The Microstructure of Reptilian Tooth Enamel PDF Download

Author: P. Martin Sander
Publisher:
ISBN: 9783931516628
Category : Dental enamel
Languages : en
Pages : 102

View

Book Description
A survey of the enamel microstructure of 43 reptilian taxa reveals great structural variety and complexity. With the exception of the agamid lizard Uromastyx, all taxa have enamel without prisms. Reptilian enamel is thus not comparable to that of the Mammalia. The development of a new terminology was necessary to describe reptilian enamel and to address questions of functional vs. phylogenetic constraints on its microstructure. This new terminology was developed using a similar approach to one developed for mammalian enamel. It is hierarchical and free of amelogenetic or phylogenetic connotations. Starting at the smallest structures, five levels of complexity are recognized: crystallite level, module level, enamel type level, schmelzmuster level, and dentition level. Detailed microstructural analysis of the 43 taxa using the new terminology indicates that phylogenetic constraints are of little significance. Only two higher taxa, advanced ornithopod dinosaurs and the Ichthyosauria, show distinctive enamel synapomorphies. Biomechanical constraints on the internal structure of reptilian enamel are even more difficult to discern. The major factor determining microstructure is enamel surface morphology, i.e. the ridges and wrinkles on the surface of many teeth which presumably are adaptive. Reptilian amelogenesis is largely responsible for the creation of this morphology as the boundary plane between the dentin and the enamel (the EDJ) is smooth and not ridged or wrinkled. The concept of amelogenesis as enamel surface morphogenesis is best illustrated by a comparison of durophagous reptiles. Numerous unrelated groups convergently evolved the typical bulbous tooth shape but each group has an autapomorphic enamel microstructure. Other ecomorphotypes such as ziphodont carnivores exhibit convergent evolution of enamel microstructure. The structures observed raise important questions about reptilian amelogenesis. There certainly is no one-to-one correspondence between structural units and the ameloblast matrix as opposed to the situation in mammals. Such a correspondence has been assumed in the current models of the evolutionary origins of mammalian enamel prisms, and its absence invalidates these models.

Author: W. von Koenigswald
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1000150607
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 480

View

Book Description
Enamel, the shiny material covering the teeth of vertebrates is the hardest tissue the vertebrate body can produce and one of the most impressive products of biomineralization. This hard tissue is closely related to feeding, the first part in the energy intake process so basic to vertebrate life. Enamel has a complex internal microstructure full of phylogenetic and biomechanic information. Topics covered: Ontogeny; Crystallite level; Prism level; Enamel type level; Schmelzmuster level; Dentition level; Evolution; Biomechanical level; Glossary.

Author: Mark F. Teaford
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1139429221
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 328

View

Book Description
In this field there has been an explosion of information generated by scientific research. One of the beneficiaries of this has been the study of morphology, where new techniques and analyses have led to insights into a wide range of topics. Advances in genetics, histology, microstructure, biomechanics and morphometrics have allowed researchers to view teeth from alternative perspectives. However, there has been little communication between researchers in the different fields of dental research. This book brings together overviews on a wide range of dental topics linking genes, molecules and developmental mechanisms within an evolutionary framework. Written by the leading experts in the field, this book will stimulate co-operative research in fields as diverse as paleontology, molecular biology, developmental biology and functional morphology.

Author: Pascal Godefroit
Publisher: Indiana University Press
ISBN: 0253005701
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 648

View

Book Description
In 1878, the first complete dinosaur skeleton was discovered in a coal mine in Bernissart, Belgium. Iguanodon, first described by Gideon Mantell on the basis of fragments discovered in England in 1824, was initially reconstructed as an iguana-like reptile or a heavily built, horned quadruped. However, the Bernissart skeleton changed all that. The animal was displayed in an upright posture similar to a kangaroo, and later with its tail off the ground like the dinosaur we know of today. Focusing on the Bernissant discoveries, this book presents the latest research on Iguanodon and other denizens of the Cretaceous ecosystems of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Pascal Godefroit and contributors consider the Bernissart locality itself and the new research programs that are underway there. The book also presents a systematic revision of Iguanodon; new material from Spain, Romania, China, and Kazakhstan; studies of other Early Cretaceous terrestrial ecosystems; and examinations of Cretaceous vertebrate faunas.

Author: Holly N. Woodward
Publisher: Indiana University Press
ISBN: 0253066468
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 424

View

Book Description
Modern crocodylians--crocodiles, alligators, caiman (Central and South America), and gharials (India)--have evolved over 250 million years from a fully terrestrial, bipedal ancestor. Along with birds, crocodylians are the only living members of Archosauria, the group including nonavian dinosaurs. Ruling Reptiles features contributions on a broad range of topics surrounding crocodylian evolution and biology including osteology, osteohistology, developmental biology, myology, odontology, functional morphology, allometry, body size estimation, taphonomy, parasitology, ecology, thermophysiology, and ichnology. It demonstrates how the wide variety of these studies can also provide crucial insights into dinosaurian biology and evolution. Featuring the latest findings and interpretations, Ruling Reptiles: Crocodylian Biology and Archosaur Paleobiology is an essential resource for zoologists, biologists, and paleontologists.

Author: Thomas Koppe
Publisher: Karger Medical and Scientific Publishers
ISBN: 3805592299
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 215

View

Book Description
Teeth and their surrounding structures are exceptional sources for addressing significant questions in numerous disciplines. In this publication, an international, multidisciplinary team of researchers addresses important issues on current aspects of dental morphology research from evolutionary, anatomical, clinical and archaeological perspectives. In combining leading-edge methods of data acquisition and analyses, such as molecular analyses and highly advanced non-destructive imaging technologies, the book demonstrates how information about various aspects of dental morphology can be used to explore the evolution of vertebrate life histories, a subject most relevant to our own species. The chapters provide profound discussions on dental evolution, dental morphology, dental tissues, dental growth and development, as well as on clinical aspects of dental morphology. As a special feature, the publication provides new information about the role of teeth as tools in reconstructing the nature and behaviour of past populations. This book will serve as an important reference for researchers of dental sciences, anatomy, evolutionary biology, paleoanthropology, paleontology, archaeology, prehistoric anthropology, comparative anatomy, genetics, embryology, and forensic medicine.

Author: Kenneth Carpenter
Publisher: Indiana University Press
ISBN: 9780253345394
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 402

View

Book Description
The meat-eating dinosaurs, or Theropoda, include some of the fiercest predators that ever lived. Some of the group's members survive to this day—as birds. The theropod/bird connection has been explored in several recent works, but this book presents 17 papers on a variety of other topics. It is organized into three parts. Part I explores morphological details that are important for understanding theropod systematics. Part II focuses on specific regions of theropod anatomy and biomechanics. Part III examines various lines of evidence that reveal something about theropods as living creatures. The contributors are Ronan Allain, Rinchen Barsbold, Kenneth Carpenter, Karen Cloward, Rodolfo A. Coria, Philip J. Currie, Peter M. Galton, Robert Gay, Donald M. Henderson, Dong Huang, James I. Kirkland, Yoshitsugu Kobayashi, Eva B. Koppelhus, Peter Larson, Junchang Lü, Lorrie A. McWhinney, Clifford Miles, Ralph E. Molnar, N. Murphy, John H. Ostrom, Gregory S. Paul, Licheng Qiu,J. Keith Rigby, Jr., Bruce Rothschild, Christopher B. Ruff, Leonardo Salgado, Frank Sanders, Julia T. Sankey, Judith A. Schiebout, David K. Smith, Barbara R. Standhardt, Kathy Stokosa, Darren H. Tanke, François Therrien, David Trexler, Kelly Wicks, Douglas G. Wolfe, and Lowell Wood.

Author: Carole T. Gee
Publisher: JHU Press
ISBN: 1421440229
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 303

View

Book Description
An in-depth look at the latest breakthroughs in our understanding of the material record that deep time leaves behind. Understanding the complex interplay of physical and chemical processes leading to fossilization is crucial to elucidating the 3800 million years of life on earth. And yet, the process of fossilization also leads to the loss of pivotal biological information, placing constraints on the very same understanding of ancient life it preserves. Over the last decade, however, remarkable advances in approaches, techniques, tools, and instrumentation have helped scientists to transcend these constraints by enabling high-resolution analysis of fossil material—even down to the nanoscale. Fossilization provides a critical look at these cutting-edge innovations in the science of fossil preservation and provides a road map for future research. Drawing from the fields of paleontology, organic and inorganic chemistry, microbiology, and high-resolution imaging and analysis, and spanning the diversity of life from plants to vertebrates and invertebrates, this resource details expert findings on • fossilization of hard and soft part tissues in dinosaurs • high-resolution chemical analysis of organic and inorganic tissues • arthropods preserved in amber • experimental silicification of wood • chemical defenses and color in fossil plants • confocal Raman spectroscopy • microprobe analysis • radioisotopic studies • and much more A true interdisciplinary undertaking, the book is authored by paleontologists, mineralogists, geochemists, organic chemists, microbiologists, and materials scientists who have worked together to investigate questions around substance fossilization and the limits of the fossil record. A special color section contains SEM, Raman, and other striking images of vertebrates, invertebrates, and plants. Fossilization is a trailblazing reference book for research scientists and specialists in related fields, as well as for advanced undergraduates and graduate students interested in fossilization, emerging research techniques, and fresh approaches in the analysis of plant and animal fossils. Contributors: H. Jonas Barthel, Aurore Canoville, Carole T. Gee, Thorsten Geisler, Jens Götze, Conrad C. Labandeira, Sashima Läbe, Moritz Liesegang, Victoria E. McCoy, Martina Menneken, Jes Rust, P. Martin Sander, Frank Tomaschek, Torsten Wappler, Kayleigh Wiersma, Tzu-Ruei Yang

Author: Ronald Singer
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1134271417
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 1153

View

Book Description
The Encyclopedia of Paleontology is designed to address the shortage of general reference works on both vertebrate and invertebrate paleontology and to serve the needs of students and lay persons interested in the field. As the encyclopedia aims to provide basic information, the majority of the 350 entries are devoted to explanations of paleontological concepts and techniques, examinations of the evolutionary development of particular organisms and biological features, profiles of major discoveries, and biographies of leading scientists. Each entry includes an essay and a further reading list. An international team of 200 leading experts in the field has prepared the illustrations and the essays, which range from concise descriptions to comprehensive discussions.

Author: Eduardo Jiménez-Hidalgo
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
ISBN: 2832533868
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 213

View

Book Description
Reconstructions of diet provide valuable insights into the ecology and evolutionary history of animals and humans in the fossil record, and the history of relationships between animals and humans. Reconstruction of past diets allows tracking numerous ecological and behavioural aspects through time and across diverse geographic areas, such as, but not limited to: trophic position, niche sharing and niche partitioning, past vegetation, migration patterns, ontogenetic and individual diet choices, and adaptations to changing environment. It also is a useful tool to track climatic change. More broadly, these insights are key to reconstructing and understanding the structure, composition, and function of past ecosystems. Multiple approaches have been proposed to infer paleodiets, including the integration of multiple proxy approaches.