Histovariability and Palaeobiological Implications of the Bone Histology of the Dromornithid, Genyornis newtoni
| dc.contributor.author | Chinsamy, Anusuya | |
| dc.contributor.author | Worthy, Trevor H | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2021-10-14T07:34:52Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2021-10-14T07:34:52Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2021-05-20 | |
| dc.date.updated | 2021-05-24T15:08:34Z | |
| dc.description.abstract | The bone microstructure of extinct animals provides a host of information about their biology. Although the giant flightless dromornithid, <i>Genyornis newtoni,</i> is reasonably well known from the Pleistocene of Australia (until its extinction about 50–40 Ka), aside from various aspects of its skeletal anatomy and taxonomy, not much is known about its biology. The current study investigated the histology of fifteen long bones of <i>Genyornis</i> (tibiotarsi, tarsometatarsi and femora) to deduce information about its growth dynamics and life history. Thin sections of the bones were prepared using standard methods, and the histology of the bones was studied under normal and polarised light microscopy. Our histological analyses showed that <i>Genyornis</i> took more than a single year to reach sexual maturity, and that it continued to deposit bone within the OCL for several years thereafter until skeletal maturity was attained. Thus, sexual maturity and skeletal maturity were asynchronous, with the former preceding the latter. Our results further indicated that <i>Genyornis</i> responded to prevailing environmental conditions, which suggests that it retained a plesiomorphic, flexible growth strategy. Additionally, our analyses of the three long bones showed that the tibiotarsus preserved the best record of growth for <i>Genyornis</i>. | en_US |
| dc.identifier | doi: 10.3390/d13050219 | |
| dc.identifier.apacitation | Chinsamy, A., & Worthy, T. H. (2021). Histovariability and Palaeobiological Implications of the Bone Histology of the Dromornithid, Genyornis newtoni. <i>Diversity</i>, 13(5), 219. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/35239 | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.chicagocitation | Chinsamy, Anusuya, and Trevor H Worthy "Histovariability and Palaeobiological Implications of the Bone Histology of the Dromornithid, Genyornis newtoni." <i>Diversity</i> 13, 5. (2021): 219. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/35239 | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.citation | Chinsamy, A. & Worthy, T.H. 2021. Histovariability and Palaeobiological Implications of the Bone Histology of the Dromornithid, Genyornis newtoni. <i>Diversity.</i> 13(5):219. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/35239 | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.ris | TY - Journal Article AU - Chinsamy, Anusuya AU - Worthy, Trevor H AB - The bone microstructure of extinct animals provides a host of information about their biology. Although the giant flightless dromornithid, <i>Genyornis newtoni,</i> is reasonably well known from the Pleistocene of Australia (until its extinction about 50–40 Ka), aside from various aspects of its skeletal anatomy and taxonomy, not much is known about its biology. The current study investigated the histology of fifteen long bones of <i>Genyornis</i> (tibiotarsi, tarsometatarsi and femora) to deduce information about its growth dynamics and life history. Thin sections of the bones were prepared using standard methods, and the histology of the bones was studied under normal and polarised light microscopy. Our histological analyses showed that <i>Genyornis</i> took more than a single year to reach sexual maturity, and that it continued to deposit bone within the OCL for several years thereafter until skeletal maturity was attained. Thus, sexual maturity and skeletal maturity were asynchronous, with the former preceding the latter. Our results further indicated that <i>Genyornis</i> responded to prevailing environmental conditions, which suggests that it retained a plesiomorphic, flexible growth strategy. Additionally, our analyses of the three long bones showed that the tibiotarsus preserved the best record of growth for <i>Genyornis</i>. DA - 2021-05-20 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town IS - 5 J1 - Diversity LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PY - 2021 T1 - Histovariability and Palaeobiological Implications of the Bone Histology of the Dromornithid, Genyornis newtoni TI - Histovariability and Palaeobiological Implications of the Bone Histology of the Dromornithid, Genyornis newtoni UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/35239 ER - | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/35239 | |
| dc.identifier.vancouvercitation | Chinsamy A, Worthy TH. Histovariability and Palaeobiological Implications of the Bone Histology of the Dromornithid, Genyornis newtoni. Diversity. 2021;13(5):219. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/35239. | en_ZA |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.rights.uri | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | en_US |
| dc.source | Diversity | en_US |
| dc.source.journalissue | 5 | en_US |
| dc.source.journalvolume | 13 | en_US |
| dc.source.pagination | 219 | en_US |
| dc.source.uri | https://www.mdpi.com/journal/diversity | |
| dc.title | Histovariability and Palaeobiological Implications of the Bone Histology of the Dromornithid, Genyornis newtoni | en_US |
| dc.type | Journal Article | en_US |