Closure of neurocentral sutures during crocodilian ontogeny: Implications for maturity assessment in fossil archosaurs
Closure of neurocentral sutures during crocodilian ontogeny: Implications for maturity assessment in fossil archosaurs
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DOI：
10.1080/02724634.1996.10011283
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发表时间：
1996-03-01
影响因子：
1.4
通讯作者：
Brochu, CA
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Brochu, CA
在个体发育过程中，鳄鱼脊柱神经中枢缝合线的闭合遵循明显的尾端到颅骨顺序。大多数尾椎骨的缝合线在孵化时是完全闭合的，但剩余的缝合线在个体发育后期才闭合。在密西西比鳄、中华鳄、四肢骨鳄和尖鳄中，颈部缝合线闭合是形态成熟的一致指标；最后的转化是轴向神经中枢缝合线的闭合，发生在轴向齿状突缝合线闭合之后。由于这些转变发生在所有三个分类群的个体发育末期，无论最大尺寸如何，这些缝合线的闭合是一个与尺寸无关的成熟标准；然而，缝合闭合是否意味着生长停止尚不确定。这些转变很容易在化石中识别出来，从而可以客观地描述鳄鱼化石的成熟度，甚至可能至少是它们一些已灭绝的近亲的成熟度。
Closure of neurocentral sutures in the crocodylian vertebral column follows a distinct caudal to cranial sequence during ontogeny. The sutures in most caudal vertebrae are fully closed at hatching, but closure of remaining sutures occurs later in ontogeny. Closure of cervical sutures is a consistent indicator of morphological maturity in Alligator mississippiensis, Alligator sinensis, Osteolaemus tetraspis, and Crocodylus acutus; the final transformation is the closure of the axial neurocentral suture, which occurs after the closure of the axis-odontoid suture. Because these transformations occur near the end of ontogeny in all three taxa, regardless of maximum size, closure of these sutures is a size-independant criterion of maturity; however, it is not certain if suture closure indicates the stoppage of growth. These transformations are readily identifiable in fossils, permitting the objective characterization of maturity in fossil crocodylians and possibly at least some of their closer extinct relatives.