Hind limbbone maturation during postnatal life in the Greater Rhea (Rhea americana, Aves, Palaeognathae): implications for paleobiological and zooarchaeological interpretations

PICASSO MBJ; BARBEITO CG

ANATOMIA HISTOLOGIA EMBRYOLOGIA

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2017

1439-0264

The objective of this study was to know the morphological pattern of bonematuration of the hind limb bones of Rhea americana and how this canaffect the bone morphology after a taphonomic process. Juvenilesspecimens ranged from one month old to eight months old (n=7) werestudied. For comparison, adults (n=4) and juvenile bones of museumspecimen were studied (n=6, indeterminate age). In fresh bones, anossification centers were identified in the proximal and distal epiphyses ofthe tibiotarsus and in the proximal one of the tarsometatarsus. Also, thedistal region of femur and tarsometatarsus showed prevalence de cartilage.The ossification centers of the fresh tibiotarsus showed dissimilar extension- lower extension in the proximal center and greater extension in the distalone. In the dry ones, the proximal center was absent and the distal onewas well-preserved. The fresh and dry juveniles tarsometatarsus presentedunfused metatarsals and bulky and widest aspect with respect to the adult.Dry femora presented a noticeable excavation between condyles whereasdry tarsometatarsus showed the absence of the proximal epiphysis. Femur,tibiotarsus and tarsometatarsus possess different traits of immaturitywhich during a taphonomic process, affect differentially the morphology ofthe preserved bones.