The influence of soft tissue volume on estimates of skeletal pneumaticity: implications for fossil archosaurs
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
380(1920)
Published: Feb. 27, 2025
Air
space
proportion
(ASP),
the
volume
fraction
in
bone
that
is
occupied
by
air,
frequently
applied
as
a
measure
for
quantifying
extent
of
skeletal
pneumaticity
extant
and
fossil
archosaurs.
Nonetheless,
ASP
estimates
rely
on
key
assumption:
soft
tissue
mass
within
pneumatic
bones
negligible,
an
assumption
has
rarely
been
explicitly
acknowledged
or
tested.
Here,
we
provide
first
comparisons
between
estimated
air
(where
internal
cavity
assumed
to
be
completely
air-filled)
true
(ASPt,
where
tissues
present
cavities
fresh
specimens
are
considered).
Using
birds
model
archosaurs
exhibiting
postcranial
pneumaticity,
find
ASPt
significantly
lower
than
ASP,
raising
important
consideration
should
investigations
evolution
bulk
density
extinct
archosaurs,
well
volume-based
archosaur
body
mass.
We
advocate
difference
studies
seeking
quantify
avoid
risk
systematically
overestimating
composed
air.
This
article
part
theme
issue
‘The
biology
avian
respiratory
system’.
Language: Английский
Whence the birds: 200 years of dinosaurs, avian antecedents
Biology Letters,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
21(1)
Published: Jan. 1, 2025
Among
the
most
revolutionary
insights
emerging
from
200
years
of
research
on
dinosaurs
is
that
clade
Dinosauria
represented
by
approximately
11
000
living
species
birds.
Although
origin
birds
among
has
been
reviewed
extensively,
recent
have
witnessed
tremendous
progress
in
our
understanding
deep
evolutionary
origins
numerous
distinctive
avian
anatomical
systems.
These
advances
enabled
exciting
new
fossil
discoveries,
leading
to
an
ever-expanding
phylogenetic
framework
with
which
pinpoint
characteristic
features.
The
present
review
focuses
four
notable
systems
whose
Mesozoic
history
greatly
clarified
discoveries:
brain,
kinetic
palate,
pectoral
girdle
and
postcranial
skeletal
pneumaticity.
Language: Английский
A sauropod dinosaur with an unusually thin ilium
Historical Biology,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
unknown, P. 1 - 2
Published: April 28, 2025
Language: Английский
Variation in the postcranial pneumaticity in derived titanosaurs (Dinosauria: Sauropoda)
Historical Biology,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
unknown, P. 1 - 15
Published: July 24, 2024
Currently,
only
birds
have
a
pneumatic
system,
but
in
the
past,
this
was
common
among
several
ornithodirans.
Within
Titanosauria,
it
saltasaurines
that
showed
high
degree
of
postcranial
pneumaticity.
The
objective
work
is
analysing
extent
pneumaticity
and
compare
with
other
derived
titanosaurs.
To
carry
out
work,
presacral
vertebrae,
dorsal
ribs,
scapulae,
coracoids
ilia
were
analysed.
vertebrae
present
pneumatisation
highly
variable
distribution
foramina,
some
'foramina
zones',
there
homoplastic
pattern
pneumaticity:
presence
foramina
connected
to
camellated
tissue.
With
respect
ilia,
tissue
recorded
all
taxa.
Instead,
scapulae
coracoids,
Saltasaurus
they
cannot
be
pneumatised
Neuquensaurus.
Comparing
titanosaurs,
we
observe
are
zones'
for
caudal
vertebrae.
It
also
possible
establish
ribs
has
conservative
pattern,
not
Saurischia
clade,
frequent
Lithostrotia
even
outside,
rebbachisaurs.
Language: Английский
The influence of soft tissue volume on estimates of skeletal pneumaticity: implications for fossil archosaurs
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory),
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
unknown
Published: Oct. 11, 2024
Abstract
Air
space
proportion
(ASP),
the
volume
fraction
in
bone
occupied
by
air,
is
frequently
applied
as
a
measure
for
quantifying
extent
of
skeletal
pneumaticity
extant
and
fossil
archosaurs.
Nonetheless,
ASP
estimates
rely
on
key
assumption:
that
soft
tissue
mass
within
pneumatic
bones
negligible,
an
assumption
has
rarely
been
explicitly
acknowledged
or
tested.
Here,
we
provide
first
comparisons
between
estimated
air
(where
internal
cavity
assumed
to
be
completely
air-filled)
true
(ASPt,
where
tissues
present
cavities
fresh
specimens
are
considered).
Using
birds
model
archosaurs
exhibiting
postcranial
pneumaticity,
find
ASPt
significantly
lower
than
ASP,
raising
important
consideration
should
investigations
evolution
bulk
density
extinct
archosaurs,
well
volume-based
archosaur
body
mass.
We
advocate
difference
studies
seeking
quantify
avoid
risk
systematically
overestimating
composed
air.
Language: Английский
Unique internal anatomy of vertebrae as a key factor for neck elongation in Triassic archosauromorphs
Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
202(3)
Published: Oct. 14, 2024
Abstract
The
Triassic
was
a
key
period
in
the
evolution
of
vertebrates,
and
reptiles
particular,
giving
rise
to
plethora
successful
lineages,
some
which
are
still
extant.
One
groups
that
flourished
during
early
Mesozoic
were
tanysaurians
(Archosauromorpha:
Tanysauria).
They
had
elongate
neck
vertebrae
genera
reached
extreme
proportions.
Here,
we
provide
first
comprehensive
description
internal
structure
these
extraordinary
elements,
focusing
on
famously
bizarre
Tanystropheus.
Through
computed
tomography
sectioning,
able
reveal
intriguing
features
comparable
those
seen
pterosaurs
birds.
However,
contrary
what
see
pneumatic
bones,
cervicals
contain
singular
voluminous
cavity.
This
results
cylindrical
vertebrae,
likely
provided
durability,
while
contributing
less
weight
neck.
These
insights
relevant
for
better
understanding
unique
anatomy
among
tetrapods,
evolved
as
result
very
strict
selection
particular
function.
Importantly,
our
findings
demonstrate
major
modifications
not
derived
avemetatarsalians
(pterosaurs
dinosaurs),
but
more
widespread
reptiles.
Language: Английский