Cranial ontogeny of Thamnophis radix (Serpentes: Colubroidea) with a re-evaluation of current paradigms of snake skull evolution
Accurate knowledge of skeletal ontogeny in extant organisms is crucial in understanding important morpho-functional systems and in enabling inferences of the ontogenetic stage of fossil specimens. However, detailed knowledge of skeletal ontogeny is lacking for most squamates, including snakes. Very...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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The Royal Society
2019-08-01
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| Series: | Royal Society Open Science |
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| Online Access: | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsos.182228 |
| _version_ | 1818341089733509120 |
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| author | Catherine R. C. Strong Tiago R. Simões Michael W. Caldwell Michael R. Doschak |
| author_facet | Catherine R. C. Strong Tiago R. Simões Michael W. Caldwell Michael R. Doschak |
| author_sort | Catherine R. C. Strong |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Accurate knowledge of skeletal ontogeny in extant organisms is crucial in understanding important morpho-functional systems and in enabling inferences of the ontogenetic stage of fossil specimens. However, detailed knowledge of skeletal ontogeny is lacking for most squamates, including snakes. Very few studies have discussed postnatal development in snakes, with none incorporating data from all three major ontogenetic stages—embryonic, juvenile and adult. Here, we provide the first analysis encompassing these three ontogenetic stages for any squamate, using the first complete micro-computed tomography (micro-CT)-based segmentations of any non-adult snake, based on fresh specimens of Thamnophis radix. The most significant ontogenetic changes involve the feeding apparatus, with major elongation of the tooth-bearing elements and jaw suspensorium causing a posterior shift in the jaw articulation. This shift enables macrostomy (large-gaped feeding in snakes) and occurs in T. radix via a different developmental trajectory than in most other macrostomatans, indicating that the evolution of macrostomy is more complex than previously thought. The braincase of T. radix is also evolutionarily unique among derived snakes in lacking a crista circumfenestralis, a phenomenon considered herein to represent paedomorphic retention of the embryonic condition. We thus present numerous important challenges to current paradigms regarding snake cranial evolution. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T15:53:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3f5fc61cdac742869ce2cbb7469dc2ff |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2054-5703 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T15:53:15Z |
| publishDate | 2019-08-01 |
| publisher | The Royal Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Royal Society Open Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-3f5fc61cdac742869ce2cbb7469dc2ff2022-12-21T23:39:23ZengThe Royal SocietyRoyal Society Open Science2054-57032019-08-016810.1098/rsos.182228182228Cranial ontogeny of Thamnophis radix (Serpentes: Colubroidea) with a re-evaluation of current paradigms of snake skull evolutionCatherine R. C. StrongTiago R. SimõesMichael W. CaldwellMichael R. DoschakAccurate knowledge of skeletal ontogeny in extant organisms is crucial in understanding important morpho-functional systems and in enabling inferences of the ontogenetic stage of fossil specimens. However, detailed knowledge of skeletal ontogeny is lacking for most squamates, including snakes. Very few studies have discussed postnatal development in snakes, with none incorporating data from all three major ontogenetic stages—embryonic, juvenile and adult. Here, we provide the first analysis encompassing these three ontogenetic stages for any squamate, using the first complete micro-computed tomography (micro-CT)-based segmentations of any non-adult snake, based on fresh specimens of Thamnophis radix. The most significant ontogenetic changes involve the feeding apparatus, with major elongation of the tooth-bearing elements and jaw suspensorium causing a posterior shift in the jaw articulation. This shift enables macrostomy (large-gaped feeding in snakes) and occurs in T. radix via a different developmental trajectory than in most other macrostomatans, indicating that the evolution of macrostomy is more complex than previously thought. The braincase of T. radix is also evolutionarily unique among derived snakes in lacking a crista circumfenestralis, a phenomenon considered herein to represent paedomorphic retention of the embryonic condition. We thus present numerous important challenges to current paradigms regarding snake cranial evolution.https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsos.182228ontogenycrista circumfenestralismacrostomyheterochronypaedomorphosissnake evolution |
| spellingShingle | Catherine R. C. Strong Tiago R. Simões Michael W. Caldwell Michael R. Doschak Cranial ontogeny of Thamnophis radix (Serpentes: Colubroidea) with a re-evaluation of current paradigms of snake skull evolution Royal Society Open Science ontogeny crista circumfenestralis macrostomy heterochrony paedomorphosis snake evolution |
| title | Cranial ontogeny of Thamnophis radix (Serpentes: Colubroidea) with a re-evaluation of current paradigms of snake skull evolution |
| title_full | Cranial ontogeny of Thamnophis radix (Serpentes: Colubroidea) with a re-evaluation of current paradigms of snake skull evolution |
| title_fullStr | Cranial ontogeny of Thamnophis radix (Serpentes: Colubroidea) with a re-evaluation of current paradigms of snake skull evolution |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cranial ontogeny of Thamnophis radix (Serpentes: Colubroidea) with a re-evaluation of current paradigms of snake skull evolution |
| title_short | Cranial ontogeny of Thamnophis radix (Serpentes: Colubroidea) with a re-evaluation of current paradigms of snake skull evolution |
| title_sort | cranial ontogeny of thamnophis radix serpentes colubroidea with a re evaluation of current paradigms of snake skull evolution |
| topic | ontogeny crista circumfenestralis macrostomy heterochrony paedomorphosis snake evolution |
| url | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsos.182228 |
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