Stature-at-death of KNM-WT 15000

The specimen KNM-WT 15000 is an exceptionally complete 1.53 Myr juvenile skeleton of Homo erectus from West Turkana, Kenya. It therefore provides a unique opportunity to examine stature estimates of fossil hominids based strictly on long bone lengths. Using recovered axial and appendicular elements of KNM-WT 15000 that contributed to stature during life, we conclude that KNM-WT 15000 was much shorter at time-of-death than previous estimates that used only appendicular elements. We conservatively estimate stature-at-death at about 147 cm, although this individual could have been as short as 141 cm. Because long bone based estimates of stature also imply the axial skeletal proportion, our new stature estimate stems from the recognition of axial/appendicular disproportion in the individual KNM-WT 15000. It is possible that the peripubescent age-at-death of this specimen, and any resulting differential maturity between the appendicular and axial skeleton, may have contributed to previous overestimates of stature-at-death. However, the possibility that this individual was abnormal, as implied by axial/appendicular disproportion, remains to be fully tested. Regardless, these results suggest that some interpretations of the biology of early African Homo erectus, largely based upon KNM-WT 15000, should be viewed with caution. 5 Primate Evolution and Morphology Group, Department of Human     

Appendicular skeleton in Bachia bicolor (Squamata: Gymnophthalmidae): osteology,limb reduction and postnatal skeletal ontogeny

The osteology of the appendicular skeleton and its postnatal development are described in Bachia bicolor, a serpentiform lizard with reduced limbs. The pectoral girdle is well developed and the forelimb consists of a humerus, ulna, radius, five carpal elements (ulnare, radiale, distal carpals 4–3, centrale), four metacarpals (II, III, IV, V) and phalanges (phalangeal formula X‐2‐2‐2‐2). In the hindlimb, the femur is small and slender, and articulates distally with a series of ossified amorphous and extremely reduced elements that correspond to a fibula, tibia and proximal and distal tarsals 4 and 3. The pelvic girdle consists of ischium, pubis and ilium, but its two halves are widely separated; the ilium is the least reduced element. We describe the ossification and development during postnatal skeletal ontogeny, especially of epiphyseal secondary centres, ossifications of carpal elements, apophyseal ossifications and sesamoids. Compared to other squamates, B. bicolor shows an overall reduction in limb size, an absence of skeletal elements, a fusion of carpal elements, an early differentiation of apophyseal centres, and a low number of sesamoids and apophyseal centres. These observations suggest that the reductions are produced by heterochronic changes during postnatal development and probably during embryonic development; therefore the appendicular skeleton exhibits a pattern of paedomorphic features.     

The legacy of lithium effects on development

The simple element lithium causes specific effect on early embryonic development. In amphibians, treatment during early cleavage enhances anterior and dorsal development at the expense of posterior and ventral development. Conversely, treatment at late cleavage reduces head development. While an effect of lithium on the phosphoinositide cycle was suspected, the enhancement of dorsoanterior development is now thought to result primarily from stimulation of the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway. The multiple uses of this pathway in development may account for lithium's various specific effects.     

Skeletal development in the African elephant and ossification timing in placental mammals

We provide here unique data on elephant skeletal ontogeny. We focus on the sequence of cranial and post-cranial ossification events during growth in the African elephant (Loxodonta africana). Previous analyses on ossification sequences in mammals have focused on monotremes, marsupials, boreoeutherian and xenarthran placentals. Here, we add data on ossification sequences in an afrotherian. We use two different methods to quantify sequence heterochrony: the sequence method and event-paring/Parsimov. Compared with other placentals, elephants show late ossifications of the basicranium, manual and pedal phalanges, and early ossifications of the ischium and metacarpals. Moreover, ossification in elephants starts very early and progresses rapidly. Specifically, the elephant exhibits the same percentage of bones showing an ossification centre at the end of the first third of its gestation period as the mouse and hamster have close to birth. Elephants show a number of features of their ossification patterns that differ from those of other placental mammals. The pattern of the initiation of the ossification evident in the African elephant underscores a possible correlation between the timing of ossification onset and gestation time throughout mammals.     

The survival of amphibian embryos after continuous ultrasonic treatment

The effect of continuous ultrasonic treatment on the development of early embryos of common frog Rana temporaria was studied. Intact embryos at the blastula stage were exposed to ultrasound of various frequencies (0.88 and 2.64 MHz) and intensities (0.05 to 1.0 W/cm²) for various periods (1 to 15 min). The increase in ultrasound intensity to 0.7–1.0 W/cm² and exposure time to 5–15 min resulted in nearly complete mortality. Development of the embryos exposed to ultrasound of medium intensity (0.2–0.7 W/cm²) for 1–5 min was virtually similar to the control. Treatment at a frequency of 2.64 MHz and intensity of 0.05–0.7 W/cm² for 1–5 min had no effect on the development of amphibian embryos and their survival rate. The increase in intensity of the ultrasound of this frequency to 1 W/cm² and the exposure time to 5 min decreased the number of normally developing embryos by 35%.     

Conditions for a heat shock response during oogenesis and embryogenesis of the amphibian Pleurodeles waltl

The optimal conditions capable of inducing an increase in HSP70 neosynthesis during development of the urodele amphibian Pleurodeles waltl were determined in this study. These conditions depend on temperature, heat shock duration and recovery duration. In oocytes, a heat shock response was repeatedly obtained at 37°C for 15 min followed by 1 h recovery. These results provided evidence for heat shock response at every stage considered. An increase in HSP70 synthesis was noted throughout oogenesis, but it did not lead to an increase in the amount of soluble HSP70, except for stage VI oocytes. Such results suggest that from stage II to stage IV oocytes, an equilibrium occurs between the HSP70 used and the HSP70 neosynthesized. In contrast, in stage VI oocytes, heat shock led to overproduction of HSP70. During early development, the heat shock response was repeatedly obtained only from the gastrula stage with a 37°C shock and a 15min duration of treatment. Surprisingly, during cleavage stage, the soluble HSP70 total amount increased after heat shock at a time when no HSP70 neosynthesis occurred.     

Phenotypic plasticity allows the Mediterranean parsley frog Pelodytes punctatus to exploit two temporal niches under continuous gene flow

Environmental changes, such as climate change, lead to the opening of new niches. In such situations, species that adapt to new niches can survive and/or expand their ranges. However, gene flow can hamper genetic adaptation to new environments. Alternatively, recent models have highlighted the importance of phenotypic plasticity in tracking environmental change. Here, we investigate whether phenotypic plasticity or genetic evolution (or both) allows an amphibian species to exploit two divergent climatic niches. In the Mediterranean region, the parsley frog Pelodytes punctatus breeds both in spring, as do most other species, and in autumn, a temporal niche not exploited by most other species, but which may become increasingly important with global warming. Conditions of development are dramatically different between the two seasons and deeply impact tadpole life-history traits. To determine whether these temporal niches are exploited by two genetically differentiated subpopulations, or whether the bimodal phenology arises in a panmictic population displaying plastic life-history traits, we use two complementary approaches. We measure both molecular genetic differentiation and quantitative-trait differentiation between spring and autumn cohorts, using microsatellites and common garden experiments, respectively. Seasonal cohorts were not genetically differentiated and differences in tadpole life history between cohorts were not maintained in laboratory conditions. We conclude that phenotypic plasticity, rather than genetic adaptation, allows Parsley frog to exploit two contrasting temporal niches.