Heads or tails first? Evolution of fetal orientation in ichthyosaurs, with a scrutiny of the prevailing hypothesis

Heads or tails first? Evolution of fetal orientation in ichthyosaurs, with a scrutiny of the prevailing hypothesis

Abstract According to a longstanding paradigm, aquatic amniotes, including the Mesozoic marine reptile group Ichthyopterygia, give birth tail-first because head-first birth leads to increased asphyxiation risk of the fetus in the aquatic environment. Here, we draw upon published and original evidenc...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Feiko Miedema, Nicole Klein, Daniel G. Blackburn, P. Martin Sander, Erin E. Maxwell, Eva M. Griebeler, Torsten M. Scheyer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2023-04-01
Series:BMC Ecology and Evolution
Subjects:
Ichthyopterygia
Fetal orientation
Viviparity
Asphyxiation risk
Aquatic birth
Mixosaurus
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-023-02110-4

Internet

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-023-02110-4

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