjacent body segments into joints, then estimate body shape including centre of mass, and add muscle paths to create a musculoskeletal model. Finally, we use two methods to quantify the hindlimb muscle parameters (\"architecture\") in the model. We find that they produce similar estimates of force-generating capacities, and compare these data to the few available data from other archosaurs in an evolutionary context, to reconstruct fundamental patterns of changes in muscle architecture and pelvic limb morphology. Our model forms a valuable basis for future quantitative analyses of locomotor function and its evolution in early archosaurs, and an example of how to navigate decision-making for modelling problematic specimens.</p>","PeriodicalId":14971,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Anatomy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142780287","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The development of orofacial complex in bats: Implications for orofacial clefting","authors":"Fumiya Meguro,&nbsp;Hiroki Higashiyama,&nbsp;Yannick Pommery,&nbsp;Laura A. B. Wilson,&nbsp;Vuong Tan Tu,&nbsp;Taro Nojiri,&nbsp;Dai Fukui,&nbsp;Daisuke Koyabu","doi":"10.1111/joa.14173","DOIUrl":"10.1111/joa.14173","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Orofacial morphology in mammals plays a critical role in essential life functions such as feeding and communication, which are influenced by the shapes of these anatomical structures. Bats are known to exhibit highly diversified orofacial morphotypes within their clade, reflecting their varied diets and echolocation behaviors. The presence of bony discontinuities between the premaxilla and maxilla or among the premaxillae is a notable feature of bat orofacial morphology, observed in certain lineages. It is suggested that these unique orofacial morphotypes, not generally found in other mammals, have evolved in relation to dietary adaptations rather than merely for echolocation mode. Until now, the developmental background of the bony discontinuities in the bat orofacial complex has been insufficiently investigated. Here, we present a comparative study of the chondrocranium and epithelial organs in the orofacial complex of three bat species: <i>Cynopterus sphinx</i>, <i>Rhinolophus malayanus</i>, and <i>Vespertilio sinensis</i>. Our observations indicate that the preceding morphogenesis of orofacial cartilage and epithelial structures is remarkably different among these three species. In <i>C. sphinx</i> and <i>V. sinensis</i>, the region forming from the regression of the palatine process of the premaxilla was filled with orofacial cartilage and epithelial structures. We also found that the clefted morphology observed in <i>R. malayanus</i> and <i>V. sinensis</i> was formed via contrastingly divergent developmental processes. Midline clefts among Yangochiroptera have been previously categorized to represent a uniform morphotype, but our study highlights that attributing midline clefts into a singular category should be revisited, advocating for a nuanced categorization of cleft morphology based on their morphogenetic patterns. Further research on the bat orofacial complex may enhance our understanding of bat evolutionary diversification and offer insights into the developmental mechanisms of human cleft palate.</p>","PeriodicalId":14971,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Anatomy","volume":"246 3","pages":"331-344"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142769130","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Insights into Argentavis magnificens (Aves, Teratornithidae) lifestyle based on neuroanatomy.","authors":"Milagros Torres Etchegorry, Federico J Degrange","doi":"10.1111/joa.14184","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/joa.14184","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Teratornithidae is an extinct bird family, likely related to Cathartidae, known exclusively from the Americas. They were once thought to be scavengers, but recent theories suggest they were opportunistic or piscivorous birds capable of swallowing prey whole. The most notable species, Argentavis magnificens, had a wingspan of 6 to 8 m and weighed 70 to 80 kg. In order to infer paleobiological aspects of this bird, its endocast (as a proxy for brain morphology), reconstructed from computed tomography scans of the holotype skull, is here described and compared to that of other bird species of zoophagous feeding habits with different flight styles. The brain of Argentavis presents a general appearance similar to that of Cathartidae, being dorsoventrally flattened and anteroposteriorly elongated, with small optic lobes in relation to the total encephalic surface. The estimated volume of the bulbi olfactorii is very similar to that of the Andean Condor Vultur gryphus. The main difference observed with Cathartidae is the marked development of the eminentiae sagittales present in Argentavis (structures closely related to the perception of visual information), which are more similar to those of the Accipitriformes and Falconiformes analyzed. The results obtained here suggest that Argentavis was a scavenger or even maybe a kleptoparasitic bird, relying more on vision than on smell (similar to that observed in the Andean Condor). Furthermore, the inner ear and flocculi exhibit characteristics similar to birds without acrobatic flight, indicating that Argentavis had a soaring flight and inhabited open areas without much vegetation.</p>","PeriodicalId":14971,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Anatomy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142769185","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}