New information on paleopathologies in non-avian theropod dinosaurs: a case study on South American abelisaurids
Abstract Studies on pathological fossil bones have allowed improving the knowledge of physiology and ecology, and consequently the life history of extinct organisms. Among extinct vertebrates, non-avian dinosaurs have drawn attention in terms of pathological evidence, since a wide array of fossilize...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2024-01-01
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| Series: | BMC Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-023-02187-x |
| _version_ | 1797276158641831936 |
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| author | Mattia A. Baiano Ignacio A. Cerda Filippo Bertozzo Diego Pol |
| author_facet | Mattia A. Baiano Ignacio A. Cerda Filippo Bertozzo Diego Pol |
| author_sort | Mattia A. Baiano |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Studies on pathological fossil bones have allowed improving the knowledge of physiology and ecology, and consequently the life history of extinct organisms. Among extinct vertebrates, non-avian dinosaurs have drawn attention in terms of pathological evidence, since a wide array of fossilized lesions and diseases were noticed in these ancient organisms. Here, we evaluate the pathological conditions observed in individuals of different brachyrostran (Theropoda, Abelisauridae) taxa, including Aucasaurus garridoi, Elemgasem nubilus, and Quilmesaurus curriei. For this, we use multiple methodological approaches such as histology and computed tomography, in addition to the macroscopic evaluation. The holotype of Aucasaurus shows several pathognomonic traits of a failure of the vertebral segmentation during development, causing the presence of two fused caudal vertebrae. The occurrence of this condition in Aucasaurus is the first case to be documented so far in non-tetanuran theropods. Regarding the holotype of Elemgasem, the histology of two fused vertebrae shows an intervertebral space between the centra, thus the fusion is limited to the distal rim of the articular surfaces. This pathology is here considered as spondyloarthropathy, the first evidence for a non-tetanuran theropod. The microstructural arrangement of the right tibia of Quilmesaurus shows a marked variation in a portion of the outer cortex, probably due to the presence of the radial fibrolamellar bone tissue. Although similar bone tissue is present in other extinct vertebrates and the cause of its formation is still debated, it could be a response to some kind of pathology. Among non-avian theropods, traumatic injuries are better represented than other maladies (e.g., infection, congenital or metabolic diseases, etc.). These pathologies are recovered mainly among large-sized theropods such as Abelisauridae, Allosauridae, Carcharodontosauridae, and Tyrannosauridae, and distributed principally among axial elements. Statistical tests on the distribution of injuries in these theropod clades show a strong association between taxa-pathologies, body regions-pathologies, and taxa-body regions, suggesting different life styles and behaviours may underlie the frequency of different injuries among theropod taxa. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:24:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e02ac5ac39094c3cb5ff11cf5493d861 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2730-7182 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:24:18Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-e02ac5ac39094c3cb5ff11cf5493d8612024-03-05T17:25:58ZengBMCBMC Ecology and Evolution2730-71822024-01-0124112310.1186/s12862-023-02187-xNew information on paleopathologies in non-avian theropod dinosaurs: a case study on South American abelisauridsMattia A. Baiano0Ignacio A. Cerda1Filippo Bertozzo2Diego Pol3School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong KongConsejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)Operational Directorate Earth and History of Life, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural SciencesConsejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)Abstract Studies on pathological fossil bones have allowed improving the knowledge of physiology and ecology, and consequently the life history of extinct organisms. Among extinct vertebrates, non-avian dinosaurs have drawn attention in terms of pathological evidence, since a wide array of fossilized lesions and diseases were noticed in these ancient organisms. Here, we evaluate the pathological conditions observed in individuals of different brachyrostran (Theropoda, Abelisauridae) taxa, including Aucasaurus garridoi, Elemgasem nubilus, and Quilmesaurus curriei. For this, we use multiple methodological approaches such as histology and computed tomography, in addition to the macroscopic evaluation. The holotype of Aucasaurus shows several pathognomonic traits of a failure of the vertebral segmentation during development, causing the presence of two fused caudal vertebrae. The occurrence of this condition in Aucasaurus is the first case to be documented so far in non-tetanuran theropods. Regarding the holotype of Elemgasem, the histology of two fused vertebrae shows an intervertebral space between the centra, thus the fusion is limited to the distal rim of the articular surfaces. This pathology is here considered as spondyloarthropathy, the first evidence for a non-tetanuran theropod. The microstructural arrangement of the right tibia of Quilmesaurus shows a marked variation in a portion of the outer cortex, probably due to the presence of the radial fibrolamellar bone tissue. Although similar bone tissue is present in other extinct vertebrates and the cause of its formation is still debated, it could be a response to some kind of pathology. Among non-avian theropods, traumatic injuries are better represented than other maladies (e.g., infection, congenital or metabolic diseases, etc.). These pathologies are recovered mainly among large-sized theropods such as Abelisauridae, Allosauridae, Carcharodontosauridae, and Tyrannosauridae, and distributed principally among axial elements. Statistical tests on the distribution of injuries in these theropod clades show a strong association between taxa-pathologies, body regions-pathologies, and taxa-body regions, suggesting different life styles and behaviours may underlie the frequency of different injuries among theropod taxa.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-023-02187-xSpondyloarpthopathyCongenital malformationRadial fibrolamelar boneTheropodaAbelisauridaePaleopathology |
| spellingShingle | Mattia A. Baiano Ignacio A. Cerda Filippo Bertozzo Diego Pol New information on paleopathologies in non-avian theropod dinosaurs: a case study on South American abelisaurids BMC Ecology and Evolution Spondyloarpthopathy Congenital malformation Radial fibrolamelar bone Theropoda Abelisauridae Paleopathology |
| title | New information on paleopathologies in non-avian theropod dinosaurs: a case study on South American abelisaurids |
| title_full | New information on paleopathologies in non-avian theropod dinosaurs: a case study on South American abelisaurids |
| title_fullStr | New information on paleopathologies in non-avian theropod dinosaurs: a case study on South American abelisaurids |
| title_full_unstemmed | New information on paleopathologies in non-avian theropod dinosaurs: a case study on South American abelisaurids |
| title_short | New information on paleopathologies in non-avian theropod dinosaurs: a case study on South American abelisaurids |
| title_sort | new information on paleopathologies in non avian theropod dinosaurs a case study on south american abelisaurids |
| topic | Spondyloarpthopathy Congenital malformation Radial fibrolamelar bone Theropoda Abelisauridae Paleopathology |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-023-02187-x |
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