INIBIOMA   20415
INSTITUTO DE INVESTIGACIONES EN BIODIVERSIDAD Y MEDIOAMBIENTE
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
artículos
Título:
BIOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE BONE MICROSTRUCTURE OF THE LATE CRETACEOUS ORNITHOPOD DINOSAUR GASPARINISAURA CINCOSALTENSIS
Autor/es:
IGNACIO A. CERDA; ANUSUYA CHINSSAMY-TURAN
Revista:
JOURNAL OF VERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGY
Editorial:
SOC VERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGY
Referencias:
Año: 2012 vol. 32 p. 355 - 368
ISSN:
0272-4634
Resumen:
Here we present the bone histology of Gasparinisaura cincosaltensis, a basal ornithopod from the Late Cretaceous
of Patagonia, and discuss its biological implications. The sample includes axial and appendicular elements from several
specimens of different ontogenetic stages. The cortex of most bones consists of fibro-lamellar tissue, with mainly longitudinally
oriented vascular spaces, which suggests rapid osteogenesis and fast growth. However, the fibro-lamellar bone is commonly
interrupted by lines of arrested growth and/or annuli composed of parallel-fibered bone that indicates that the rapid growth
was periodic. Although a true outer circumferential layer was not recorded in any of the sampled elements, in several of the
larger samples the woven-fibered matrix of the inner and middle cortex grades into a parallel-fibered tissue, which suggests
that the attainment of sexual maturity occurred before skeletal maturity. The growth dynamics of Gasparinisaura are similar
to those reported in other basal ornithopods. Inter-elemental, as well as intraspecific, variations in histology were observed
in Gasparinisaura. Such variation could be the result of sexual dimorphism, or the effect of localized conditions of growth, or
perhaps plasticity in growth in response to local environmental conditions.Gasparinisaura cincosaltensis, a basal ornithopod from the Late Cretaceous
of Patagonia, and discuss its biological implications. The sample includes axial and appendicular elements from several
specimens of different ontogenetic stages. The cortex of most bones consists of fibro-lamellar tissue, with mainly longitudinally
oriented vascular spaces, which suggests rapid osteogenesis and fast growth. However, the fibro-lamellar bone is commonly
interrupted by lines of arrested growth and/or annuli composed of parallel-fibered bone that indicates that the rapid growth
was periodic. Although a true outer circumferential layer was not recorded in any of the sampled elements, in several of the
larger samples the woven-fibered matrix of the inner and middle cortex grades into a parallel-fibered tissue, which suggests
that the attainment of sexual maturity occurred before skeletal maturity. The growth dynamics of Gasparinisaura are similar
to those reported in other basal ornithopods. Inter-elemental, as well as intraspecific, variations in histology were observed
in Gasparinisaura. Such variation could be the result of sexual dimorphism, or the effect of localized conditions of growth, or
perhaps plasticity in growth in response to local environmental conditions.Gasparinisaura are similar
to those reported in other basal ornithopods. Inter-elemental, as well as intraspecific, variations in histology were observed
in Gasparinisaura. Such variation could be the result of sexual dimorphism, or the effect of localized conditions of growth, or
perhaps plasticity in growth in response to local environmental conditions.Gasparinisaura. Such variation could be the result of sexual dimorphism, or the effect of localized conditions of growth, or
perhaps plasticity in growth in response to local environmental conditions.