Fetal and early post-natal mineralization of the tympanic bulla in fin whales may reveal a Hitherto undiscovered evolutionary trait.
The evolution of the cetacean skeleton followed a path that differentiated this group from other terrestrial mammals about 50 million years ago [1], and debate is still going on about the relationships between Cetacea and Artiodactyla [2], [3], [4]. Some skeletal traits of the basilosaurids (the mor...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:1fd132ac8e47476bae7e5f481d051628 2023-05-15T15:36:39+02:00 Fetal and early post-natal mineralization of the tympanic bulla in fin whales may reveal a Hitherto undiscovered evolutionary trait. Bruno Cozzi Michela Podestà Sandro Mazzariol Alessandro Zotti 2012-01-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0037110 https://doaj.org/article/1fd132ac8e47476bae7e5f481d051628 EN eng Public Library of Science (PLoS) http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3353891?pdf=render https://doaj.org/toc/1932-6203 1932-6203 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0037110 https://doaj.org/article/1fd132ac8e47476bae7e5f481d051628 PLoS ONE, Vol 7, Iss 5, p e37110 (2012) Medicine R Science Q article 2012 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0037110 2022-12-31T00:33:43Z The evolution of the cetacean skeleton followed a path that differentiated this group from other terrestrial mammals about 50 million years ago [1], and debate is still going on about the relationships between Cetacea and Artiodactyla [2], [3], [4]. Some skeletal traits of the basilosaurids (the more advanced forms of Archaeocetes), such as the expansion of the peribullary air sinuses, dental modification and vertebral size uniformity [5] are maintained and further emphasized also in contemporary odontocetes and mysticetes. Using Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry here we report that the deposition of bone mineral in fetal and newborn specimens of the fin whale Balaenoptera physalus is remarkably higher in the bulla tympanica than in the adjacent basal skull or in the rest of the skeleton. Ossification of the tympanic bulla in fetal Artiodactyla (bovine, hippopotamus) is minimal, becomes sensible after birth and then progresses during growth, contrarily to the precocious mineralization that we observed in fin whales. Given the importance of the ear bones for the precise identification of phylogenetic relationship in therian evolution [6], this feature may indicate a specific evolutionary trait of fin whales and possibly other cetacean species or families. Early mineralization of the tympanic bulla allows immediate sound conduction in the aquatic medium and consequently holds potential importance for mother-calf relationship and postnatal survival. Article in Journal/Newspaper Balaenoptera physalus Fin whale Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles PLoS ONE 7 5 e37110 |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
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topic |
Medicine R Science Q |
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Medicine R Science Q Bruno Cozzi Michela Podestà Sandro Mazzariol Alessandro Zotti Fetal and early post-natal mineralization of the tympanic bulla in fin whales may reveal a Hitherto undiscovered evolutionary trait. |
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Medicine R Science Q |
description |
The evolution of the cetacean skeleton followed a path that differentiated this group from other terrestrial mammals about 50 million years ago [1], and debate is still going on about the relationships between Cetacea and Artiodactyla [2], [3], [4]. Some skeletal traits of the basilosaurids (the more advanced forms of Archaeocetes), such as the expansion of the peribullary air sinuses, dental modification and vertebral size uniformity [5] are maintained and further emphasized also in contemporary odontocetes and mysticetes. Using Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry here we report that the deposition of bone mineral in fetal and newborn specimens of the fin whale Balaenoptera physalus is remarkably higher in the bulla tympanica than in the adjacent basal skull or in the rest of the skeleton. Ossification of the tympanic bulla in fetal Artiodactyla (bovine, hippopotamus) is minimal, becomes sensible after birth and then progresses during growth, contrarily to the precocious mineralization that we observed in fin whales. Given the importance of the ear bones for the precise identification of phylogenetic relationship in therian evolution [6], this feature may indicate a specific evolutionary trait of fin whales and possibly other cetacean species or families. Early mineralization of the tympanic bulla allows immediate sound conduction in the aquatic medium and consequently holds potential importance for mother-calf relationship and postnatal survival. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Bruno Cozzi Michela Podestà Sandro Mazzariol Alessandro Zotti |
author_facet |
Bruno Cozzi Michela Podestà Sandro Mazzariol Alessandro Zotti |
author_sort |
Bruno Cozzi |
title |
Fetal and early post-natal mineralization of the tympanic bulla in fin whales may reveal a Hitherto undiscovered evolutionary trait. |
title_short |
Fetal and early post-natal mineralization of the tympanic bulla in fin whales may reveal a Hitherto undiscovered evolutionary trait. |
title_full |
Fetal and early post-natal mineralization of the tympanic bulla in fin whales may reveal a Hitherto undiscovered evolutionary trait. |
title_fullStr |
Fetal and early post-natal mineralization of the tympanic bulla in fin whales may reveal a Hitherto undiscovered evolutionary trait. |
title_full_unstemmed |
Fetal and early post-natal mineralization of the tympanic bulla in fin whales may reveal a Hitherto undiscovered evolutionary trait. |
title_sort |
fetal and early post-natal mineralization of the tympanic bulla in fin whales may reveal a hitherto undiscovered evolutionary trait. |
publisher |
Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
publishDate |
2012 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0037110 https://doaj.org/article/1fd132ac8e47476bae7e5f481d051628 |
genre |
Balaenoptera physalus Fin whale |
genre_facet |
Balaenoptera physalus Fin whale |
op_source |
PLoS ONE, Vol 7, Iss 5, p e37110 (2012) |
op_relation |
http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3353891?pdf=render https://doaj.org/toc/1932-6203 1932-6203 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0037110 https://doaj.org/article/1fd132ac8e47476bae7e5f481d051628 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0037110 |
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PLoS ONE |
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7 |
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5 |
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e37110 |
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