A new Heterodontosaurus specimen elucidates the unique ventilatory macroevolution of ornithischian dinosaurs
Ornithischian dinosaurs were ecologically prominent herbivores of the Mesozoic Era that achieved a global distribution by the onset of the Cretaceous. The ornithischian body plan is aberrant relative to other ornithodiran clades, and crucial details of their early evolution remain obscure. We presen...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
eLife Sciences Publications Ltd
2021-07-01
|
| Series: | eLife |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://elifesciences.org/articles/66036 |
| _version_ | 1828107635631587328 |
|---|---|
| author | Viktor J Radermacher Vincent Fernandez Emma R Schachner Richard J Butler Emese M Bordy Michael Naylor Hudgins William J de Klerk Kimberley EJ Chapelle Jonah N Choiniere |
| author_facet | Viktor J Radermacher Vincent Fernandez Emma R Schachner Richard J Butler Emese M Bordy Michael Naylor Hudgins William J de Klerk Kimberley EJ Chapelle Jonah N Choiniere |
| author_sort | Viktor J Radermacher |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ornithischian dinosaurs were ecologically prominent herbivores of the Mesozoic Era that achieved a global distribution by the onset of the Cretaceous. The ornithischian body plan is aberrant relative to other ornithodiran clades, and crucial details of their early evolution remain obscure. We present a new, fully articulated skeleton of the early branching ornithischian Heterodontosaurus tucki. Phase-contrast enhanced synchrotron data of this new specimen reveal a suite of novel postcranial features unknown in any other ornithischian, with implications for the early evolution of the group. These features include a large, anteriorly projecting sternum; bizarre, paddle-shaped sternal ribs; and a full gastral basket – the first recovered in Ornithischia. These unusual anatomical traits provide key information on the evolution of the ornithischian body plan and suggest functional shifts in the ventilatory apparatus occurred close to the base of the clade. We complement these anatomical data with a quantitative analysis of ornithischian pelvic architecture, which allows us to make a specific, stepwise hypothesis for their ventilatory evolution. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T10:34:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-00a2dc493f6d4113b7a492253e2455fe |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2050-084X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T10:34:13Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | eLife Sciences Publications Ltd |
| record_format | Article |
| series | eLife |
| spelling | doaj.art-00a2dc493f6d4113b7a492253e2455fe2022-12-22T04:29:19ZengeLife Sciences Publications LtdeLife2050-084X2021-07-011010.7554/eLife.66036A new Heterodontosaurus specimen elucidates the unique ventilatory macroevolution of ornithischian dinosaursViktor J Radermacher0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6524-7811Vincent Fernandez1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8315-1458Emma R Schachner2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8636-925XRichard J Butler3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2136-7541Emese M Bordy4https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4699-0823Michael Naylor Hudgins5https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0215-7792William J de Klerk6Kimberley EJ Chapelle7https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9991-0439Jonah N Choiniere8https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1008-0687Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, United StatesEvolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Grenoble, France; Natural History Museum, Imaging and Analysis Centre, London, United KingdomDepartment of Cell Biology & Anatomy, School of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, United StatesEvolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United KingdomDepartment of Geological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South AfricaDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, CanadaEvolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Department of Earth Sciences, Albany Museum, Grahamstown, South AfricaEvolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, United StatesEvolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South AfricaOrnithischian dinosaurs were ecologically prominent herbivores of the Mesozoic Era that achieved a global distribution by the onset of the Cretaceous. The ornithischian body plan is aberrant relative to other ornithodiran clades, and crucial details of their early evolution remain obscure. We present a new, fully articulated skeleton of the early branching ornithischian Heterodontosaurus tucki. Phase-contrast enhanced synchrotron data of this new specimen reveal a suite of novel postcranial features unknown in any other ornithischian, with implications for the early evolution of the group. These features include a large, anteriorly projecting sternum; bizarre, paddle-shaped sternal ribs; and a full gastral basket – the first recovered in Ornithischia. These unusual anatomical traits provide key information on the evolution of the ornithischian body plan and suggest functional shifts in the ventilatory apparatus occurred close to the base of the clade. We complement these anatomical data with a quantitative analysis of ornithischian pelvic architecture, which allows us to make a specific, stepwise hypothesis for their ventilatory evolution.https://elifesciences.org/articles/66036OrnithodiraDinosauriaOrnithischia |
| spellingShingle | Viktor J Radermacher Vincent Fernandez Emma R Schachner Richard J Butler Emese M Bordy Michael Naylor Hudgins William J de Klerk Kimberley EJ Chapelle Jonah N Choiniere A new Heterodontosaurus specimen elucidates the unique ventilatory macroevolution of ornithischian dinosaurs eLife Ornithodira Dinosauria Ornithischia |
| title | A new Heterodontosaurus specimen elucidates the unique ventilatory macroevolution of ornithischian dinosaurs |
| title_full | A new Heterodontosaurus specimen elucidates the unique ventilatory macroevolution of ornithischian dinosaurs |
| title_fullStr | A new Heterodontosaurus specimen elucidates the unique ventilatory macroevolution of ornithischian dinosaurs |
| title_full_unstemmed | A new Heterodontosaurus specimen elucidates the unique ventilatory macroevolution of ornithischian dinosaurs |
| title_short | A new Heterodontosaurus specimen elucidates the unique ventilatory macroevolution of ornithischian dinosaurs |
| title_sort | new heterodontosaurus specimen elucidates the unique ventilatory macroevolution of ornithischian dinosaurs |
| topic | Ornithodira Dinosauria Ornithischia |
| url | https://elifesciences.org/articles/66036 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT viktorjradermacher anewheterodontosaurusspecimenelucidatestheuniqueventilatorymacroevolutionofornithischiandinosaurs AT vincentfernandez anewheterodontosaurusspecimenelucidatestheuniqueventilatorymacroevolutionofornithischiandinosaurs AT emmarschachner anewheterodontosaurusspecimenelucidatestheuniqueventilatorymacroevolutionofornithischiandinosaurs AT richardjbutler anewheterodontosaurusspecimenelucidatestheuniqueventilatorymacroevolutionofornithischiandinosaurs AT emesembordy anewheterodontosaurusspecimenelucidatestheuniqueventilatorymacroevolutionofornithischiandinosaurs AT michaelnaylorhudgins anewheterodontosaurusspecimenelucidatestheuniqueventilatorymacroevolutionofornithischiandinosaurs AT williamjdeklerk anewheterodontosaurusspecimenelucidatestheuniqueventilatorymacroevolutionofornithischiandinosaurs AT kimberleyejchapelle anewheterodontosaurusspecimenelucidatestheuniqueventilatorymacroevolutionofornithischiandinosaurs AT jonahnchoiniere anewheterodontosaurusspecimenelucidatestheuniqueventilatorymacroevolutionofornithischiandinosaurs AT viktorjradermacher newheterodontosaurusspecimenelucidatestheuniqueventilatorymacroevolutionofornithischiandinosaurs AT vincentfernandez newheterodontosaurusspecimenelucidatestheuniqueventilatorymacroevolutionofornithischiandinosaurs AT emmarschachner newheterodontosaurusspecimenelucidatestheuniqueventilatorymacroevolutionofornithischiandinosaurs AT richardjbutler newheterodontosaurusspecimenelucidatestheuniqueventilatorymacroevolutionofornithischiandinosaurs AT emesembordy newheterodontosaurusspecimenelucidatestheuniqueventilatorymacroevolutionofornithischiandinosaurs AT michaelnaylorhudgins newheterodontosaurusspecimenelucidatestheuniqueventilatorymacroevolutionofornithischiandinosaurs AT williamjdeklerk newheterodontosaurusspecimenelucidatestheuniqueventilatorymacroevolutionofornithischiandinosaurs AT kimberleyejchapelle newheterodontosaurusspecimenelucidatestheuniqueventilatorymacroevolutionofornithischiandinosaurs AT jonahnchoiniere newheterodontosaurusspecimenelucidatestheuniqueventilatorymacroevolutionofornithischiandinosaurs |