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Early Evolutionary History of the Synapsida pp 139–149Cite as

Anatomical Plasticity in the Snout of Lystrosaurus

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Part of the book series: Vertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology ((VERT))

Abstract

The skull of Lystrosaurus, characterized by an elongated snout and a scarf premaxilla-nasal suture, differs from the generalized Permian dicynodont form. The sutural relationships of the bones of the Lystrosaurus snout are further investigated here using several anatomical lines of evidence: gross osteology, histological and serial sections, and micro-computed tomography scans. Novel evidence was found for supernumerary bone(s) in the dorsal region of the snout in a few specimens of Lystrosaurus. The developmental and functional implications of this anatomical plasticity are discussed. It is hypothesized that the supernumerary bones may have formed from separate ossification centers of the frontal bone.

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Acknowledgments

We thank R. Smith (SAM) for permission to histologically sample several cranial specimens of Lystrosaurus, and for allowing further preparation of other specimens. We also thank the SAM technicians N. Mtalana and Z. Erasmus for their help with mechanical preparation of specimens. The collection managers and curators at the BP, BRSUG, CGP, NHMUK, SAM, TM, and UCL are also acknowledged for access to specimens. We would especially like to thank A. Ramsey, G. Dermody, B. Morgan and M. Robinson of Metris UK (Tring, UK), and P. Keanly (X-Sight, ZA) for micro-CT scanning specimens of Lystrosaurus. We also thank K. Angielczyk and the three reviewers J. Camp, C. Sullivan, and C. Vega for their useful comments and critiques. Heidi Fourie and J. Camp are thanked for providing additional photographs of dicynodonts. Funding for this project was provided by the Claude Leon Foundation (SCJ) and NRF through SA Research Chair in Computational Mechanics (SCJ, BDR).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7701, South Africa

    Sandra C. Jasinoski & Anusuya Chinsamy

  2. Iziko: South African Museum, PO Box 61, Cape Town, 8000, South Africa

    Michael A. Cluver

  3. Centre for Research in Computational and Applied Mechanics, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7701, South Africa

    B. Daya Reddy

Authors
  1. Sandra C. Jasinoski
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  2. Michael A. Cluver
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  3. Anusuya Chinsamy
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  4. B. Daya Reddy
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sandra C. Jasinoski .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Paleontology and Richard Gilder, Graduate School American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York, USA

    Christian F. Kammerer

  2. Department of Geology, Field Museum, Chicago, Illinois, USA

    Kenneth D. Angielczyk

  3. Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions- und Biodiversitätsforschung an der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    Jörg Fröbisch

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Jasinoski, S.C., Cluver, M.A., Chinsamy, A., Reddy, B.D. (2014). Anatomical Plasticity in the Snout of Lystrosaurus . In: Kammerer, C., Angielczyk, K., Fröbisch, J. (eds) Early Evolutionary History of the Synapsida. Vertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6841-3_8

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