Subspecific genetic differences in the saddle-back tamarin (Saguinus fuscicollis) postcranial skeleton

Saddle-back tamarins (Saguinus fuscicollis) have been differentiated into subspecies based on coat color and facial morphology. Morphology of first-generation genetic hybrids can provide an understanding of population differences and evolution that may otherwise be difficult to obtain. This study compares postcranial morphology in two hybrids of saddle-back tamarins (S. f. illigeri x S. f. lagonotus and S. f. illigeri x S. f. leucogenys) to the purebred subspecies. We examine whether postcranial morphology differs between the purebred subspecies and their hybrids, and whether hybrids exhibit heterosis indicative of genetic differences between the parental subspecies. Fifty postcranial dimensions, or traits, were measured on 287 S. fuscicollis skeletons. Measurements were corrected for sex differences and environmental differences (wild-derived or laboratory-born). Females were larger than males for most postcranial dimensions, especially in the pelvis. Significant environmental differences were found throughout the postcranial skeleton, with wild-derived animals generally larger than animals born in the laboratory. Significant heterosis was found for six postcranial traits in the S. f. illigeri x S. f. leucogenys cross, and heterosis was found for 15 postcranial traits in the S. f. illigeri x S. f. lagonotus cross. These results suggest that subspecies differences in skeletal morphology are generally due to genetic rather than environmental differences. The subspecies appear to represent geographic isolates that differ in gene frequencies and directional dominance for skeletal traits.     

The ontogeny of Holocene and Late Pleistocene human postcranial strength

While a wide variety of studies have focused on population variation in adult cross‐sectional properties, relatively little is known about population variation in postcranial robusticity in immature individuals. Furthermore, the age at which the population differences readily detected in adults manifest during growth is also unknown. This research addresses these gaps in our current understanding through the analysis of immature humeral and femoral long bone strength. Cross‐sectional geometry was used to compare the developmental trajectories of diaphyseal strength in Late Pleistocene Neandertal and modern human subadults to a sample of immature humans from seven geographically diverse Holocene populations. Population differences in size‐standardized cross‐sectional properties appear to be systemic and develop very early in ontogeny in the Holocene sample. In many cases, these differences are present before one year of age. In general, the Late Pleistocene fossil samples fit within the range of recent human variation in long bone strength. Population differences detected here are likely related to a combination of factors including activity patterns, genetic propensities, and nutritional status. These results highlight the complex mosaic of processes that result in adult postcranial robusticity, and suggest that further exploration of the developmental interplay between intrinsic and extrinsic influences on skeletal robusticity will likely enhance our understanding of adult postcranial morphology. Am J Phys Anthropol 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

The evolution of sexual size dimorphism in the house finch. III. Developmental basis

Sexual size dimorphism of adults proximately results from a combination of sexually dimorphic growth patterns and selection on growing individuals. Yet, most studies of the evolution of dimorphism have focused on correlates of only adult morphologies. Here we examined the ontogeny of sexual size dimorphism in an isolated population of the house finch (Carpodacus mexicanus). Sexes differed in growth rates and growth duration; in most traits, females grew faster than males, but males grew for a longer period. Sexual dimorphism in bill traits (bill length, width, depth) and in body traits (wing, tarsus, and tail length; mass) developed during different periods of ontogeny. Growth of bill traits was most different between sexes during the juvenile period (after leaving the nest), whereas growth of body traits was most sexually dimorphic during the first few days after hatching. Postgrowth selection on juveniles strongly influenced sexual dimorphism in all traits; in some traits, this selection canceled or reversed dimorphism patterns produced by growth differences between sexes. The net result was that adult sexual dimorphism, to a large degree, was an outcome of selection for survival during juvenile stages. We suggest that previously documented fast and extensive divergence of house finch populations in sexual size dimorphism may be partially produced by distinct environmental conditions during growth in these populations.     

Sexual dimorphism in human cranial trait scores: Effects of population,age, and body size

Sex estimation from the skull is commonly performed by physical and forensic anthropologists using a five‐trait scoring system developed by Walker. Despite the popularity of this method, validation studies evaluating its accuracy across a variety of samples are lacking. Furthermore, it remains unclear what other intrinsic or extrinsic variables are related to the expression of these traits. In this study, cranial trait scores and postcranial measurements were collected from four diverse population groups (U.S. Whites, U.S. Blacks, medieval Nubians, and Arikara Native Americans) following Walker's protocols (total n = 499). Univariate and multivariate analyses were utilized to evaluate the accuracy of these traits in sex estimation, and to test for the effects of population, age, and body size on trait expressions. Results revealed significant effects of population on all trait scores. Sample‐specific correct sex classification rates ranged from 74% to 94%, with an overall accuracy of 85% for the pooled sample. Classification performance varied among the traits (best for glabella and mastoid scores and worst for nuchal scores). Furthermore, correlations between traits were weak or nonsignificant, suggesting that different factors may influence individual traits. Some traits displayed correlations with age and/or postcranial size that were significant but weak, and within‐population analyses did not reveal any consistent relationships between these traits across all groups. These results indicate that neither age nor body size plays a large role in trait expression, and thus does not need to be incorporated into sex estimation methods. Am J Phys Anthropol 154:259–269, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Sociality as a life-history tactic of ground squirrels

Summary Multi-variate analysis of life-history traits of 18 species of burrowing sciurids indicates that reproductive effort is determined by body-size energetics. Other traits, such as age adult weight reached, age of dispersal, length of time of gestation, were significantly correlated with body size. A principal component analysis suggested that the complex of life-history traits could be reduced to four components: body size (=weight), seasonality, specific reproductive effort, and maturity. The variation in the sociality index was best explained by age of first reproduction and age adult weight reached. Generally, species are more social when large body size combined with a relatively short growing season is associated with delayed dispersal and occurs in those species typically breeding for the first time at age two or older. Sociality in these species may have evolved through retention of daughters within the maternal home range as a means of continuing reproductive investment beyond weaning.     

Pulmonary pneumaticity in the postcranial skeleton of extant aves: a case study examining Anseriformes

Anseriform birds were surveyed to examine how the degree of postcranial pneumaticity varies in a behaviorally and size-diverse clade of living birds. This study attempts to extricate the relative effects of phylogeny, body size, and behavioral specializations (e.g., diving, soaring) that have been postulated to influence the extent of postcranial skeletal pneumaticity. One hundred anseriform species were examined as the focal study group. Methods included latex injection of the pulmonary apparatus followed by gross dissection or direct examination of osteological specimens. The Pneumaticity Index (PI) is introduced as a means of quantifying and comparing postcranial pneumaticity in a number of species simultaneously. Phylogenetically independent contrasts (PICs) were used to examine the relationship between body size and the degree of postcranial pneumaticity throughout the clade. There is a high degree of similarity (i.e., clade-specificity) within most anseriform subgroups. As a whole, Anseriformes demonstrate no significant relationship between relative pneumaticity and body size, as indicated by regression analysis of body mass on PI. It is apparent, however, that many clades of diving ducks do exhibit lower PIs than their nondiving relatives. By exclusion of diving taxa from analyses, a significant positive slope is observed and the hypothesis of relatively higher pneumaticity in larger-bodied birds is only weakly supported. However, low correlations indicate that factors other than body size account for much of the variation observed in relative pneumaticity. Pneumaticity profiles were mapped onto existing phylogenetic hypotheses. A reduction in the degree of postcranial pneumaticity occurred independently in at least three anseriform subclades specialized for diving. Finally, enigmatic pneumatic features located in distal forelimb elements of screamers (Anhimidae) result from invasion of bone by a network of subcutaneous air sac diverticula spreading distally along the wings.     

Continuing periosteal apposition. I: Documentation, hypotheses, and interpretation

Continuing periosteal apposition (CPA) of small amounts of new lamellar bone, leading to absolutely larger size, has been identified in a number of adult cranial and postcranial bones. This paper reviews 42 studies published since 1964 that have found both significant and nonsignificant age-related change in various skeletal size dimensions, e.g., length, diameter, width, and area. Also considered are four hypotheses that have, or may be, postulated for the occurrence of CPA. To date, however, these hypotheses (cohort effect, mechanical compensation, bone repair and/or mechanical response potential, and heterochrony) have not been rigorously tested, hence remain speculative. An important interpretive problem that befalls the investigation of CPA is its small effect size (i.e., the magnitude of change between observations), since most studies have restricted sample sizes. This problem is illustrated by power analysis of three reviewed studies that reported nonsignificant age-related change. The analysis indicates that these studies had very little likelihood of finding a statistically significant result, i.e., a low probability of rejecting the null hypothesis stipulating no size change with age. This finding has implications for interpreting CPA and for distinguishing between the statistical and biological significance of this phenomenon.     

Postcranial morphology and growth of the pachypleurosaur Anarosaurus heterodontus (Sauropterygia) from the Lower Muschelkalk of Winterswijk, The Netherlands

Sauropterygia from the Muschelkalk are only found in lag deposits known as bone beds, and most of the material consists of isolated bones. Alpha taxonomy of Sauropterygia from the Germanic Basin which include Pachypleurosauria is thus based mainly on skull morphology of a few specimens. Articulated or associated postcranial material of pachypleurosaurs, associated with diagnostic skull material, is very rare in the Germanic Basin and currently occurs in larger numbers only in the Lower Muschelkalk of Winterswijk (Gelderland Province, The Netherlands), which continuously produces new material. For the first time, the morphology of several partially articulated skeletons of the pachypleurosaur Anarosaurus heterodontus is described and compared. Some of those specimens have skull material attached; others were identified as pachypleurosaurs on the basis of their long bone histology. The current study revealed that postcranial bones of A.?heterodontus feature a diverse morphology reflecting differences during ontogeny. Thus, A.?heterodontus specimens could be assigned to size classes (I?CIII). However, on the basis of morphology, histology, and maximal known size of isolated skulls and humeri, none of these specimens represent fully grown individuals. Growth mark counts of midshaft-femur samples, morphologically assigned to size class?III, document that this size class was reached within the first year of life. Size class?III continued into the second year of life, and then afterwards skeletal maturity was reached. Thus, a juvenile A.?heterodontus grew very fast, which is also indicated by its bone tissue type, composed of a high number of radial vascular canals and a fast-deposited bone matrix. The assignment of isolated bones from Lower to Middle Muschelkalk localities to A.?heterodontus is now possible with an extensive amended diagnosis of this taxon. This largely contributes to the understanding of taxonomical diversity and distribution. Morphological comparison of the postcranial skeleton of A.?heterodontus with that of the two other valid pachypleurosaurs from the Germanic Basin, Anarosaurus pumilio and Dactylosaurus, supports their close phylogenetic relationship. Furthermore, the skeleton of A.?heterodontus has no morphological or histological aquatic adaptation such as pachyostosis or pachyosteosclerosis and thus represents the least degree of aquatic adaptation within Pachypleurosauria.     

Postcranial stem tetrapod remains from the Devonian of Scat Craig, Morayshire, Scotland

The postcranial stem tetrapod remains from Scat Craig include a neural arch, humerus, tibia, femur, and incomplete pectoral girdles and ilia. These elements are all large or very large compared with the corresponding bones of other stem tetrapods. They correlate well in size with the proportions of Elginerpeton , the known stem tetrapod from Scat Craig, and probably belong to this genus. The neural arch has weak zygapophyses, and the ilia and shoulder girdles resemble those of Ichthyostega . The femur is strongly twisted, with the intercondylar fossa facing anteroventrally, so the hind limb probably functioned as a paddle. The tibia is broad, as in Acanthostega and Ichthyostega . The humerus is approximately intermediate in shape between those of osteolepiforms and later stem tetrapods, but seems to have a ventral radial facet like Ichthyostega . Overall, the postcranial bones combine apparent synapomorphies with Ichthyostega and characters which are uniquely primitive among stemgroup tetrapods. This character combination is incongruent. A recently discovered postorbital bone from the site is, strictly speaking, indeterminable but may belong to Elginerpeton ; it broadly resembles the postorbitals of Ichthyostega and Acanthostega , and demonstrates that the typical stem tetrapod facial morphology had evolved before the end of the Frasnian.     

牛科(哺乳纲:偶蹄目)动物与生境利用有关的适应形态模式

对广义牛科动物颅后骨骼的多元变量分析揭示了牛科生境利用和体型之间的骨学特征。利用逐步分辨分析方法和一个基于机器学习的决策树方法鉴别了每种生境中牛科动物颅后解剖结构的形态特征。从110个广义牛科动物测量了43个指标进行了这项分析。利用所有主要肢骨测量值和以单根肢骨测量为主的测量值获得的分辨函数和决策树可以完美地区分适应开阔生境、森林和山地的牛科动物(在所有分析中得到了100 %正确的再分类)。由于调整的函数仅涉及到很小的颅后骨骼测量集,这些函数可以应用于研究考古学和古生物学发掘物中保存的不完整标本。这些表征生境利用的生态适应函数与那些用颅齿部性状建立、用于推测牛科动物食物选择的函数结合,具有刻画已灭绝的分类类群的古个体生态学和重建古环境的潜力。我们还分析了多元回归是否较单一因子回归表现出较高的预测能力,并提出了从每一种单根主要肢骨测量的颅后形态变量得到的最好代数函数     

Size variation in the postcranium ofAustralopithecus afarensis and extant species of hominoidea

The postcranial sample ofA. afarensis can be divided into two size groups. Among the best preserved elements which are represented by both morphs are the distal femur, proximal ulna, and capitate. The difference between the large and small fossil femora is similar to the difference between average male and femaleG. gorilla andP. pygmaeus. The distal femora ofH. sapiens are less sexually dimorphic while those ofP. paniscus, P. troglodytes, andH. lar are not significantly dimorphic at all. Large and small capitates and proximal ulnae ofA. afarensis differ slightly more than the highly dimorphic species of extant Hominoidea. In my sample of Amerindians, the capitate and proximal ulna are also strongly dimorphic. The two species ofPan have insignificant sexual dimorphism in these traits. There results imply that strong sexual dimorphism in body size is the primitive condition for the large bodied hominoids.     

Comparison of radiologic and gross examination for detection of cancer in defleshed skeletons

The reliability of visual examination of defleshed bones was assessed for detection of postcranial metastatic disease in individuals known to have had cancer. This was compared with standard clinical radiologic techniques. The skeletons of 128 diagnosed cancer patients from an early 20th century autopsied skeletal collection (Hamann-Todd Collection) were examined. Radiologic examination detected evidence of metastatic disease in 33 individuals, compared to 11 by visual examination of the postcranial skeletons. Four of these cases were detected by both techniques. Blastic lesions were most commonly overlooked on visual examination, because they were localized to trabecular (internal bone) structures. The ilium was the most commonly affected bone, with lytic or blastic lesions detected in 30 of 33 individuals. While the proximal femur was affected in only nine individuals, x-ray of the proximal femur and ilium detected all individuals with postcranial evidence of metastatic disease. Skeletal distribution of metastases provides no clue to the location of origin or histologic subtype of the cancer. Survey of archeological human remains for metastatic cancer requires radiologic examination. Such skeletal surveys should x-ray at least the ilia and femora. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Sexual dimorphism in postcranial skeletal shape suggests male-biased specialization for physical competition in anthropoid primates

Sexual dimorphism often arises as a response to selection on traits that improve a male's ability to physically compete for access to mates. In primates, sexual dimorphism in body mass and canine size is more common in species with intense male–male competition. However, in addition to these traits, other musculoskeletal adaptations may improve male fighting performance. Postcranial traits that increase strength, agility, and maneuverability may also be under selection. To test the hypothesis that males, as compared to females, are more specialized for physical competition in their postcranial anatomy, we compared sex-specific skeletal shape using a set of functional indices predicted to improve fighting performance. Across species, we found significant sexual dimorphism in a subset of these indices, indicating the presence of skeletal shape sexual dimorphism in our sample of anthropoid primates. Mean skeletal shape sexual dimorphism was positively correlated with sexual dimorphism in body size, an indicator of the intensity of male–male competition, even when controlling for both body mass and phylogenetic relatedness. These results suggest that selection on male fighting ability has played a role in the evolution of postcranial sexual dimorphism in primates.     

DEVELOPMENT, SEXUAL DIMORPHISM, and INDIVIDUAL VARIATION IN THE SKELETON OF THE FINLESS PORPOISE, NEOPHOCAENA PHOCAENOIDES, IN THE COASTAL WATERS OF WESTERN KYUSHU, JAPAN

Development, sexual dimorphism, and individual variation were examined in the skeleton of the finless porpoise in the coastal waters of western Kyushu, Japan. Skulls ceased growing by 4 yr. Postcranial skeletons ceased increasing in size at an age older than 11 yr. The finless porpoise was estimated to attain cranial maturity by 4 yr and physical maturity at 14–23 yr. Sexual dimorphism was not detectable in most of the cranial characters but was detected in more than half of the postcranial characters. Females tended to show larger values of postcranial characters. The shape of the pelvic bone was obviously different between males and females. Thus, a discriminant function was proposed to determine sex using measurements of this bone. Individual variation was greatest in the feeding apparatus such as length of the rostrum, and least in the braincase.     

太原地区现代人头骨的研究

本文报告了太原地区男、女组现代人头骨测量性状的基本统计量和非测量性状的出现情况,记述和讨论了它们的两侧差异和性别差异情况,建立了以多个项目测量值鉴定华北人头骨性别的判别函数。     

New ankylosaurian material from the Upper Cretaceous of Transylvania

Ankylosaurian remains from the Transylvanian Basin, Romania, are extremely rare. More than 100 years after the discovery of the first and only better-known assemblage, namely the type material of Struthiosaurus transylvanicus, new ankylosaurian material has been discovered in the Maastrichtian of the Ha?eg Basin, as well as at another locality (Vurp?r), in the Transylvanian Basin, that is described here. The material consists of one tooth in a small jaw fragment (from the Ha?eg Basin) and at least two accummulations of associated, as well as several isolated, postcranial elements (from Vurp?r). No diagnostic elements are preserved that would overlap with the type of S. transylvanicus, so we cannot assign any of the new specimens to this species. The tooth shows marked differences compared to those of other anklyosaurs including S. austriacus and Hungarosaurus in having only six, more or less equally sized, apically pointed cusps separated by deep grooves. The postcranial material from Vurp?r represents at least three different individuals. The humerus is the most diagnostic element among the postcranial remains being most similar both in size and morphology to humeri referred to as Struthiosaurus from different European localities, thus here we refer the humerus and probably associated elements preserved in one assemblage to as cf. Struthiosaurus sp.; the remaining specimens from Vurp?r are retained as Nodosauridae indet. Histological studies have confirmed the adult nature of all sampled bones in the Vurp?r ankylosaur material suggesting that these fully grown animals were of similar size to Struthiosaurus, a small-bodied nodosaurid the ontogenetic status of which, however, has never been investigated histologically. The obviously diminished body size of the Transylvanian ankylosaurs compared to other members of the clade could be explained by insular dwarfism using the same histology-based argument as presented for Magyarosaurus.     

What's inside a sauropod limb? First three-dimensional investigation of the limb long bone microanatomy of a sauropod dinosaur,Nigersaurus taqueti (Neosauropoda,Rebbachisauridae), and implications for the weight-bearing function

Various terrestrial tetrapods convergently evolved to gigantism (large body sizes and masses), the most extreme case being sauropod dinosaurs. Heavy weight-bearing taxa often show external morphological features related to this condition, but also adequacy in their limb bone inner structure: a spongiosa filling the medullary area and a rather thick cortex varying greatly in thickness along the shaft. However, the microanatomical variation in such taxa remains poorly known, especially between different limb elements. We highlight for the first time the three-dimensional microstructure of the six limb long bone types of a sauropod dinosaur, Nigersaurus taqueti. Sampling several specimens of different sizes, we explored within-bone, between-bones, and size-related variations. If a spongiosa fills the medullary area of all bones, the cortex is rather thin and varies only slightly in thickness along the shaft. Zeugopod bones appear more compact than stylopod ones, whereas no particular differences between serially homologous bones are found. Nigersaurus' pattern appears much less extreme than that in heavy terrestrial taxa such as rhinoceroses, but is partly similar to observations in elephants and in two-dimensional sauropod data. Thus, microanatomy may have not been the predominant feature for weight-bearing in sauropods. External features, such as columnarity (shared with elephants) and postcranial pneumaticity, may have played a major role for this function, thus relaxing pressures on microanatomy. Also, sauropods may have been lighter than expected for a given size. Our study calls for further three-dimensional investigations, eventually yielding a framework characterizing more precisely how sauropod gigantism may have been possible.     

The effect of seed traits on geographic variation in body size and sexual size dimorphism of the seed‐feeding beetle Acanthoscelides macrophthalmus

Explaining large‐scale patterns of variation in body size has been considered a central question in ecology and evolutionary biology because several life‐history traits are directly linked to body size. For ectothermic organisms, little is known about what processes influence geographic variation in body size. Changes in body size and sexual size dimorphism (SSD) have been associated with environmental variables, particularly for Bruchinae insects, which feed exclusively on seeds during the larval stage. However, the effect of important seed traits on body size variation has rarely been investigated, and whether SSD varies substantially among populations within bruchine species is poorly known. Using the seed‐feeding beetle Acanthoscelides macrophthalmus infesting its host plant Leucaena leucocephala, we investigated whether specific seed traits (hardness, size, water content, carbon/nitrogen ratio, and phenolic content) were determinant in generating geographic variation in body size and SSD of A. macrophthalmus. We also examined the relationships between body size and SSD with latitude and altitude. The body size of both sexes combined was not related to latitude, altitude, and any of the physical and chemical seed traits. However, the female body size tended to vary more in size than the males, generating significant variation in SSD in relation to latitude and altitude. The females were the larger sex at higher latitudes and at lower altitudes, precisely where seed water content was greater. Therefore, our results suggest that water content was the most important seed trait, most severely affecting the females, promoting geographic variation in SSD of A. macrophthalmus.