Jaw anatomy of Potamogale velox (Tenrecidae, Afrotheria) with a focus on cranial arteries and the coronoid canal in mammals
Afrotheria is a strongly supported clade within placental mammals, but morphological synapomorphies for the entire group have only recently come to light. Soft tissue characters represent an underutilized source of data for phylogenetic analysis, but nonetheless provide features shared by some or al...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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PeerJ Inc.
2016-04-01
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| Series: | PeerJ |
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| Online Access: | https://peerj.com/articles/1906.pdf |
| _version_ | 1797425546603266048 |
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| author | Robert J. Brocklehurst Nick Crumpton Evie Button Robert J. Asher |
| author_facet | Robert J. Brocklehurst Nick Crumpton Evie Button Robert J. Asher |
| author_sort | Robert J. Brocklehurst |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Afrotheria is a strongly supported clade within placental mammals, but morphological synapomorphies for the entire group have only recently come to light. Soft tissue characters represent an underutilized source of data for phylogenetic analysis, but nonetheless provide features shared by some or all members of Afrotheria. Here, we investigate the developmental anatomy of Potamogale velox (Tenrecidae) with histological and computerized tomographic data at different ontogenetic ages, combined with osteological data from other mammals, to investigate patterns of cranial arterial supply and the distribution of the coronoid canal. Potamogale is atypical among placental mammals in exhibiting a small superior stapedial artery, a primary supply of the posterior auricular by the posterior stapedial artery, and the development of vascular plexuses (possibly with relevance for heat exchange) in the posterior and dorsal regions of its neck. In addition, the posterior aspect of Meckel’s cartilage increases its medial deflection in larger embryonic specimens as the mandibular condyle extends mediolaterally during embryogenesis. We also map the distribution of the coronoid canal across mammals, and discuss potential confusion of this feature with alveoli of the posterior teeth. The widespread distribution of the coronoid canal among living and fossil proboscideans, sirenians, and hyracoids supports previous interpretations that a patent coronoid canal is a synapomorphy of paenungulates, but not afrotherians as a whole. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T08:17:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-75f863d1b81146848131b537e86306af |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2167-8359 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T08:17:40Z |
| publishDate | 2016-04-01 |
| publisher | PeerJ Inc. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PeerJ |
| spelling | doaj.art-75f863d1b81146848131b537e86306af2023-12-02T22:00:45ZengPeerJ Inc.PeerJ2167-83592016-04-014e190610.7717/peerj.1906Jaw anatomy of Potamogale velox (Tenrecidae, Afrotheria) with a focus on cranial arteries and the coronoid canal in mammalsRobert J. Brocklehurst0Nick Crumpton1Evie Button2Robert J. Asher3Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United KingdomDepartment of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United KingdomDepartment of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United KingdomDepartment of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United KingdomAfrotheria is a strongly supported clade within placental mammals, but morphological synapomorphies for the entire group have only recently come to light. Soft tissue characters represent an underutilized source of data for phylogenetic analysis, but nonetheless provide features shared by some or all members of Afrotheria. Here, we investigate the developmental anatomy of Potamogale velox (Tenrecidae) with histological and computerized tomographic data at different ontogenetic ages, combined with osteological data from other mammals, to investigate patterns of cranial arterial supply and the distribution of the coronoid canal. Potamogale is atypical among placental mammals in exhibiting a small superior stapedial artery, a primary supply of the posterior auricular by the posterior stapedial artery, and the development of vascular plexuses (possibly with relevance for heat exchange) in the posterior and dorsal regions of its neck. In addition, the posterior aspect of Meckel’s cartilage increases its medial deflection in larger embryonic specimens as the mandibular condyle extends mediolaterally during embryogenesis. We also map the distribution of the coronoid canal across mammals, and discuss potential confusion of this feature with alveoli of the posterior teeth. The widespread distribution of the coronoid canal among living and fossil proboscideans, sirenians, and hyracoids supports previous interpretations that a patent coronoid canal is a synapomorphy of paenungulates, but not afrotherians as a whole.https://peerj.com/articles/1906.pdfAfrotheriaOntogenyArteriesMandibleCoronoid canalPaenungulata |
| spellingShingle | Robert J. Brocklehurst Nick Crumpton Evie Button Robert J. Asher Jaw anatomy of Potamogale velox (Tenrecidae, Afrotheria) with a focus on cranial arteries and the coronoid canal in mammals PeerJ Afrotheria Ontogeny Arteries Mandible Coronoid canal Paenungulata |
| title | Jaw anatomy of Potamogale velox (Tenrecidae, Afrotheria) with a focus on cranial arteries and the coronoid canal in mammals |
| title_full | Jaw anatomy of Potamogale velox (Tenrecidae, Afrotheria) with a focus on cranial arteries and the coronoid canal in mammals |
| title_fullStr | Jaw anatomy of Potamogale velox (Tenrecidae, Afrotheria) with a focus on cranial arteries and the coronoid canal in mammals |
| title_full_unstemmed | Jaw anatomy of Potamogale velox (Tenrecidae, Afrotheria) with a focus on cranial arteries and the coronoid canal in mammals |
| title_short | Jaw anatomy of Potamogale velox (Tenrecidae, Afrotheria) with a focus on cranial arteries and the coronoid canal in mammals |
| title_sort | jaw anatomy of potamogale velox tenrecidae afrotheria with a focus on cranial arteries and the coronoid canal in mammals |
| topic | Afrotheria Ontogeny Arteries Mandible Coronoid canal Paenungulata |
| url | https://peerj.com/articles/1906.pdf |
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