Synchrotron scanning reveals the palaeoneurology of the head-butting Moschops capensis (Therapsida, Dinocephalia)
Dinocephalian therapsids are renowned for their massive, pachyostotic and ornamented skulls adapted for head-to-head fighting during intraspecific combat. Synchrotron scanning of the tapinocephalid Moschops capensis reveals, for the first time, numerous anatomical adaptations of the central nervous...
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| Format: | Article |
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PeerJ Inc.
2017-08-01
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| Online Access: | https://peerj.com/articles/3496.pdf |
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| author | Julien Benoit Paul R. Manger Luke Norton Vincent Fernandez Bruce S. Rubidge |
| author_facet | Julien Benoit Paul R. Manger Luke Norton Vincent Fernandez Bruce S. Rubidge |
| author_sort | Julien Benoit |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Dinocephalian therapsids are renowned for their massive, pachyostotic and ornamented skulls adapted for head-to-head fighting during intraspecific combat. Synchrotron scanning of the tapinocephalid Moschops capensis reveals, for the first time, numerous anatomical adaptations of the central nervous system related to this combative behaviour. Many neural structures (such as the brain, inner ear and ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve) were completely enclosed and protected by bones, which is unusual for non-mammaliaform therapsids. The nearly complete ossification of the braincase enables precise determination of the brain cavity volume and encephalization quotient, which appears greater than expected for such a large and early herbivore. The practice of head butting is often associated with complex social behaviours and gregariousness in extant species, which are known to influence brain size evolution. Additionally, the plane of the lateral (horizontal) semicircular canal of the bony labyrinth is oriented nearly vertically if the skull is held horizontally, which suggests that the natural position of the head was inclined about 60–65°to the horizontal. This is consistent with the fighting position inferred from osteology, as well as ground-level browsing. Finally, the unusually large parietal tube may have been filled with thick conjunctive tissue to protect the delicate pineal eye from injury sustained during head butting. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:37:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-086468b2855946f99ad8e06b98772580 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2167-8359 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:37:48Z |
| publishDate | 2017-08-01 |
| publisher | PeerJ Inc. |
| record_format | Article |
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| spelling | doaj.art-086468b2855946f99ad8e06b987725802023-12-03T10:55:00ZengPeerJ Inc.PeerJ2167-83592017-08-015e349610.7717/peerj.3496Synchrotron scanning reveals the palaeoneurology of the head-butting Moschops capensis (Therapsida, Dinocephalia)Julien Benoit0Paul R. Manger1Luke Norton2Vincent Fernandez3Bruce S. Rubidge4Evolutionary Institute, School of Geosciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South AfricaSchool of Anatomical Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South AfricaEvolutionary Institute, School of Geosciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South AfricaBeamline ID19, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Grenoble, FranceEvolutionary Institute, School of Geosciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South AfricaDinocephalian therapsids are renowned for their massive, pachyostotic and ornamented skulls adapted for head-to-head fighting during intraspecific combat. Synchrotron scanning of the tapinocephalid Moschops capensis reveals, for the first time, numerous anatomical adaptations of the central nervous system related to this combative behaviour. Many neural structures (such as the brain, inner ear and ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve) were completely enclosed and protected by bones, which is unusual for non-mammaliaform therapsids. The nearly complete ossification of the braincase enables precise determination of the brain cavity volume and encephalization quotient, which appears greater than expected for such a large and early herbivore. The practice of head butting is often associated with complex social behaviours and gregariousness in extant species, which are known to influence brain size evolution. Additionally, the plane of the lateral (horizontal) semicircular canal of the bony labyrinth is oriented nearly vertically if the skull is held horizontally, which suggests that the natural position of the head was inclined about 60–65°to the horizontal. This is consistent with the fighting position inferred from osteology, as well as ground-level browsing. Finally, the unusually large parietal tube may have been filled with thick conjunctive tissue to protect the delicate pineal eye from injury sustained during head butting.https://peerj.com/articles/3496.pdfEndocastTrigeminal nerveBony labyrinthDinocephaliaHead buttingMoschops |
| spellingShingle | Julien Benoit Paul R. Manger Luke Norton Vincent Fernandez Bruce S. Rubidge Synchrotron scanning reveals the palaeoneurology of the head-butting Moschops capensis (Therapsida, Dinocephalia) PeerJ Endocast Trigeminal nerve Bony labyrinth Dinocephalia Head butting Moschops |
| title | Synchrotron scanning reveals the palaeoneurology of the head-butting Moschops capensis (Therapsida, Dinocephalia) |
| title_full | Synchrotron scanning reveals the palaeoneurology of the head-butting Moschops capensis (Therapsida, Dinocephalia) |
| title_fullStr | Synchrotron scanning reveals the palaeoneurology of the head-butting Moschops capensis (Therapsida, Dinocephalia) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Synchrotron scanning reveals the palaeoneurology of the head-butting Moschops capensis (Therapsida, Dinocephalia) |
| title_short | Synchrotron scanning reveals the palaeoneurology of the head-butting Moschops capensis (Therapsida, Dinocephalia) |
| title_sort | synchrotron scanning reveals the palaeoneurology of the head butting moschops capensis therapsida dinocephalia |
| topic | Endocast Trigeminal nerve Bony labyrinth Dinocephalia Head butting Moschops |
| url | https://peerj.com/articles/3496.pdf |
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