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Placentals are the most preeminent mammalian lineage today in terms of diversity and distribution over the world, having over 6000 recognised extant and recently extinct species. The timing for the origin and diversification of Placentalia, and its relationship with the Cretaceous-Palaeogene (K/Pg) mass extinction event, is one of the key questions in palaeontology. Different hypotheses have been proposed over the years for the inter and intraordinal diversification of placentals, each one with a distinct time and a rate component that make them identifiable if tested. Testing these hypotheses has been hindered by the limited knowledge of the “archaic” Palaeogene placental mammals that lived after the K/Pg mass extinction event. Among “archaic” Palaeogene mammals from different landmasses, those from South America stand out because of their particular biogeographic history. Indeed, it is only after the K/Pg mass extinction event that eutherians are found in the South American fossil record, probably the result of crossing in a single or multiple events from North America in the latest Cretaceous or early Palaeogene. Among these mammalian immigrants, there were placentals that gave rise to endemic groups, including Xenarthra and five or maybe six ancient “ungulate” orders known as the South American Native Ungulates (SANUs): Xenungulata, Notoungulata, Litopterna, Pyrotheria, Astrapotheria, and Notopterna (the latter usually included within Litopterna). SANUs were first discovered by Charles Darwin in the 19th century who immediately was puzzled by their bizarre anatomy, a feeling shared by Richard Owen one of the most prominent comparative anatomists of all time. To these “ungulate” orders a couple of families/subfamilies of “condylarths” (i.e., a wastebasket group of “archaic” ungulates) can be added: Didolodontidae, traditionally linked to Litopterna, and Kollpaninae, considered to be part of Mioclaenidae, a group of primitive ungulates otherwise known from North America. Interestingly, two SANUs orders, Litopterna and Astrapotheria, crossed from South America to Antarctica probably at some point between the late Palaeocene and the early Eocene. The phylogenetic position of the SANUs in the placental tree has been controversial over the years, but recently thanks to molecular evidence it was determined that Notoungulata and Litopterna are sister taxa, and that both are closely related to Perissodactyla (the odd-toed hoofed mammal group including horses and rhinos). However, how the rest of SANUs fit in the placental tree, and if SANUs effectively form a monophyletic group (i.e., Meridiungulata) are still open questions. In order to resolve the affinities of SANUs in the placental tree and the timing of their diversification, we first have to understand and determine the composition and affinities of each one of the SANU orders. Much research attention has been already given to the most diverse SANU order, Notoungulata, in detriment of the second most diverse order, Litopterna. Therefore, the main goal of this thesis is to determine the interfamilial relationships within Litopterna and the timing of its familial diversification. In order to achieve this goal, a deep understanding of modern phylogenetic methods and litoptern anatomy must be marshalled. Therefore, in Chapter 2 I first applied cutting-edge Bayesian phylogenetic methods to a case study, estimating the divergence-times of hominins and exploring trends in human evolution. Quantifying speciation times during evolution is fundamental as it provides a timescale to test for the correlation between key evolutionary transitions and extrinsic factors like climatic or environmental change. I applied a Total Evidence Dating approach for the first time to a hominin phylogeny to estimate divergence times under different topological hypotheses. The time scaled phylogenies were subsequently used to perform ancestral state reconstruction of body mass and phylogenetic encephalization quotient (PEQ), an index that determines relative brain size considering body mass and phylogeny. The divergence time estimates are consistent with other recent studies that analysed extant species. The origin of Homo most likely occurred between 4.30 and 2.56 Ma. The ancestral state reconstructions show a general trend towards a smaller body mass before the emergence of Homo, followed by a trend towards a greater body mass within Homo. PEQ estimations display a general trend of gradual but accelerating evolution of larger brain sizes relative to body sizes over time (i.e., encephalization). The obtained results provide a rigorous temporal framework for human evolution. In addition, this chapter allowed me to test the impact that different interpretations of the phylogenetic affinities of a lineage have in the divergence-time estimations for the different species within that lineage, which is particularly important in the phylogeny of litopterns considering how uncertain their early affinities are. In Chapter 3 I describe a new macraucheniine macraucheniid litoptern, Micrauchenia saladensis gen. et sp. nov. from the late Miocene (Huayquerian SALMA) and applied some of the phylogenetic methods described in chapter 2 to this important litoptern family, the Macraucheniidae. Micrauchenia saladensis is the first litoptern from the Bahía Inglesa Formation, Chile. The specimen includes a partial mandible, cervical and thoracic vertebrae fragments, and portions of the forelimbs (a scapula fragment, an ulna-radius fragment, seven carpals, three metapodials, two proximal phalanges and four intermediate phalanges). The postcranial anatomy of Micrauchenia saladensis is consistent with terrestrial and cursorial locomotion, which suggests an allochthonous position of this specimen within the marine Bahía Inglesa Formation. The fusion of the ulna and radius and the presence of a radial aliform expansion aligns Micrauchenia with other macraucheniines, with which it shares these features. The fusion of the ulna and radius is interpreted as a cursorial specialisation, and the aliform expansion as an adaptation for strong flexion movements and to resist higher transverse stresses during locomotion. In addition, Micrauchenia saladensis is the smallest member of the subfamily Macraucheniinae. To test the systematics and phylogenetics of this new species, previously published morphological matrices of macraucheniids were expanded by adding one dental and eight postcranial characters, and scoring Micrauchenia saladensis. I performed maximum parsimony and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses, the latter applied for the first time in a macraucheniid phylogeny. These analyses confirm Micrauchenia saladensis as a member of the subfamily Macraucheniinae, although with uncertain affinities within this subfamily. Finally, in Chapter 4 I addressed the monophyly, interfamilial relationships and timing of the familial diversification of the order Litopterna with phylogenetic methods. Based on a large collaborative matrix currently being built by the Palaeocene Mammal Working Group for exploring the affinities within Placentalia, I built a new morphological matrix with 954 dental and mandibular characters, that included the more complete and earliest members of the five well-established litoptern families: Adianthidae, Anisolambdidae, Macraucheniidae, Proterotheriidae and Sparnotheriodontidae. I also included families with controversial affinities and sometimes considered to be part of Litopterna: Protolipternidae, Indaleciidae, and Notonychopidae. The last two are often grouped as members of the order Notopterna. In addition, I included North American mioclaenids, South American kollpanines and didolodontids, and early members of the SANU orders Notoungulata, Xenungulata and Astrapotheria. I conducted maximum parsimony and undated and tip-dated Bayesian phylogenetic analyses. The obtained trees from the various analyses mostly agree showing protolipternids, didolodontids and kollpanines at the stem of a monophyletic group composed of the SANU orders, and finding Litopterna as monophyletic group composed of the families Adianthidae, Anisolambdidae, Macraucheniidae, Proterotheriidae and Sparnotheriodontidae. The trees differ in the position of the group formed by Indaleciidae and Notonychopidae, which is sometimes closely related to Litopterna and at other times closely related to Notoungulata, and also in the precise interfamilial affinities of Adianthidae and Macraucheniidae within Litopterna. The tip-dated Bayesian tree suggests that the migration from North America occurred in the earliest Palaeocene, the origin of Litopterna was in the late Palaeocene, and the migration of litopterns to Antarctica occurred in the early to middle Eocene. These results suggest that (1) didolodontids, protolipternids and kollpanines should be considered early SANUs, but not particularly closely related to any order, (2) considering the uncertainty in the exact position of the monophyletic group formed by Indaleciidae and Notonychopidae, these families should be excluded from Litopterna and potentially grouped in the order Notopterna as previously proposed, and (3) Litopterna is composed of five families (i.e., Adianthidae, Anisolambdidae, Macraucheniidae, Proterotheriidae and Sparnotheriodontidae) which form a monophyletic unit with an origin probably in the early Palaeocene. Overall, this thesis provides new insights about the tempo and mode of evolution of placental mammals through the use of cutting-edge phylogenetic methods. Crucially, this thesis as a whole represents a major step in our understanding of the anatomy and phylogenetic affinities of Darwin's enigmatic South American ungulates.

Dišni sustav, u suradnji s cirkulacijskim potpomaže izmjenu plinova između organizma i njegove okoline. Primarni dišni organi uključuju škrge i pluća. Škrge su razvijene za disanje u vodi, u kojoj je tok respiratornog medija preko vaskularnih površina jednosmjeran. Pluća su evolucijski razvijena za disanje na zraku i pomiču zrak dvosmjerno radi izmjene plinova između zraka i krvi. Sekundarni dišni organi uključuju pokrovni sustav, odnosno kožu i trepetljike. Mehanizmi disanja mogu se podijeliti na mehanizme korištene za pokretanje vode i na mehanizme korištene za pokretanje zraka. Voda se u riba pokreće dvojnom pumpom, a zrak se pokreće bukalnom pumpom u vodozemaca i aspiracijskom pumpom u gmazova, ptica i sisavaca. Dišne sustave svih opisanih razreda kralježnjaka odlikuju mnoge prilagodbe na okoliš u kojemu oni obitavaju, no s obzirom na učinkovitost izdvajanja kisika i otpuštanja ugljikova dioksida i energetsku zahtjevnost ventilacije, ptice imaju evolutivno najbolje razvijen dišni sustav., The respiratory system, coupled with the circulatory system, supports the exchange of gases between the organism and its environment. Primary respiratory organs include the gills and the lungs. The gills are designed to breathe in water and the flow of water is unidirectional to the vascular surfaces where the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place. The lungs are designed to breathe air and usually move air in both directions for gas exchange between air and blood. Secondary breathing organs are the integumentary system and cilia. Respiratory mechanisms can be divided into mechanisms used to move water and mechanisms used to move air. Water is driven via dual pump in fish, while air is driven via buccal pump in amphibians and via aspiration pump in reptiles, birds, and mammals. All the aforementioned classes of vertebrates show many adaptations to the environment in which they live, but given the efficiency of oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide release as well as energy requirements of ventilation, birds have the best developed respiratory system.

Reptiles represent one of the most diverse groups of tetrapod vertebrates. Extant representatives of reptiles include lepidosaurs (lizards), testudines (turtles) and archosaurs (crocodiles and birds). In particular, they show an important locomotor diversity with bipedal, quadrupedal and facultatively bipedal taxa. This diversity is accompanied by substantial microanatomical disparity in the limb bones. Although many studies have highlighted the link between locomotion and bone microstructure, the latter has never been quantitatively studied from an angular perspective. Indeed, some taxa show microanatomical heterogeneity in cross-section. Here we show, using elliptic Fourier transforms and statistical analyses integrating phylogeny, how angular microanatomical parameters measured on reptilian femoral cross-sections, such as angular bone compactness, can be related to locomotion in this clade. Although phylogeny appears to have a significant impact on our results, we show that a functional signal exists. In particular, we show that bipeds and quadrupeds present a craniolateral-caudomedial and dorsoventral deficit in bone compactness, respectively. This reflects cross-sectional eccentricity in these directions that we relate to the forces acting upon the femur in different postural contexts. This work contributes to deciphering the complex interplay between phylogeny, femoral cross-sectional microanatomy and locomotion in reptiles.

The spinal cord is an elongated nervous structure that together with the brain forms the central nervous system. It relays sensory and motor information between the brain and the body, thus controlling most somatic and autonomic body functions. In recent years, great progress has been made in creating digital atlases for the mouse brain, covering regions, cell composition and connectivity. For the spinal cord, however, such atlases do not yet exist. In this dissertation, I present the first versions of high-resolution 3D atlases of the spinal cords for five mammalian species: mouse, rat, marmoset, rhesus monkey, and human. First, I summarize the current state of the efforts to understand the spinal cord and its organization principles from anatomy (cytoarchitecture) to cell classifications and connectome principles. I then describe how the different properties of the spinal cord can help us in reconstructing the various spinal structures. Next, I present a workflow for data-driven reconstruction that can be used to create 3D models of the spinal cord of any species based on available annotated 2D microscopy images. I used data from Sengul, Watson, et al., 2012 to generate 3D reference volumes of the cytoarchitecture of the 5 mammalian species: mouse, rat, marmoset, rhesus monkey and human. Every 3D reference volume model comprises six levels of the spinal cytoarchitecture and defines their locations, shapes, and volumes. This allows us to compare the spinal cord of these 5 species. I find that all reconstructed spinal cords are remarkably similar, showing far fewer differences than the brains of the respective species. For the mouse spinal cord, I use data from the Allen Institute for Brain Science to generate a cell atlas for the three major spinal cell types: interneurons, motoneurons, and glial cells. The mouse spinal cell atlas comprises the densities and positions of 11,7 million cells in total with 2.7 million interneurons, about 31 thousand motoneurons, and 9.0 million glial cells. Next, I discuss how recent transcriptomic data can be used to assign a gene expression profile to each neuron in the spinal cell atlas. I present a preliminary analysis of RNA-sequencing and in situ RNA hybridization data aiming to develop a workflow for labeling of spinal cells with appropriate transcriptome profiles. Finally, I summarize the results of my dissertation as well as consequences and limitations of the underlying assumptions. This discussion ends with an outlook for how the atlas can be developed further in the future.

Funder: UCD Research, As a result of many factors, including climate change, unrestricted population growth, widespread deforestation and intensive agriculture, a new pattern of diseases in humans is emerging. With increasing encroachment by human societies into wild domains, the interfaces between human and animal ecosystems are gradually eroding. Such changes have led to zoonoses, vector-borne diseases, infectious diseases and, most importantly, the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant microbial strains as challenges for human health. Now would seem to be an opportune time to revisit old concepts of health and redefine some of these in the light of emerging challenges. The One Health concept addresses some of the demands of modern medical education by providing a holistic approach to explaining diseases that result from a complex set of interactions between humans, environment and animals, rather than just an amalgamation of isolated signs and symptoms. An added advantage is that the scope of One Health concepts has now expanded to include genetic diseases due to advancements in omics technology. Inspired by such ideas, a symposium was organised as part of the 19th International Federation of Associations of Anatomists (IFAA) Congress (August 2019) to investigate the scope of One Health concepts and comparative anatomy in contemporary medical education. Speakers with expertise in both human and veterinary anatomy participated in the symposium and provided examples where these two disciplines, which have so far evolved largely independent of each other, can collaborate for mutual benefit. Finally, the speakers identified some key concepts of One Health that should be prioritised and discussed the diverse opportunities available to integrate these priorities into a broader perspective that would attempt to explain and manage diseases within the scopes of human and veterinary medicine.

It has been reported that the ramification pattern of spinal motor nerves reflected the spatial orientation of motoneuron pools in the ventral horn of spinal cord and this topography of spinal motor nuclei was very similar in different vertebrates. Therefore, the ramification pattern of spinal nerves was an important criterion for discussing the phylogenetic homology of muscles. It has been reported that the human subscapularis muscle was innervated by several branches, the proximal branch of them was from the ventral layer of the dorsal cord and the distal one from the dorsal layer of the dorsal cord of the brachial plexus. This fact suggested the human subscapularis had different phylogenetic origins. In this study, I unveil the phylogenetic origin of the mammalian subscapularis. The animals observed were a chimpanzee, a lar gibbon, a cat, a fetal pig, a koala, a possum (mammals), a lizard, an iguana (reptiles) and salamanders (amphibians). The branches to the mammalian subscapularis were divided into proximal and distal groups based on the origin from the brachial plexus, just like the human subscapularis. In salamanders and lizards, the homologous branch with the mammalian proximal branch to the subscapularis was observed and the segmentally higher branch innervating the latissimus dorsi was homologous with the distal branch to the mammalian subscapularis. Conclusively, I suppose that the dorsal-most portion of the reptilian latissimus dorsi muscle differentiates to the mammalian teres major, and the segmentally higher portion of the reptilian latissimus dorsi contributes to the formation of the mammalian subscapularis.

Made available in DSpace on 2022-04-29T08:35:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-09-30 Lowland paca (Cuniculus paca, Linnaeus, 1766) is a medium-sized rodent that belongs to the Brazilian fauna. Yet little information on its morphology is found in the specialized literature. Thus, the objective of the work was to study the morphology of the adrenal gland of paca by means of microscopic ultrastructure analysis. The adrenal gland secretes specialized substances in the body which promote biological functions of great importance and will provide valuable information to studies in comparative anatomy. Two (2) adult lowland pacas were used, male and female. Soon after death, the animals were positioned in the supine position; their abdominal cavities were opened by pre-retro umbilical and lateral incision followed by folding of the abdominal walls to expose the glands. The adrenal glands were removed; fragments were collected, fixed and prepared for ultrastructure observations using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy techniques. It was observed that the adrenal glands of the paca have divisions as well as the limits of the cortical and medullary region, as well as the subdivisions of the glomerulosa, fasciculated and reticulated areas of the cortical region as in other rodents. An ultrastructure of cells and their components also showed a lot of similarity to that already demonstrated in different rodents. Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Universidade Estadual de Maringá, PR Departamento de Anatomia Universidade Estadual de Londrina, PR Instituto de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinária Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, MG Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia Universidade de São Paulo, SP Departamento de Morfologia Animal Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias Universidade Estadual Paulista, SP Departamento de Morfologia Animal Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias Universidade Estadual Paulista, SP

The study investigated effects of rainy and dry periods on the ovaries of wild adult Clarias gariepinus in Zaria, kaduna State Nigeria. Twenty-four wild adult catfish with average weight of 1000.00 ± 0.00 gm was used during both periods. They measured a standard body length of 50.17±1.01 cm (rainy) and 44.83 ± 2.09 cm (dry). The fish were sourced from Zaria dam and transported live to Gross Anatomy Laboratory in Ahmadu Bello University Zaria. Each fish was euthanized using tricaine anaesthetic at 8 drops/litre of water. The ovaries were extracted, weighed and fixed in Bouin’s fluid for 24 hours, and processed histologically. Grossly, the ovaries were observed to be well-developed and highly vascularized during rainy period while, regressed and poorly vascular- ized ovaries were seen during dry pe- riod. The mean weight of the ovaries (0.025) and Gonado-somatic index (GSI) value (0.034) were significantly higher during rainy period. Histologically, the ovaries were predominated by vitellogenic and post-vitellogenic follicles during rainy period while, pre-vitellgenic follicles predominates dry periods. The tunica albuginea and interstitial connective tissues were thin during rainy period but thick during dry period. Hence, the result of this study revealed that wild adult catfish spawns during rainy period while, dry period is characterized by low gonadal activities in Zaria, Nigeria.

To study the appearance of incompatibility in adult graft trees, we studied the anatomical characteristics ofconducting phloem and sapwood in 55-year-old scions of Pinus sibirica Du Tour and Pinus cembra L. and their rootstocks –Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.). It was found that in all variants the width of the sapwood in the rootstock is significantlyhigher than in the scion; however, when only the early tracheids are taken into account, the differences between the scionand the rootstock are not significant, and the total width of the early tracheids from the sapwood is some higher in theP. cembra trees. In the place of rootstock and scion union, the width of the rootstock sapwood decreases due to a decreasein the proportion of late tracheids, while the sapwood of the scion remains almost unchanged. The variability of the sapwood width in scions and rootstocks of the P. cembra is lower and it is less sensitive to the reduction of increments thanin the P. sibirica, it indicates interspecific differences. The average width of the conducting phloem for the growing seasonalso varies less in the P. cembra, and in individuals of the P. sibirica with small xylem increments it approaches the widthof the current xylem increment. The relationship between the width of the conducting phloem and the width of the sapwood is weak; the width of the phloem depends more on the current growth of the xylem. The quantitative differencesin the width of the sapwood and the conducting phloem make it possible to judge the preservation of their species-specificity during long-term coexistence of the scion and the rootstock, as well as the effect of the scion on to the rootstock.

Understanding the biomechanics of the trapeziometacarpal (TMC) or first carpometacarpal (CMC1) joint, the pathophysiology of basal thumb arthritis, the design and performance of surgical procedures require a solid anatomical basis. This review of literature summarizes the most recent data on the descriptive, functional, and comparative anatomy of healthy and arthritic TMC joints.

In the article diaphonization is discussed as one of the methods of morphological research in the direction of the study of blood supply to the brain. The history of the research of this method is analyzed, the areas of its application are classifi ed according to the research objects. We have highlighted the advantages of using the diaphonization method for research and educational purposes. Also basing on the standard diaphonization protocol, an updated version of it was created, adapted specifi cally for the study of cerebral blood supply. In the protocol improved by us, the proportions of the relevant substances have been changed, certain stages of the preparation have been excluded or quantitatively changed; changes were made taking into account the histological and histochemical specifi city of brain tissues and with the aim of maximally improving the visibility of the corresponding structures in the preparation. In addition to the description of the experimental study and the modifi ed protocol, we have outlined some separate methods of using readymade preparations in the educational process of students, as well as their usage in collaboration with modern educational systems of three- anatomy (Artec Space Spider scanner, Anatomage virtual anatomical table, etc.) and others research perspectives., У статті розглянуто діафонізацію як один із методів морфологічних досліджень у процесі вивчення кровопостачання мозку. Проаналізовано історію впровадження цього методу, сфери його застосування, класифіковано відповідно до об’єктів дослідження. Нами виділено переваги застосування методу діафонізації для виконання досліджень і з освітньою метою. Також на основі стандартного протоколу проведення діафонізації створено оновлений його варіант, адаптований саме для вивчення мозкового кровопостачання. У вдосконаленому нами протоколі змінено пропорції відповідних речовин, виключено чи якісно або кількісно змінено певні етапи виготовлення препарату; зміни вносилися з урахуванням гістологічної та гістохімічної специфіки тканин головного мозку та з метою максимального вдосконалення видимості відповідних структур у препараті. Окрім опису експериментального дослідження та зміненого протоколу, нами окреслено окремі способи застосування власне готових препаратів у навчальному процесі здобувачів освіти, а також їх використання у колаборації з сучасним навчальними системами тривимірної анатомії (Artec Space Spider scanner, Anatomage virtual anatomical table та ін.) та інші перспективи наукових спроб.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior The objective of this paper to study the anatomy of the thigh muscles of Cebus spp. We used 16 members of eight 8 monkey (Cebus spp.), 7 males and 1 female. For perfusion fixation was performed through the femoral vein of 10% formaldehyde at 5% glycerin. No animals were euthanized for the purposes of this study: four of them suffered accidental deaths in their natural habitat and were donation from Laboratory of Anatomy, Biochemistry, Neuroscience and Behaviour of Primates (LABINECOP) Federal University of Goias, Campus of Catalão, rest of them donation to the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA). It described the origin and insertion of muscles: tensor fascia lata, sartorius, rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, vastus intermedius, adductor magnus, adductor longus, adductor short, pectineus, gracilis, biceps femoris, adductor cruris caudalis, semitendinosus, semimembranosus own accessory. The thigh muscles of Cebus spp., In general, are more similar to baboons, presumably because both are quadrupeds, submit tail behavior semi-bipedal and arboreal. Objetivou-se neste trabalho fazer um estudo anatômico dos músculos da coxa de macacos Cebus spp.. Foram analisados 16 antímeros de 8 espécimes adultos de macaco-prego (Cebus spp.), sendo 7 machos e 1 fêmea. Para fixação injetou-se pela veia femoral, uma solução de 10% de formaldeído com 5% de glicerina. Nenhum animal foi eutanasiado para os fins deste estudo: quatro deles sofreram mortes acidentais em seu habitat natural e foram doados ao Laboratório de Anatomia, Bioquímica, Neurociência e Comportamento de Primatas (LABINECOP) da Universidade Federal de Goiás, Campus Catalão, o restante foram doados pelo Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis (IBAMA). Foram observadas a origem e inserção dos músculos: tensor da fáscia lata, sartório, reto femoral, vasto lateral, vasto medial, vasto intermédio, adutor magno, adutor longo, adutor curto, pectíneo, grácil, bíceps femoral, abdutor crural caudal, semitendinoso, semimembranoso próprio e acessório. A musculatura da coxa de Cebus spp., em termos gerais, são mais semelhantes aos babuínos, supostamente por ambos serem quadrúpedes, apresentarem cauda, comportamento semi-bípede e arborícola. Mestre em Ciências Veterinárias

A literature review showed that there is not a defined consensus on what specimens belong to Plateosaurus in current phylogenetic analyses, and after the assignation of SMNS 13200 as the neotype for Plateosaurus, the specimen composition of Plateosaurus as an operational taxonomic unit (OTU) needs to be addressed in further iterations of phylogenetic analyses. At least one of the specimens used to illustrate plateosaurian anatomy contains several characters identified in more derived sauropodomorphs commonly referred to as massopodans. This partial skeleton, traditionally known as specimen ‘GPIT IV’, was found in the lower dinosaur bone bed of the Obere Mühle, a Trossingen Formation outcrop, during an excavation in 1922 near the city of Tübingen, Germany. The holotype of Plateosaurus trossingensis and several other specimens referred to as this species were found in this level, which was initially interpreted as a synchronic deposit of animals. However, the current understanding of the Trossingen Formation indicates that this bed was probably a constant accumulation of carcasses through miring and transport down a river for hundreds of years. In this work, a framework to compare phylogenetic signals with morphological and histological data is provided to help in the species delineation of Plateosaurus, and support is found to refer the historic specimen ‘GPIT IV’ as a new genus and a new species.

Purpose Development and validation of an animal model of labral healing would facilitate translation of novel surgical and biological strategies to improve glenolabral healing. The purpose of this study was to characterize the anatomic and histological properties of the shoulder labrum in rat, rabbit, dog, pig, goat, and humans. Given the demonstrated similarities in size and structural morphology in other joints, it was hypothesized that the goat glenoid with surrounding capsulolabral complex would most closely resemble that of humans in terms of dimensions and structure, as observed grossly and histologically. Methods Cadaveric glenohumeral joints from rats (n = 8), New Zealand white rabbits (n = 13), Mongrel dogs (n = 9), Spanish goats (n = 10), Yorkshire pigs (n = 10), and humans (n = 9) were freshly harvested. Photographs were taken of the glenoid with its surrounding capsulolabral complex. Linear dimensions of the glenoid articular surface were measured. It was determined where the capsulolabral complex was continuous with, or recessed from, the articular glenoid surface. The glenoid was divided into 6 equal segments radiating out toward 12, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 o’clock positions. Samples were sectioned and stained with Safranin O/Fast green and Mallory Trichrome. Insertion of the capsulolabral tissue onto the glenoid was qualitatively assessed and compared with gross morphology. Results Dimensions of the goat glenoid most closely paralleled dimensions of the human glenoid. A capsulolabral complex was continuous with the glenoid surface from ~ 9 to 12 o’clock in the rats, 7 to 12 o’clock in rabbits, 5 to 12 o’clock in the dogs, and 9 to 12 o’clock in goats, 6 to 12 o’clock in pigs, and 2 to 8 o’clock in humans. In contrast to humans, no other species demonstrated an organized fibrocartilaginous labrum either macroscopically or histologically. Conclusion The animals in the present study did not possess a discrete fibrocartilaginous labrum by gross or histological evaluation, as directly compared to humans. While models using these animals may be acceptable for examining other shoulder pathologies, they are not adequate to evaluate labral pathology. Level of evidence Basic Science Study; Anatomy and Histology; Cadaveric Animal Model.

With this work, the author acquaints the learned reader with the fruits of his eight-year work. The ultimate goal of the author's works was the foundation of the comparative organology of the surface of the large brain, which Th. Meynert, i.e. based on anatomical features.

Made available in DSpace on 2022-04-29T08:34:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-10-01 Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas Vocal sacs are among the most conspicuous features of anurans and are particularly striking in casque-headed treefrogs (Hylidae: Hylinae: Lophyohylini) with their wide array of morphologies. In this paper, we assessed the anatomy of vocal sacs in representatives of the Lophyohylini, described eight discrete characters and studied their evolution. We inferred that dorsolateral projections of the vocal sacs were already present during the early evolution of the tribe. Subsequently, they reached surprising volumes in some species, whereas in others they were notably reduced. We inferred between nine and 11 independent events of reduction of the size and lateral projections of the vocal sac, showing unprecedented levels of plasticity for the structure. Moreover, these events were strongly correlated with the colonization of phytotelmata as breeding sites, probably due to their confined space which hampers the inflation of large vocal sacs. Finally, we discuss the evolution of paired lateral vocal sacs in different groups of anurans, and the extent to which the paired and dorsally-projecting lobes of most Trachycephalus differ from those of distantly related taxa. Our findings highlight how variation in internal structure affects the shape of the inflated vocal sac and provides a framework applicable across the Anura. Laboratório de Herpetologia 11.330-900 Instituto de Biociências Campus Do Litoral Paulista Universidade Estadual Paulista, São Paulo División Herpetologiá Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales bernardino Rivadavia- CONICET, Avenida Ángel Gallardo 470 Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biologiá Experimental Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales Universidad de Buenos Aires Laboratório de Herpetologia 11.330-900 Instituto de Biociências Campus Do Litoral Paulista Universidade Estadual Paulista, São Paulo

In non-human primates, at the junction of the prefrontal with the premotor cortex, there is a sector designated as frontal eye field (FEF), involved in controlling oculomotor behavior and spatial attention. Evidence for at least two FEFs in humans is at the basis of the still open issue of the possible homologies between the macaque and the human frontal oculomotor system. In this review article we address this issue suggesting a new view solidly grounded on evidence from the last decade showing that, in macaques, the FEF is at the core of an oculomotor domain in which several distinct areas, including areas 45A and 45B, provide the substrate for parallel processing of different aspects of oculomotor behavior. Based on comparative considerations, we will propose a correspondence between some of the macaque and the human oculomotor fields, thus suggesting sharing of neural substrate for oculomotor control, gaze processing, and orienting attention in space. Accordingly, this article could contribute to settle some aspects of the so-called "enigma" of the human FEF anatomy.

The cranial anatomy of blindsnakes has been markedly understudied, with the small size and relative rarity of encountering these subterranean reptiles being significant limiting factors. In this article, we re-visit the skull anatomy of the Australian southern blind snake Anilios australis Gray, 1845 using microCT data, and produce the first complete atlas for the cranial anatomy of a representative of this speciose typhlopid genus. The skull is formed by 18 paired and four unpaired elements. We here produce a bone-by-bone description of each element as well as an inner ear endocast for each of two specimens differing in skull size. This approach has revealed the presence of a highly perforated dorsal plate on the septomaxilla-a structure convergent with the cribriform plate of the mammalian ethmoid bone-and a feature previously unknown for typhlopid snakes. This detailed anatomical study will facilitate ongoing taxonomic and systematic studies in the genus Anilios as well as provide comparative data for future studies on blindsnake anatomy more broadly.

The objective was to compare the ribs in men, canines, horses and cattle, highlighting structural similarities in terms of functions, types, quantities and formats, using parts from the Human and Veterinary Anatomy Laboratory of the University of Franca, articles and books in this area of ​​expertise. Among the similar functions of the ribs, the support of the skeleton by participating in the formation of the rib cage, aid in respiratory movements and protection of organs stood out. As for the types, all species presented sternal ribs (articulating directly with the sternum) and sternal ribs (indirect contact with the sternum) in different amounts; on the other hand, only the canine and human, the floating ones (without connection with adjacent cartilage). The number of ribs corresponded to that of thoracic vertebrae, varying between species (13 pairs in the canine, 18 in the equine, 13 in the bovine and 12 in the human). Regarding the shape, there was variation according to each species, being longer, wider and flatter in cattle compared to horses; in canines more narrow and curved and in humans in semi-arches. It is possible to infer that, regardless of the species, the ribs perform the same functions, however, there are alternations in terms of types, quantities and formats, which may be involved with evolutionary and postural characteristics. El objetivo fue comparar las costillas en hombres, caninos, equinos y bovinos, destacando similitudes estructurales en términos de funciones, tipos, cantidades y formatos, utilizando piezas del Laboratorio de Anatomía Humana y Veterinaria de la Universidad de Franca, artículos y libros en este área de especialización. Entre las funciones similares de las costillas destacaba el sostén del esqueleto al participar en la formación de la caja torácica, auxiliar en los movimientos respiratorios y protección de los órganos. En cuanto a los tipos, todas las especies presentaron costillas esternales (articuladas directamente con el esternón) y costillas esternales (contacto indirecto con el esternón) en diferente cantidad; en cambio, sólo los caninos y humanos, los flotantes (sin conexión con cartílagos adyacentes). El número de costillas correspondió al de las vértebras torácicas, variando entre especies (13 pares en el canino, 18 en el equino, 13 en el bovino y 12 en el humano). En cuanto a la forma, hubo variación según cada especie, siendo más largas, anchas y planas en los bovinos en comparación con los equinos; en caninos más angostos y curvos y en humanos en semiarcos. Es posible inferir que, independientemente de la especie, las costillas cumplen las mismas funciones, sin embargo, existen alternancias en cuanto a tipos, cantidades y formatos, lo que puede estar relacionado con características evolutivas y posturales. O objetivo foi comparar as costelas nos homens, caninos, equinos e bovinos, destacando similaridades estruturais quanto às funções, tipos, quantidades e formatos, utilizando peças do Laboratório de Anatomia Humana e Veterinária da Universidade de Franca, artigos e livros desta área de especialidade. Dentre as funções similares das costelas, destacaram-se a sustentação do esqueleto ao participarem da formação da caixa torácica, auxílio nos movimentos respiratórios e proteção de órgãos. Quanto aos tipos, todas as espécies apresentaram costelas esternais (articulando-se diretamente com o esterno) e asternais (contato indireto com o esterno) em quantidades distintas; em contrapartida, somente a canina e humana, as flutuantes (sem conexão com cartilagem adjacente). A quantidade de costelas correspondeu à de vértebras torácicas, variando entre as espécies (13 pares na canina, 18 na equina, 13 na bovina e 12 na humana). Em relação ao formato, notou-se variação de acordo com cada espécie, sendo mais compridas, largas e achatadas nos bovinos em comparação aos equinos; nos caninos mais estreito e curvo e nos humanos em semi-arcos. É possível inferir que, independente da espécie, as costelas exercem as mesmas funções, no entanto, alternâncias quanto aos tipos, quantidades e formatos, os quais podem estar envolvidos com características evolutivas e posturais.

Made available in DSpace on 2022-04-28T17:23:17Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-10-12 Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Department of Research, Zoo Atlanta, Atlanta After more than one-hundred years of studies, there is still no consensus regarding the names for the nasal elements in Pipidae and their correspondence to that of other frogs. Names vary depending on authors' preferences for an explanatory process associated with the observed state of the structure. Some of the names indicate absence, while others indicate fusion. As naming morphological structures relates to some sort of consensus regarding systematics' knowledge, one would expect results of the two activities to go hand-in-hand. Within the monophyletic Pipidae, one would expect that the names of structures would be all settled. However, the situation is the contrary. Our efforts to pursue such a research and properly name the involved structures resulted in a deeper understanding of the evolution within the taxa involved. Herein we present the results of the study of embryos and juveniles of P. arrabali; based on which we offer additional evidence for the proper naming of the involved elements of the nasal region. Furthermore, using key structures as topographical markers, and by comparing our evaluation to those presented by previous researchers, we have sorted out the compound nature of some key structures and present a proper naming for the morphology investigated. Univ Estadual Paulista, Inst Biociencias, Dept Biodiversidade, Caixa Postal 199, BR-13506970 Sao Paulo, Brazil Univ Nacl La Pampa, Fac Ciencias Exactas & Nat, 151 Codigo Postal, RA-6300 Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina Univ Estadual Paulista, Inst Biociencias, Dept Biodiversidade, Caixa Postal 199, BR-13506970 Rio Claro, SP, Brazil Univ Estadual Paulista, Inst Biociencias, Ctr Aquicultura, Caixa Postal 199, BR-13506970 Rio Claro, SP, Brazil Univ Fed Rural Rio de Janeiro, Inst Ciencias Biol & Saude, Dept Biol Anim, Caixa Postal 74524, BR-23851970 Rio De Janeiro, Brazil Univ Estadual Paulista, Inst Biociencias, Dept Biodiversidade, Caixa Postal 199, BR-13506970 Sao Paulo, Brazil Univ Estadual Paulista, Inst Biociencias, Dept Biodiversidade, Caixa Postal 199, BR-13506970 Rio Claro, SP, Brazil Univ Estadual Paulista, Inst Biociencias, Ctr Aquicultura, Caixa Postal 199, BR-13506970 Rio Claro, SP, Brazil FAPESP: 2013/50741-7 FAPESP: 2017/23617-4 CNPq: 306963/2018-3 School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta: 30332 Department of Research, Zoo Atlanta, Atlanta: 30315

The genetic profile of vertebrate pallia has long driven debate on homology across distantly related clades. Based on an expression profile of the orphan nuclear receptor NR4A2 in mouse and chicken brains, Puelles et al. (The Journal of Comparative Neurology, 2016, 524, 665–703) concluded that the avian lateral mesopallium is homologous to the mammalian claustrum, and the medial mesopallium homologous to the insula cortex. They argued that their findings contradict conclusions by Jarvis et al. (The Journal of Comparative Neurology, 2013, 521, 3614–3665) and Chen et al. (The Journal of Comparative Neurology, 2013, 521, 3666–3701) that the hyperpallium densocellare is instead a mesopallium cell population, and by Suzuki and Hirata (Frontiers in Neuroanatomy, 2014, 8, 783) that the avian mesopallium is homologous to mammalian cortical layers 2/3. Here, we find that NR4A2 is an activity‐dependent gene and cannot be used to determine brain organization or species relationships without considering behavioral state. Activity‐dependent NR4A2 expression has been previously demonstrated in the rodent brain, with the highest induction occurring within the claustrum, amygdala, deep and superficial cortical layers, and hippocampus. In the zebra finch, we find that NR4A2 is constitutively expressed in the arcopallium, but induced in parts of the mesopallium, and in sparse cells within the hyperpallium, depending on animal stimulus or behavioral state. Basal and induced NR4A2 expression patterns do not discount the previously named avian hyperpallium densocellare as dorsal mesopallium and conflict with proposed homology between the avian mesopallium and mammalian claustrum/insula at the exclusion of other brain regions. Broadly, these findings highlight the importance of controlling for behavioral state and neural activity to genetically define brain cell population relationships within and across species., In 2016, Puelles et al. sought to determine the relationship of avian and mammalian pallial regions using the expression profile of the NR4A2 nuclear orphan receptor, concluding that the lateral avian mesopallium was most like the mammalian claustrum, not layer 2 of the cortex as found by Suzuki and Hirata (Frontiers in Neuroanatomy, 2014, 8, 783). However, we found that the NR4A2 expression patterns were characteristic of an activity‐dependent gene. Looking at different behavioral contexts in the zebra finch, we found induced expression of NR4A2 in regions across the pallium associated with visual, somatosensory, and motor activity, confounding and contradicting previous findings. Accordingly, we do not believe NR4A2 is a suitable gene for assessing homologous brain anatomy without understanding the animal's behavioral state.

Although the gallbladder is one of the characteristic component of the vertebrate body, it has been independently lost in several lineages of mammals and birds. Gallbladder loss is a widely reported phenomenon; however, there have been few descriptive comparisons of entire hepatobiliary structures between birds with and without a gallbladder. Here, we discuss the evolution of avian hepatobiliary morphology by describing the gross anatomy of the hepatobiliary system in the quail and pigeon. Quails have two major extrahepatic bile ducts: the right cystic-enteric duct, which has a gallbladder, and the left hepatic-enteric duct, which does not. Together with two pancreatic ducts, they share one opening to the ascending part of duodenum. Pigeons lack a gallbladder, but also have two extrahepatic ducts similar to those of quails. However, the hepatic-enteric duct opens solely to the descending part of the duodenum close to the stomach. The pancreatic duct opens to the very posterior part of the duodenum independent from the biliary tracts, giving rise to three separate openings in the duodenum. The hepatobiliary anatomy of the pigeon represents a highly derived condition not only because of gallbladder loss. Avian gallbladder loss may be related to remodeling of the entire hepatobiliary system, and may have occurred via a different mechanism from that of mammals, which can be explained simply by the disappearance of the gallbladder primordium.

Hancornia speciosa Gomes, known as mangaba or mangabeira, is a plant species of the family Apocynaceae with botanical varieties occurring in several regions of Brazil. The species is of considerable ecological and economic importance in the food, timber, latex and medicinal industries. Four different varieties of H. speciosa occur in Cerrado. Anatomical characteristics contribute to the taxonomic identification of plants, including those of isolated organs such as leaves, roots, stems, fruits and seeds. Thus, the present work investigated the anatomical characteristics and the location of the main classes of secondary metabolites of the fruits of H. speciosa var. pubescens, H. speciosa var. gardneri, H. speciosa var. speciosa and H. speciosa var. cuyabensis to assist in distinguishing the varieties. Fruits were collected, preserved and fixed following usual methods for anatomical and histochemical analyses. All varieties under study showed similarities in anatomical characteristics and in the distribution of metabolites in the fruits, with the exception of the anatomy of the exocarp, where the occurrence of trichomes differed among the varieties of H. speciosa.

Objective: This study was designed to determine the ossification time and pattern of the mandible. Methodology: Three hundred and fifty (350) wasted fetuses consisting of 70 Balami, 140 each of Uda and Yankasa breeds whose crown vertebral rump length ranged from 3.0-15 cm were used. The fetuses were processed using the Alizarin technique and the mandible was dissected from the head for stereography. Result: The result revealed that the first part of the mandible to develop was the body and mental foramina at the 42 nd –44 th days of gestation while the coronoid process, rami, and condyloid process develop later at different time points. In addition, the mandibular foramina remained undeveloped in all age groups. Interestingly, the mandibular canal began ossification earlier in the Yankasa breed compared to other breeds. It was shown to arise from a cartilaginous tissue at the medial and lateral surfaces of the body and dorsally remained opened and undifferentiated from the teeth alveoli of the lower jaws in the 7 age groups. Conclusion: It was therefore concluded that the mandible arises from three ossification centres at the body, rami, and coronoid process. These segments develop at different time intervals in the three breeds of sheep with Yankasa mandible ossifying and progressing faster than in Balami and Uda. Doi: 10.28991/SciMedJ-2021-0301-3 Full Text: PDF

Exotic species of animals have recently become more and more popular and widespread; the approach to their diagnosis of diseases and treatment has its own nuances. Despite the similarity of species, there are differences that need to be taken into account. One of the fundamental problems of comparative anatomy is the disclosure of general patterns and specific features of the skeleton of animals. Despite the available detailed work in this direction, many questions concerning this problem still remain open and require further study.

Few studies have been conducted on the reproductive biology and embryology of Kinosternon scorpioides. Determining the development of embryonic stages is essential for studies on comparative anatomy and phylogenetic relationships. The aim of this research was to examine the macroscopic embryonic development of K. scorpioides. At least three eggs were collected at incubation intervals of 5 days. After morphometry, embryos in stages 9–12 were classified in relation to the presence of pharyngeal arches, optic and otic vesicles, as well as sequential changes in both the forelimbs and hindlimbs. Embryos from stages 13 to 17 were identified through evident eye pigmentation, limb morphology, carapace appearance, and urogenital protuberance. From stages 19 to 22, the presence of digits on digital plates and pigmentation of the body were used for defining each of the stages. From stages 23 to 26, the digits and dense pigmentation on the body were used to define the stages and the disappearance of the urogenital protuberance and umbilical hernia. These results describe the ontogenetic changes that occur in this species, therefore facilitating the correct ex situ handling practices during incubation and serving as a basis for phylogenetic studies among the Kinosternidae.

Craniofacial anatomy is essential to understand the locative relationships of organs in specific region of each species. This study was aimed to investigate morphometric parameters of the skull of the Red fox of Egypt. Thirteen skulls of about 2.5-4 years-old male Red fox were carefully processed using standard method. Altogether, 29 different osteometric measurements including 7 different indices were estimated. The average total length and width of the skull in the Red fox were 17.64 ± 2.68 cm and 8.73 ± 1.76 cm, respectively, with cephalic index of 49.27 ± 3.42. The cranial length of the Red fox’s skull was about two-fold of its width, with cranial capacity of 49.54 ± 3.75 cc, as well as cranial and basal indices were 49.87 ± 3.96 and 30.97 ± 2.33, respectively. The foramen magnum width was higher than its height, with foramen magnum index of 71.52 ± 3.86. The cranial length of the Red fox’s skull was higher than the facial length, with facial index of 62.70 ± 4.01. The orbital length was higher than the orbital width, and the interorbital distance was wider caudally and narrower in the middle, with orbital capacity and orbital index of 9.34 ± 0.17 cc and 97.87 ± 5.22, respectively. In conclusion, measured osteometric parameters of the Red fox’s skull will provide baseline anatomy information on the skull morphometry, which is necessary for comparative anatomy and clinical veterinary practice. The findings reported here will assist other clinical studies conducting on the Red fox’s head.

Binburrum Pollock, 1995 is a small group of fire-coloured beetles (Tenebrionoidea: Pyrochroidae: Pilipalpinae) endemic to Australia with five described species. Herein, three new species of Binburrum – B. articuno (southeastern South Australia), B. moltres (northeastern Queensland, Australia), and B. zapdos (northeastern Queensland) – are described based on comparative anatomy, highlighting the underestimated diversity of this genus. Binburrum angusticollis Pollock, 1995 is newly recorded from New South Wales, Australia. Descriptions of new species are supplemented with digital photographs and scientific illustrations of habitus and salient structures. A key for the identification of Binburrum is provided.

This study investigates the general morphology and the ultrastructure of teeth types in adults of 2 fish species (the baracouda, Sphyraena barracuda, and the Nile Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus). Also, it investigates the relationship between teeth types in fish and its feeding habits, where tilapia is an herbivore while barracuda is a carnivore. The present work has applied the anatomy of barracuda and tilapia and analyzed the types of teeth and how they work. The teeth were investigated by binocular microscope and scanning electron microscopy to determine the shape of teeth in both barracuda and tilapia and determine the method of using these teeth in feeding. The results indicated that there is a difference between barracuda and tilapia teeth in structural morphology and type. This difference was demonstrated by virtual and microscopic examination, and this is due to the different feeding habits of both barracuda and tilapia.

Morphological study of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), a specialised peripheral synapse formed between a lower motor neuron and skeletal muscle fibre, has significantly contributed to the understanding of synaptic biology and neuromuscular disease pathogenesis. Rodent NMJs are readily accessible, and research into conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) has relied heavily on experimental work in these small mammals. However, given that nerve length dependency is an important feature of many peripheral neuropathies, these rodent models have clear shortcomings; large animal models might be preferable, but their size presents novel anatomical challenges. Overcoming these constraints to study the NMJ morphology of large mammalian distal limb muscles is of prime importance to increase cross-species translational neuromuscular research potential, particularly in the study of long motor units. In the past, NMJ phenotype analysis of large muscle bodies within the equine distal pelvic limb, such as the tibialis cranialis, or within muscles of high fibrous content, such as the soleus, has posed a distinct experimental hurdle. We optimised a technique for NMJ location and dissection from equine pelvic limb muscles. Using a quantification method validated in smaller species, we demonstrate their morphology and show that equine NMJs can be reliably dissected, stained and analysed. We reveal that the NMJs within the equine soleus have distinctly different morphologies when compared to the extensor digitorum longus and tibialis cranialis muscles. Overall, we demonstrate that equine distal pelvic limb muscles can be regionally dissected, with samples whole-mounted and their innervation patterns visualised. These methods will allow the localisation and analysis of neuromuscular junctions within the muscle bodies of large mammals to identify neuroanatomical and neuropathological features.

International audience; The Arcuate Fasciculus (AF) is of considerable interdisciplinary interest, because of its major implication in language processing. Theories about language brain evolution are based on anatomical differences in the AF across primates. However, changing methodologies and nomenclatures have resulted in conflicting findings regarding interspecies AF differences: Historical knowledge about the AF originated from human blunt dissections and later from monkey tract-tracing studies. Contemporary tractography studies reinvestigate the fasciculus’ morphology, but remain heavily bound to unclear anatomical priors and methodological limitations. First, we aim to disentangle the influences of these three epistemological steps on existing AF conceptions, and to propose a contemporary model to guide future work. Second, considering the influence of various AF conceptions, we discuss four key evolutionary changes that propagated current views about language evolution: 1) frontal terminations, 2) temporal terminations, 3) greater Dorsal- versus Ventral Pathway expansion, 4) lateralisation. We conclude that new data point towards a more shared AF anatomy across primates than previously described. Language evolution theories should incorporate this more continuous AF evolution across primates.

Typically, the axillary arch is defined as a fleshy slip running from latissimus dorsi to the anterior aspect of the humerus. Phylogeny seems to give the most relevant and plausible explanation of this anatomical variant as a remnant of the panniculus carnosus. However, authors are not unanimous about its origin. We report herein the incidence of axillary arch in a series of 40 human female dissections and present an embryologic and a comparative study in three domestic mammals. Forty formalin-preserved Caucasian human female cadavers, one rat (Rattus norvegicus), one rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and one pig (Sus scrofa domesticus) cadavers were dissected bilaterally. A comparative, analytical and a descriptive studies of serial human embryological sections were carried out. We found an incidence of axillary arch of 2.5% (n = 1 subject of 40) in Humans. We found a panniculus carnosus inserted on the anterior aspect of the humerus only in the rat and the rabbit but not in the pig. The development of the latissimus dorsi takes place between Carnegie stage 16–23, but the embryological study failed to explain the genesis of the axillary arch variation. However, comparative anatomy argues in favour of a panniculus carnosus origin of the axillary arch. With an incidence of 2.5% of cases, the axillary arch is a relatively frequent variant that should be known by clinician and especially surgeons. Moreover, while embryology seems to fail to explain the genesis of this variation, comparative study gives additional arguments which suggest a possible origin from the panniculus carnosus.

Mochokid catfish offer a distinct opportunity to study a communication system transitioning to a new signaling channel because some produce sounds and others electric discharges. Both signals are generated using an elastic spring system (ESS), which includes a protractor muscle innervated by motoneurons within the protractor nucleus that also has a motoneuron afferent population. Synodontis grandiops and S. nigriventris produce sounds and electric discharges, respectively, and their ESSs show several morphological and physiological differences. The extent to which these differences explain different signal types remains unclear. Here, we compare ESS morphologies and behavioral phenotypes among five mochokids. S. grandiops and S. nigriventris were compared with Synodontis eupterus that is known to produce both signal types, and representative members of two sister genera, Microsynodontis cf. batesii and Mochokiella paynei, for which no data were available. We provide support for the hypothesis that peripheral and central components of the ESS are conserved among mochokids. We also show that the two nonsynodontids are only sonic, consistent with sound production being an ancestral character for mochokids. Even though the three sound producing‐only species differ in some ESS characters, several are similar and likely associated with only sound production. We propose that the ability of S. eupterus to generate both electric discharges and sounds may depend on a protractor muscle intermediate in morphology between sound producing‐only and electric discharge‐only species, and two separate populations of protractor motoneurons. Our results further suggest that an electrogenic ESS in synodontids is an exaptation of a sound producing ESS., This study provides an anatomical characterization of motor and premotor neurons associated with the muscle producing swim bladder sounds and/or electric discharges in five mochokid catfish. Even though the same muscle and neuronal populations are associated with these behaviors across all species, our results suggest that behavioral differences are associated with quantitative differences, mainly in the size of the protractor muscle and associated skeletal elements, and the number, size and location of motoneurons.

RESUMEN Las colecciones biológicas de referencias constituyen una herramienta central para el análisis y determinación de partes anatómicas y taxonómicas de los restos óseos provenientes de registros/depósitos arqueológicos y paleontológicos. El Centro de Investigaciones Ruinas de San Francisco (en adelante CIRSF), dependiente de la Municipalidad de Mendoza, posee una colección biológica de referencia para el estudio de estos restos. La necesidad de organizar, ampliar y completar esta colección biológica nos ha llevado a ordenar lo existente y a introducir nuevos especímenes en la misma. En este trabajo proponemos una metodología para llevar a cabo el procesamiento de individuos de la clase Aves que se incorporan a las colecciones biológicas de referencia. De este modo, lograr una mayor representación de especies nos permite mejorar la identificación anatómica y taxonómica de los restos arqueológicos. Los resultados obtenidos en el período 2016-2018 han sido satisfactorios, permitiendo la ampliación de la muestra. ABSTRACT The biological reference collections are a central tool to the analysis and determination of anatomical and taxonomical bone remains from archaeological and paleontological sites/deposits. The Research Centre Ruinas of San Francisco (from now on CIRSF), dependent on the Municipalidad of Mendoza, has a biological reference collection for the study of those remains. The need to organize, enlarge and complete this collection has led us to arrange what we had and introduce new specimens. In this paper we propose a methodology to process individuals from the class Aves to incorporate into the biological collections of reference. In that way, to achieve a larger representation of species allows us to improve the anatomical and taxonomical identification of archaeological remains. The results between 2016-2018 had been satisfactory, allowing us to amplify our sample.

The genus Peronia Fleming, 1822 includes all the onchidiid slugs with dorsal gills. Its taxonomy is revised for the first time based on a large collection of fresh material from the entire Indo-West Pacific, from South Africa to Hawaii. Nine species are supported by mitochondrial (COI and 16S) and nuclear (ITS2 and 28S) sequences as well as comparative anatomy. All types available were examined and the nomenclatural status of each existing name in the genus is addressed. Of 31 Peronia species-group names available, 27 are regarded as invalid (twenty-one synonyms, sixteen of which are new, five nomina dubia, and one homonym), and four as valid: Peronia peronii (Cuvier, 1804), Peronia verruculata (Cuvier, 1830), Peronia platei (Hoffmann, 1928), and Peronia madagascariensis (Labbé, 1934a). Five new species names are created: P. griffithsi Dayrat & Goulding, sp. nov., P. okinawensis Dayrat & Goulding, sp. nov., P. setoensis Dayrat & Goulding, sp. nov., P. sydneyensis Dayrat & Goulding, sp. nov., and P. willani Dayrat & Goulding, sp. nov.Peronia species are cryptic externally but can be distinguished using internal characters, with the exception of P. platei and P. setoensis. The anatomy of most species is described in detail here for the first time. All the secondary literature is commented on and historical specimens from museum collections were also examined to better establish species distributions. The genus Peronia includes two species that are widespread across the Indo-West Pacific (P. verruculata and P. peronii) as well as endemic species: P. okinawensis and P. setoensis are endemic to Japan, and P. willani is endemic to Northern Territory, Australia. Many new geographical records are provided, as well as a key to the species using morphological traits.

Body and craniofacial measurements are essential tools in identifying species and characterising their external traits. Body surface measurements were obtained from six African pangolins (Manis tricuspis) – 3 males and 3 females. Facial and body measurements obtained from the pangolins revealed that the females had higher averages for body weight, body length and girth. The dimensions of the head showed that the males had a wider zygoma. Also, the manus and arm (humerus) in the females were longer (27.52±3.80 mm and 59.69±3.54 mm respectively) than in the males (26.95±3.35 mm and 50.68±10.22 mm respectively), while the lengths of the arm and the leg (all its components) were longer in the males. Data obtained from this study may provide basic information in assessing and comparing other species of the pangolin, and find application in archaeological, forensic and comparative anatomy of wildlife. Keywords: Anthropometrics; African pangolin; Body indices; Craniofacial measurements

The human corpus callosum exhibits substantial atrophy in old age, which is stronger than what would be predicted from parallel changes in overall brain anatomy. To date, however, it has not been conclusively established whether this accentuated decline represents a common feature of brain aging across species, or whether it is a specific characteristic of the aging human brain. In the present cross-sectional study, we address this question by comparing age-related difference in corpus callosum morphology of chimpanzees and humans. For this purpose, we measured total midsagittal area and regional thickness of the corpus callosum from T1-weighted MRI data from 213 chimpanzees, aged between 9 and 54 years. The results were compared with data drawn from a large-scale human sample which was age-range matched using two strategies: (a) matching by chronological age (human sample size: n = 562), or (b) matching by accounting for differences in longevity and various maturational events between the species (i.e., adjusted human age range: 13.6 to 80.9 years; n = 664). Using generalized additive modeling to fit and compare aging trajectories, we found significant differences between the two species. The chimpanzee aging trajectory compared with the human trajectory was characterized by a slower increase from adolescence to middle adulthood, and by a lack of substantial decline from middle to old adulthood, which, however, was present in humans. Thus, the accentuated decline of the corpus callosum found in aging humans is not a universal characteristic of the aging brain, and appears to be human-specific.

—Circumscription of genera in the tribe Vernonieae is complex due to overlapping morphological features among genera such as Chrysolaena, Echinocoryne, Lepidaploa, and Lessingianthus. These genera have been segregated from the genus Vernonia s. l., but their classification remains questionable because they lack clear diagnostic characters to contribute to this classification. Several studies have demonstrated the importance of the anatomy of cypselae for classification in Compositae; cypselae provide diagnostic characters for some genera. We studied the anatomy of the cypselae, including pericarp, callus, carpopodium, and pappus of Chrysolaena, Echinocoryne, Lepidaploa, and Lessingianthus, evaluating their potential for clarifying systematic problems in these genera. Our study demonstrated the cypselae features are uniform, and they do not contribute diagnostic characters useful in generic circumscription; however, cypselae anatomical characters do segregate some species. Our data also suggest that Chrysolaena, Echinocoryne, Lepidaploa, and Lessingianthus should be circumscribed in a single genus Lepidaploa.

Spackled yellows of wheat leaves is caused by pathogen Pyrenophora tritici-repentis (Died.) Drechs.). This is a widespread disease and in addition to wheat, the pathogen affects more than 60 species of cereals and wild relatives. The review presents spread of pathogen in the world and in Russia, its biological features and injurousness, which is associated with reduction of yields up to 60% in the years of its epiphytotic development. Special attention is paid to the racial composition of P. tritici-repentis in various geographical zones and the heterogeneity of the distribution of races in the world. The most common races of spacled yellows pathogen are races 1 (Tox A, Tox C), 2 (Tox A), 7 (Tox A, Tox B), 8 (Tox A, Tox B, Tox C). The formation of atypical races that cannot be referred to the existing classification is noted, which indicates high adaptive properties of the phytopathogen. At present, ubiquitousness of fungus, its high adaptive abilities, saturation of crop rotations with grain crops, cultivation of unstable varieties, minimization of soil cultivation and other reasons will contribute to further spread of the harmful disease, which actualizes the need to develop integrated systems for protecting crops from spackled yellows pathogen.

In 1859, Charles Darwin published The Origin of Species in which he proposed the principle of natural selection. Later, Thomas Henry Huxley emphasized similarities in anatomical structure between human and apes to argue that man and ape have a common ancestry. Darwin further proposed that Africa may be the place for human origins. At their time, the evidence for human origins highlighted by Darwin and Huxley was mainly derived from the fields of comparative anatomy and embryology with no relevant fossils yet available as direct evidence. Starting from late nineteenth century, studies of human origins gradually began to benefit from the discovery of fossils of early human ancestors. By the early twentieth century, only a few human fossils had been discovered, like Neanderthals, Pithecanthropus from Java, Broken Hill man from Rhodesia. Based on assessments of this fossil evidence, human history was regarded as originating only about 0.5 mya. In 1924, a fossil infant skull was found from the lime quarry at Taun about 320 km southwest of Johannesburg, South Africa that would eventually change the trajectory of human origins theory. The skull was among two boxes of fossiliferous breccia sent by a geologist colleague to Raymond Dart, a British trained anatomist who in 1922 was appointed Professor of Anatomy at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. With the stratigraphic evidence of this districtconcerning the succession of stone ages in South Africa and that of Broken Hill in Rhodesia, Dart soon realized that Taun and the surrounding area might contain fossil remains of primitive man. Fossils in the crates mainly represented additional baboons, but one crate contained a natural endocast (mold of the inner surface of a skull) that Dart immediately realized came from a hominoid primate. Among the breccia blocks in the crates, Dart found one with a depression into which the endocast perfectly fit. Inside this block, he saw traces of bone that he hoped was the front of the skull associated with the natural endocast. Although he eventually determined that the front was present, it took Dart several weeks to fully expose it with a hammer, chisels, and most famously, a sharpened knitting needle. The dentition of the skull indicated that it represented a juvenile whose first molars were just erupting, and various other features showed that in important respects the creature was intermediate between apes and human. For example, it was obviously ape-like in the small size of its brain—or more precisely in its endocranial (internal skull) volume, which Dart estimated would have reached 525 cc at adulthood. Although subsequent re-estimates have reduced this adult brain size to between 404 and 440 cc, even Dart’s figure was much closer to the average endocranial volume for common chimpanzees (ca. 400 cc)and gorillas (ca. 500 cc) than it was to the average for modern humans (1350–1375 cc). At the same time, the deciduous canines were much smaller and less projecting than those in apes, and the foramen magnum, through which the spinal cord and brainstem passed to connect to the brain, was more anteriorly positioned on the base of the skull. This suggested that the skull was balanced on top of the spinal column, as in people, where this position is a requirement of efficient upright, bipedal locomotion. In short, the position of the foramen magnum implied that the Taun individual was bipedal like people rather than quadrupedal like apes. On February 7, 1925, Dart published his initial description of the Taun child skull and natural endocast in Nature and concluded that it came from a previously unknown species “intermediate between living anthropoids and man”. He named the species Australopithecus africanus (“African southern ape”) and stressed both the skull’s intermediate or transitional morphology and its discovery far outside the geographical ranges of living apes. Taun occupied a non-forested region where living apes could not survive, and from geological studies Dart argued that the regional environment today was probably similar to the environment when the fossils were accumulated. The ancient vegetation of the Taun area was thus inappropriate for living apes in the narrow sense. It was, however, clearly suitable for an ape that was developing human traits and a different diet. Rare bone fragments that may have come from a nyala antelope ( Tragelaphus angasi ) now suggest that the ancient environment may have been more wooded than Dart believed, but baboon and rock hyrax fossils dominate the Taun fossil collection, continuing to imply a reconstructed environment that living apes would generally avoid. The discovery of the Taun Child skull extended human origins back to about 1 million years ago at that time and led the way for further human fossil discoveries and research in South Africa, East Africa and Central Africa beginning in the 1930s until present day. It had an integral role in making Africa the center of human origins and evolution research and also providing solid fossil evidence for Darwin’s prediction of Africa as the birthplace of human origins. Now, Australopithecus is widely recognized as an important stage of human evolution by the scientific community.

The fish fin is a breathtaking repository full of evolutionary diversity, novelty, and convergence. Over 500 million years, the adaptation to novel habitats has provided landscapes of fin diversity. Although comparative anatomy of evolutionarily divergent patterns over centuries has highlighted the fundamental architectures and evolutionary trends of fins, including convergent evolution, the developmental constraints on fin evolution, which bias the evolutionary trajectories of fin morphology, largely remain elusive. Here, we review the evolutionary history, developmental mechanisms, and evolutionary underpinnings of paired fins, illuminating possible developmental constraints on fin evolution. Our compilation of anatomical and genetic knowledge of fin development sheds light on the canalized and the unpredictable aspects of fin shape in evolution. Leveraged by an arsenal of genomic and genetic tools within the working arena of spectacular fin diversity, evolutionary developmental biology embarks on the establishment of conceptual framework for developmental constraints, previously enigmatic properties of evolution., The fish fin is a breathtaking repository full of evolutionary diversity, novelty, and convergence. However, the genetic underpinnings of their diversity and convergent evolution largely remain elusive. We summarized recent discoveries of evolutionary and developmental mechanisms of fins, shedding light on developmental constraints for fin diversity.

Background The structure of the lingua of birds frequently gives some clue to the principal diet and manner of feeding of the species. The lingua is suitably modified for this purpose or does not intent the present work to understand it. The anatomical details of the lingual apparatus and their associated epidermal, musculature, and osteological elements of Indian doves (Aves: Columbidae) Eurasian collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto) and laughing dove (Stigmatopelia senegalensis) with comparison are lacking in the literature. Results A total of eight (n = 8/species) freshly preserved adult specimens with natural mortalities from Central Saurashtra, Western India, were examined. All the morphological features of species were observed in living as well as in preserved with the help of a pair of binoculars in the field and in the laboratory with stereo zoom dissecting microscope and camera lucida which are used for illustrations. The anatomical study includes the epidermal structures of the buccal region, lingua, apparatus hyobranchialis, and lingual muscles in relation to feeding behaviors and food. All these aspects are correlated with the food habits and finally with the muscles which bring about the suitable movements of the lingua. Conclusion The lingua in Eurasian collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto) and laughing dove (Stigmatopelia senegalensis) studied here does not exhibit any wide variations in appearance as such. Although the comparison between the two dove species is reflected, a relation in diverse food habits and all the morphological variables do not reflect allometric consequences of selection on body size. Finally, the assumption appears intuitively right between morphology, food habits, and variable size of the food items and clears various microhabitat choices in adverse conditions.

The study of evolutionary developmental pathologies (Evo-Devo-Path) is an emergent field that relies on comparative anatomy to inform our understanding of the development and evolution of normal and abnormal structures in different groups of organisms, with a special focus on humans. Previous research has demonstrated that some muscles that have been lost in our ancestors well before the evolution of anatomically modern humans occasionally appear as variations in adults within the normal human population or as anomalies in individuals with congenital malformations. Here, we provide the first review of fourteen atavistic muscles/groups of muscles that are only present as variations or anomalies in modern humans but are commonly present in other primate species. Muscles within the head and neck and pectoral girdle and upper limb region include platysma cervicale, mandibulo-auricularis, rhomboideus occipitalis, levator claviculae, dorsoepitrochlearis, panniculus carnosus, epitrochleoanconeus, and contrahentes digitorum manus. Within the lower limb, they include scansorius, ischiofemoralis, contrahentes digitorum pedis, opponens hallucis, abductor metatarsi quinti, and opponens digiti minimi. For each muscle, we describe their synonyms, comparative anatomy among primates, embryonic development, presentation and prevalence as a variation, and presentation and prevalence as an anomaly. Research on the embryonic origins of six of these muscles has demonstrated that they appear early on in normal human development but usually disappear before birth. Among the eight muscles in the upper half of the body, mandibulo-auricularis is, to our knowledge, present in humans only as a variation, while the other seven muscles can be present as either a variation or an anomaly. All six muscles of the lower limb are present only as variations, and to our knowledge have not been described in anomalous individuals. Interestingly, although these muscles conform to most definitions of what constitutes an atavism—i.e., they were lost in our adult ancestors and now appear in some adult humans—some of them are seemingly present in more than 2% of the normal population. Therefore, they might actually constitute polymorphisms rather than variations. The research summarized here therefore emphasizes the need of future studies of the evolution, development, and prevalence of soft tissue variations and anomalies in humans, not only for the understanding of our evolutionary history but also of our phenotype and pathologies.

Background The present study is designed to identify the morphological description of the digestive tract in two species of different birds; these birds were Taeniopygia guttata (zebra finch) which is granivorous and Sturnus vulgaris (Starling) which is omnivorous. Results The results showed that the digestive canal of both birds was similar in the essential structure. It begins with the oropharyngeal cavity, which starts with the beak. The beak appeared different in the outer shape, which depends on the feeding. The mouth palate in both birds contains slit localized in the hard palate. This slit represents as beak nostril. The tongue appeared at the bottom of the oropharyngeal cavity. The esophagus appeared as a muscular tube containing the crop, which is divided into two parts the cervical part and the thoracic region, while the stomach was composed of two clear parts in both birds. The first one was a conical shape called proventriculus. The second was a spherical shape called the gizzard, and they are separated by a transitional zone called the isthmus, which was more apparent in the zebra finch, while the small intestine developed mostly in both birds. It is divided into three parts, which were the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum, as well as the large intestine, which appeared as tube shape, which is the rectum. There was a pair of caecum located in the contact area of the ileum and rectum. The digestive canal ends with the cloaca in both birds. Conclusion These results indicate that there are differences in the anatomical structure of the gastrointestinal tract organs between the two birds to be compatible with the quality and method of obtaining food.

© 2019, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature. Purpose: Animal models are frequently used to elucidate pathomechanism and pathophysiology of various disorders of the human intervertebral disc (IVD) and also to develop therapeutic approaches. Here we report morphological characteristics of the kangaroo lumbar IVDs and compare them with other animal models used in spine research. Methods: Twenty-five fresh-frozen cadaveric lumbar spines (T12–S1) derived from kangaroo carcases (Macropus giganteus) of undetermined age were first scanned in a C-Arm X-ray machine. A photograph of the axial section of the disc including a calibrated metric scale was also acquired. The digital radiographs and photographs were processed in ImageJ to determine the axial and sagittal plane dimensions for the whole disc (WD) and the nucleus pulposus (NP) and the mid-sagittal disc height for all the lumbar levels. Results: Our results suggest that the L6–S1 IVD in kangaroos is distinctly large compared with the upper lumbar IVDs. Based on previously published data, human lumbar IVDs are the largest of all the animal IVDs used in spine research, with camelid cervical IVDs being the closest relative in absolute dimensions (llamas: 78% in disc height, 40% in WD volume, and 38% in NP volume). Kangaroo L6–S1 IVD was approximately 51% in height, 20% in WD volume, and 20% in NP volume of the human lumbar IVD. Conclusions: We conclude that morphological similarities exist between a kangaroo and human lumbar IVD, especially with the lima bean shape in the axial plane, wedge shape in the sagittal plane, convexity at the cephalad endplates, and percentage volume occupied by the NP in the IVD. Graphic abstract: These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]

Pinnids are semi-infaunal bivalves with several unusual morphological features, some of them regarded as adaptations to environments with high concentration of suspended particles. The presence of a waste canal on the mantle wall, for example, helps rejecting surplus particles from the mantle cavity. Despite being such anatomically intriguing bivalves, detailed comparative morphology studies on pinnids are still scarce. To gain further insights into the functional anatomy of pinnids, we have thoroughly investigated the mantle of Pinna carnea Gmelin, 1791 by means of scanning electron and light microscopy, including the application of histochemical staining methods. Additionally, the mantle was analyzed in ten pinnids from the genera Atrina, Pinna, and Streptopinna obtained in museum collections. Comparative morphology revealed a uniform structural organization of the mantle in Pinnidae, but a pronounced variation in pigmentation, presence of commarginal folds, and papillae. Our results also revealed intense secretory activity in the inner mantle fold, inner mantle epithelium, and waste canal, including at least three secretory cell types. Secretions are diverse and comprise mainly acidic mucosubstances on the mantle margin, while the waste canal secretes abundant acidophilic material apparently composed of basic proteins, and also possibly lipid content. Based on these results, we hypothesize that efficient mucociliary transportation is achieved in a hydrophobic environment provided by the waste canal, rapidly agglutinating and removing large amounts of particles from the mantle. Discoid glands secreting protein-rich content were found on the middle mantle fold of Pinna carnea and Streptopinna saccata (Linnaeus, 1758). Surprisingly, these mantle glands have hitherto not been recorded in the Bivalvia, representing, therefore, a new morphological feature in the Pinnidae.