Tags

Type your tag names separated by a space and hit enter

Endocasts and brain evolution in Anthracotheriidae (Artiodactyla, Hippopotamoidea).
J Anat. 2015 Sep; 227(3):277-85.JA

Abstract

Anthracotheres are a fossil family of 'Suiformes' from the Old World, North and Central America. They are known from the middle Eocene to the late Pliocene, and are suggested to be the stem group of Hippopotamidae. Yet, their soft anatomy remains poorly known. In this study we describe the virtual endocast of the late Oligocene anthracothere Microbunodon minimum, reconstructed using microtomography, as well as the natural endocast of Merycopotamus medioximus from the late Miocene. These are the first anthracothere endocasts ever described. Particular attention is given to the relative proportions of the brain, the neocortex, the cerebellum and the olfactory bulbs. The 'backward shift' of the pituitary of M. minimum, and the possible presence of a K lobe in M. medioximus, is discussed. Previous statements that some endocranial characters were subject to convergence among mammals are also corroborated.

Links

PMC Free PDF

Authors+Show Affiliations

Thiery G
iPHEP: Institut de Paléoprimatologie, Paléontologie Humaine: Evolution et Paléoenvironnements, UMR CNRS 7262, TSA 51106, 6 rue Michel Brunet, 86073 Poitiers, France.
Ducrocq S
iPHEP: Institut de Paléoprimatologie, Paléontologie Humaine: Evolution et Paléoenvironnements, UMR CNRS 7262, TSA 51106, 6 rue Michel Brunet, 86073 Poitiers, France.

MeSH

AnimalsArtiodactylaBiological EvolutionBrainFossilsMammalsOlfactory BulbPhylogenyX-Ray Microtomography

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Language

eng

PubMed ID

26278931

Citation

Thiery, Ghislain, and Stéphane Ducrocq. "Endocasts and Brain Evolution in Anthracotheriidae (Artiodactyla, Hippopotamoidea)." Journal of Anatomy, vol. 227, no. 3, 2015, pp. 277-85.
Thiery G, Ducrocq S. Endocasts and brain evolution in Anthracotheriidae (Artiodactyla, Hippopotamoidea). J Anat. 2015;227(3):277-85.
Thiery, G., & Ducrocq, S. (2015). Endocasts and brain evolution in Anthracotheriidae (Artiodactyla, Hippopotamoidea). Journal of Anatomy, 227(3), 277-85. https://doi.org/10.1111/joa.12348
Thiery G, Ducrocq S. Endocasts and Brain Evolution in Anthracotheriidae (Artiodactyla, Hippopotamoidea). J Anat. 2015;227(3):277-85. PubMed PMID: 26278931.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Endocasts and brain evolution in Anthracotheriidae (Artiodactyla, Hippopotamoidea). AU - Thiery,Ghislain, AU - Ducrocq,Stéphane, PY - 2015/06/09/accepted PY - 2015/8/18/entrez PY - 2015/8/19/pubmed PY - 2016/4/28/medline KW - K lobe KW - anthracothere KW - cerebellum KW - encephalization quotient KW - olfactory bulbs KW - pituitary SP - 277 EP - 85 JF - Journal of anatomy JO - J Anat VL - 227 IS - 3 N2 - Anthracotheres are a fossil family of 'Suiformes' from the Old World, North and Central America. They are known from the middle Eocene to the late Pliocene, and are suggested to be the stem group of Hippopotamidae. Yet, their soft anatomy remains poorly known. In this study we describe the virtual endocast of the late Oligocene anthracothere Microbunodon minimum, reconstructed using microtomography, as well as the natural endocast of Merycopotamus medioximus from the late Miocene. These are the first anthracothere endocasts ever described. Particular attention is given to the relative proportions of the brain, the neocortex, the cerebellum and the olfactory bulbs. The 'backward shift' of the pituitary of M. minimum, and the possible presence of a K lobe in M. medioximus, is discussed. Previous statements that some endocranial characters were subject to convergence among mammals are also corroborated. SN - 1469-7580 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/26278931/Endocasts_and_brain_evolution_in_Anthracotheriidae__Artiodactyla_Hippopotamoidea__ DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -