[dinosaur] Fossilized melanosomes (free pdf) + shrike evolution + turtle shell evolution + Jurassic angiosperms?

Ben Creisler
[email protected]

Some recent non-dino papers:


Free pdf:

Valentina Rossi, Maria E. McNamara, Sam M. Webb, Shosuke Ito, and Kazumasa
Wakamatsu (2019)
Tissue-specific geometry and chemistry of modern and fossilized melanosomes
reveal internal anatomy of extinct vertebrates.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (advance online publication)
doi: https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__doi.org_10.1073_pnas.1820285116&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=ynwpodPBJtFXC51nwI_hWYyo9RVJ4xkCES1LF7r5GVg&s=oW4FtWQVk1S6adQq6OuHxlrI5j1vcGTFwb_3rscej1Q&e= 
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.pnas.org_content_early_2019_08_13_1820285116&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=ynwpodPBJtFXC51nwI_hWYyo9RVJ4xkCES1LF7r5GVg&s=yHUNtUU5t1vxM_7fyDDdOI3I65br5WtVAem0McDqWgs&e= 

Free pdf:
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.pnas.org_content_pnas_early_2019_08_13_1820285116.full.pdf&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=ynwpodPBJtFXC51nwI_hWYyo9RVJ4xkCES1LF7r5GVg&s=rXCzwCcHCBqOxhJJmb9s3UqEF6fFGUg15gCGsPLWAtc&e= 


Significance

Recent reports of nonintegumentary melanosomes in fossils hint at functions
for melanin beyond color production, but the biology and evolution of
internal melanins are poorly understood. Our results show that internal
melanosomes are widespread in diverse fossil and modern vertebrates and
have tissue-specific geometries and metal chemistries. Tissue-specific
chemical signatures can persist in fossils despite some diagenetic
overprint, allowing the reconstruction of internal soft-tissue anatomy in
fossil vertebrates, and suggest that links between melanin and metal
regulation have deep evolutionary origins in vertebrates.

Abstract

Recent discoveries of nonintegumentary melanosomes in extant and fossil
amphibians offer potential insights into the physiological functions of
melanin not directly related to color production, but the phylogenetic
distribution and evolutionary history of these internal melanosomes has not
been characterized systematically. Here, we present a holistic method to
discriminate among melanized tissues by analyzing the anatomical
distribution, morphology, and chemistry of melanosomes in various tissues
in a phylogenetically broad sample of extant and fossil vertebrates. Our
results show that internal melanosomes in all extant vertebrates analyzed
have tissue-specific geometries and elemental signatures. Similar distinct
populations of preserved melanosomes in phylogenetically diverse vertebrate
fossils often map onto specific anatomical features. This approach also
reveals the presence of various melanosome-rich internal tissues in
fossils, providing a mechanism for the interpretation of the internal
anatomy of ancient vertebrates. Collectively, these data indicate that
vertebrate melanins share fundamental physiological roles in homeostasis
via the scavenging and sequestering of metals and suggest that intimate
links between melanin and metal metabolism in vertebrates have deep
evolutionary origins.

===

Jérôme Fuchs,  Per Alström,  Reuven Yosef  & Urban Olsson (2019)
Miocene diversification of an open‐habitat predatorial passerine radiation,
the shrikes (Aves: Passeriformes: Laniidae).
Zoologica Scripta (advance online publication)
doi: https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__doi.org_10.1111_zsc.12363&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=ynwpodPBJtFXC51nwI_hWYyo9RVJ4xkCES1LF7r5GVg&s=8VQLMT2ZH3RplmWhuzMQbyHu874VUqwl4q0ZdS8RcBM&e= 
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__onlinelibrary.wiley.com_doi_10.1111_zsc.12363&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=ynwpodPBJtFXC51nwI_hWYyo9RVJ4xkCES1LF7r5GVg&s=fyLieApcvIaOxNppBPCl3lZxQ3tGhY_D9GwJZtPnxAU&e= 


Diversification of avifaunas associated with savannah and steppes appears
to correlate with open habitats becoming available, starting in the
Miocene. Few comparative analyses exist for families for which all species
are predominantly adapted to these habitats. One such group is Laniidae
(Passeriformes), which are small‐ to medium‐sized predatory passerines
known for their distinctive behaviour of impaling prey. We used
multispecies coalescent‐based and concatenation methods to provide the
first complete species‐level phylogeny for this group, as well as an
estimate of the timing of diversification. Our analyses indicate that
Laniidae as currently delimited is not monophyletic, as the genus
Eurocephalus is not closely related to the remaining species. The two
species currently assigned to the monotypic genera Urolestes and Corvinella
are part of the same clade as the Lanius species, and we propose that they
are included in the genus Lanius, making Laniidae monogeneric. The initial
diversification of the clade is inferred to have occurred very rapidly,
starting about 7.2-9.1 million years ago, timing depending on calibration
method, but in either case coinciding with the expansion of C4 grasses. An
African origin is inferred in the biogeographic analysis. In the redefined
Laniidae, cooperative breeding is inferred to be restricted to a single
clade, characterized by gregarious behaviour and rallying. Migratory
behaviour evolved multiple times within the family.

===

Sol Rodríguez‐Martínez  & Ismael Galván (2019)
Juvenile pheomelanin‐based plumage colouration has evolved more frequently
in carnivorous species.
Ibis (advance online publication)
doi:  https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__doi.org_10.1111_ibi.12770&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=ynwpodPBJtFXC51nwI_hWYyo9RVJ4xkCES1LF7r5GVg&s=IlC-jVRIT7qidvyNB1uGwmWASjVGWpgWh8ITuyetaeQ&e= 
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__onlinelibrary.wiley.com_doi_10.1111_ibi.12770&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=ynwpodPBJtFXC51nwI_hWYyo9RVJ4xkCES1LF7r5GVg&s=CZaoUjvURWT10Pt2PTPg6J6MZkA94i9GFy2xQMCkQ3k&e= 


Distinctive pheomelanin‐based plumage colouration in juvenile birds has
been proposed as a signal of immaturity to avoid aggression by older
conspecifics, but recent findings suggest a detoxifying strategy.
Pheomelanin synthesis implies the consumption of cysteine, a semi‐essential
amino acid that is necessary for the synthesis of the antioxidant
glutathione (GSH) but that may be toxic if in excess in the diet. As the
nestling stage probably represents a low‐stress period with limited
requirement for GSH protection, the synthesis of pheomelanin in developing
birds may help maintain cysteine homeostasis, particularly in species with
a high content of protein in the diet (i.e. carnivores). Here we confirm
this hypothesis showing that, among 53 species of Western Palearctic birds,
juvenile pheomelanin‐based colouration has evolved more frequently in
strictly carnivorous species than in species with other diets.

=====

Gennady Cherepanov (2019)
Morphogenetic and constructional differences of the carapace of aquatic and
terrestrial turtles and their evolutionary significance.
Journal of Morphology (advance online publication)
doi: https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__doi.org_10.1002_jmor.21050&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=ynwpodPBJtFXC51nwI_hWYyo9RVJ4xkCES1LF7r5GVg&s=lRga28kkZudhR5Lp3Gwe3VuQ9jd-z0VSxSEd7d08LKg&e= 
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__onlinelibrary.wiley.com_doi_10.1002_jmor.21050&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=ynwpodPBJtFXC51nwI_hWYyo9RVJ4xkCES1LF7r5GVg&s=mleGEyEcEjllvMeS5lUgHByLtk7bQRU_xgzY9kG4mj0&e= 


The postembryonic development of the turtle carapace was studied in the
aquatic Еmys orbicularis and the terrestrial Тestudo graeca. Differences in
the structure of the bony shell in aquatic and terrestrial turtles were
shown to be associated with varying degrees of development of epidermal
derivatives, namely, the thickness of the scutes and the depth of horny
furrows. Sinking of the horny furrows into the dermis causes local changes
in the structure of the collagen matrix, which might precondition the
acceleration of the ossification. Aquatic turtles possess a relatively thin
horny cover, whose derivatives are either weakly developed or altogether
absent and thus make no noticeable impact on the growth dynamics of bony
plates. Carapace plates of these turtles outgrow more or less evenly around
the periphery, which results in uniform costals, relatively narrow and
partly reduced neurals, and broad peripherals extending beyond the marginal
scutes. In terrestrial turtles (Testudinidae), horny structures are much
more developed and exert a considerable impact on the growth of bony
elements. As a result, bony plates outgrow unevenly in the dermis,
expanding fast in the zones under the horny furrows and slowly outside
these zones. This determines the basic features of the testudinid carapace:
alternately cuneate shape of costals, an alternation of broad octagonal and
narrow tetragonal neurals, and the limitation of the growth of peripherals
by pleuro‐marginal furrows. The evolutionary significance of morphogenetic
and constructional differences in the turtle carapace, and the association
of these differences with the turtle habitats are discussed.

===
===


Also may be of interest (they're free...)

Free pdf:

Dmitry D. Sokoloff,  Margarita V. Remizowa,  Elena S. El,  Paula J. Rudall
 & Richard M. Bateman (2019)
Supposed Jurassic angiosperms lack pentamery, an important
angiosperm‐specific feature.
New Phytologist (advance online publication)
doi: https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__doi.org_10.1111_nph.15974&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=ynwpodPBJtFXC51nwI_hWYyo9RVJ4xkCES1LF7r5GVg&s=bX9pCeKEFSGJxSHMbrdGrQvUhed79YUgXAREDEwX22o&e= 
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com_doi_10.1111_nph.15974&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=ynwpodPBJtFXC51nwI_hWYyo9RVJ4xkCES1LF7r5GVg&s=OucF_A7fYpK0zEv3De1abVKQtGpQmg-pVwevLkJ0Fhk&e= 

Free pdf:
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com_doi_pdf_10.1111_nph.15974&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=ynwpodPBJtFXC51nwI_hWYyo9RVJ4xkCES1LF7r5GVg&s=lNvS799pYI9Dg3I0qYaF027wrKI8T9Q_BBCyRENa8wA&e= 


The question of whether any angiosperms existed before the Cretaceous
period is of key importance for understanding seed‐plant evolution. Most
authorities suggest that the earliest unequivocal microfossil and
macrofossil records of flowering plants date from the Early Cretaceous
(reviewed by Herendeen et al., 2017; Coiro et al., 2019). However, recent
indirect evidence from molecular dating analyses suggests that angiosperms
began to diversify into living clades (the crown group) before this time,
during the Jurassic, Triassic or even Permian (Foster et al., 2017; Salomo
et al., 2017; Barba‐Montoya et al., 2018). The latest detailed molecular
study dated the origin of the crown angiosperms to the Late Triassic (Li et
al., 2019). It is therefore unsurprising that the range of claims for
pre‐Cretaceous, especially Jurassic, angiosperm fossils has accelerated in
recent years. Several Jurassic fossils from China have been described and
attributed to angiosperms, including Euanthus, Juraherba, Nanjinganthus,
Solaranthus, Yuhania and Xingxueanthus (Wang et al., 2007; Wang, 2010,
2018; Wang & Wang, 2010; Zheng & Wang, 2010; Han et al., 2016; Liu & Wang,
2016, 2017; Fu et al., 2018). The taxonomic attribution of these
potentially pivotal fossils has been widely discussed and often directly
criticized (Herendeen et al., 2017; Coiro et al., 2019).


====


Free pdf:

Pupa U. P. A. Gilbert, Susannah M. Porter, Chang-Yu Sun, Shuhai Xiao,
Brandt M. Gibson, Noa Shenkar, and Andrew H. Knoll (2019)
Biomineralization by particle attachment in early animals.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (advance online publication)
doi: https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__doi.org_10.1073_pnas.1902273116&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=ynwpodPBJtFXC51nwI_hWYyo9RVJ4xkCES1LF7r5GVg&s=Iz-0y4Zln8cPpxVQ3XXjak8mIcT9Ke5Ql9Wdoe_m99o&e= 
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.pnas.org_content_early_2019_08_13_1902273116&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=ynwpodPBJtFXC51nwI_hWYyo9RVJ4xkCES1LF7r5GVg&s=M4s43Sv_hdidG7TkbXe6w_pS93kEyOn4Z-yX0PzvV5Q&e= 

Free pdf:
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.pnas.org_content_pnas_early_2019_08_13_1902273116.full.pdf&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=ynwpodPBJtFXC51nwI_hWYyo9RVJ4xkCES1LF7r5GVg&s=VYPbJztowv0QChxvcFXiCbS_Ee5kMyd92ut5GaK4yPA&e= 

Significance

The mechanisms by which organisms form mineralized skeletons have been a
major research focus for the last 50 y and remain so today. Among the most
surprising discoveries is the recent observation that different animals use
the same mechanisms, and precisely the same amorphous precursors, to form
biomineralized structures as diverse as coral skeletons, molluscan shells,
and sea urchin spines. In living animals, skeletal biomineralization from
amorphous precursors correlates with a distinctive nanoparticulate texture
that can be preserved in fossils, enabling us to probe mechanisms of
skeletal formation in early animals. We document nanoparticulate texture in
some of the oldest known carbonate skeletons, which strongly suggests that
skeletons formed from amorphous precursors throughout the recorded history
of animals.

Abstract

Crystallization by particle attachment (CPA) of amorphous precursors has
been demonstrated in modern biomineralized skeletons across a broad
phylogenetic range of animals. Precisely the same precursors, hydrated
(ACC-H2O) and anhydrous calcium carbonate (ACC), have been observed
spectromicroscopically in echinoderms, mollusks, and cnidarians, phyla
drawn from the 3 major clades of eumetazoans. Scanning electron microscopy
(SEM) here also shows evidence of CPA in tunicate chordates. This is
surprising, as species in these clades have no common ancestor that formed
a mineralized skeleton and appear to have evolved carbonate
biomineralization independently millions of years after their late
Neoproterozoic divergence. Here we correlate the occurrence of CPA from ACC
precursor particles with nanoparticulate fabric and then use the latter to
investigate the antiquity of the former. SEM images of early biominerals
from Ediacaran and Cambrian shelly fossils show that these early calcifiers
used attachment of ACC particles to form their biominerals. The convergent
evolution of biomineral CPA may have been dictated by the same
thermodynamics and kinetics as we observe today.




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