Author Archives: LS

Stop the Press! – Homaeothermic Marine Reptiles 

All,

Old news, new research, enjoy!

Review:

Ryosuke Motani: Warm-Blooded "Sea Dragons"?
Science 11 June 2010: 1361-1362
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/328/5984/1361

Article:

Aurélien Bernard, Christophe Lécuyer, Peggy Vincent, Romain Amiot,
Nathalie Bardet,Eric Buffetaut, Gilles Cuny, François Fourel,
François Martineau, Jean-Michel Mazin, Abel Prieur: Regulation of
Body Temperature by Some Mesozoic Marine Reptiles
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/328/5984/1379

Abstract: "What the body temperature and thermoregulation processes
of extinct vertebrates were are central questions for understanding
their ecology and evolution. The thermophysiologic status of the great
marine reptiles is still unknown, even though some studies have suggested
that thermoregulation may have contributed to their exceptional
evolutionary success as apex predators of Mesozoic aquatic ecosystems.
We tested the thermal status of ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs, and mosasaurs
by comparing the oxygen isotope compositions of their tooth phosphate to
those of coexisting fish. Data distribution reveals that these large
marine reptiles were able to maintain a constant and high body
temperature in oceanic environments ranging from tropical to cold
temperate. Their estimated body temperatures, in the range from 35° ± 2°C
to 39° ± 2°C, suggest high metabolic rates required for predation and 
fast swimming over large distances offshore."

--Mikko

Lecture by Prof. Wighart v. Koengswald 

Dear Kurténians,

It is my great personal pleasure to announce the Björn Kurtén lecture
by Prof. Wighart v.Koenigswald, Bonn, a personal friend of Björn's and
one of my most inspiring teachers and role models back in my salad
days.

Wighart will speak on Tuesday, June 15, at 15:00 in Lecture Room C108
in the Department of Geosciences and Geography. The title of his talk
is "Three parameters characterizing hypsodonty".

Everybody warmly welcome!

Mikael

Special lecture in Paleontology on 10.6.

Björn Kurtén – club is proud to host yet another special lecture!

We have the pleasure to have Dr. Philip Anderson from University of Bristol, UK present his work on:

Early vertebrate teeth, jaw mechanics and feeding diversity

The talk will take place on the 10th June (10.6.) at 15.30, in the Kumpula Campus, the Department of Geosciences and Geography, Physicum building, room C108.

after the talk there is some time for discussions and questions.

Everybody warmly Welcome!

Background:

Philip Anderson is an evolutionary palaeobiologist focusing on the biomechanics and
functional morphology of fossil gnathostomes.  He uses a multidisciplinary approach to
explore the relationship between morphology and mechanical function and how this
relationship affects measures of diversity through the fossil record.   At the organismal
level, he has created models of jaw function for a group of basal fishes (placoderms)
developed using basic engineering theory.  These models have illustrated functional
convergence across clades and illustrate the potential for biomechanical analyses to give
insights into early jaw evolution.  He also uses physical experiments to explore how
aspects of dental shape affect fracture in food items.  This work has illustrated how
basic tooth characters, identifiable across gnathostomes, can greatly influence the
ability to break down food at a lower energy cost.  Finally, building off of the
experimental and modeling work, he has explored functional diversity amongst Devonian
gnathostomes utilizing biomechanical jaw characters. These analyses present different
results from standard morphological shape data, and give new insights into the disparity
of early gnathstomes at both the faunal and stage level.  He is currently at the
University of Bristol as a Marie-Curie research fellow.

Key references:

Anderson, P. S. L., 2010. “Using linkage models to explore skull kinematic diversity and
functional convergence in arthrodire placoderms.” Journal of Morphology (Early View
Online)

Anderson, P. S. L., 2009b. “The effects of trapping and blade angle on how notched
dentitions fracture biological tissues.” Journal of Experimental Biology 212: 3627-3632.

Anderson, P. S. L., 2009a. “Biomechanics, functional patterns, and disparity in Late
Devonian arthrodires.” Paleobiology 35(3): 321-342.

Anderson, P. S. L., and LaBarbera, M., 2008. “Functional consequences of tooth design:
effects of blade shape on energetics of cutting.” Journal of Experimental Biology 211:
3619-3626.

Anderson, P. S. L., 2008.  “Shape variation between arthrodire morphotypes indicates
possible feeding niches.”  Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 28(4): 961-969.

—
Jussi Eronen

Human Ancestor’s Ancient Home Debated

For New debates about Ardipithecus:

http://www.livescience.com/history/ardi-human-ancestor-hominid-debate-100527.html

Comment on the Paleoenvironment of Ardipithecus:
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/reprint/328/5982/1105-d.pdf

Response to Comment on the Paleoenvironment of Ardipithecus ramidus:
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/reprint/328/5982/1105-e.pdf

Comment on the Paleobiology and Classification of Ardipithecus ramidus:
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/reprint/328/5982/1105-b.pdf

Response to Comment on the Paleobiology and Classification of Ardipithecus ramidus:
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/reprint/328/5982/1105-c.pdf