scholarly journals Hearing from the ocean and into the river: the evolution of the inner ear of Platanistoidea (Cetacea: Odontoceti)

Paleobiology ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Mariana Viglino ◽  
Maximiliano Gaetán ◽  
Mónica R. Buono ◽  
R. Ewan Fordyce ◽  
Travis Park

Abstract The inner ear of the two higher clades of modern cetaceans (Neoceti) is highly adapted for hearing infrasonic (mysticetes) or ultrasonic (odontocetes) frequencies. Within odontocetes, Platanistoidea comprises a single extant riverine representative, Platanista gangetica, and a diversity of mainly extinct marine species from the late Oligocene onward. Recent studies drawing on features including the disparate tympanoperiotic have not yet provided a consensus phylogenetic hypothesis for platanistoids. Further, cochlear morphology and evolutionary patterns have never been reported. Here, we describe for the first time the inner ear morphology of late Oligocene–early Miocene extinct marine platanistoids and their evolutionary patterns. We initially hypothesized that extinct marine platanistoids lacked a specialized inner ear like P. gangetica and thus, their morphology and inferred hearing abilities were more similar to those of pelagic odontocetes. Our results reveal there is no “typical” platanistoid cochlear type, as the group displays a disparate range of cochlear anatomies, but all are consistent with high-frequency hearing. Stem odontocete Prosqualodon australis and platanistoid Otekaikea huata present a tympanal recess in their cochlea, of yet uncertain function in the hearing mechanism in cetaceans. The more basal morphology of Aondelphis talen indicates it had lower high-frequency hearing than other platanistoids. Finally, Platanista has the most derived cochlear morphology, adding to evidence that it is an outlier within the group and consistent with a >9-Myr-long separation from its sister genus Zarhachis. The evolution of a singular sound production morphology within Platanistidae may have facilitated the survival of Platanista to the present day.

2012 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 629-639 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy R. Corfield ◽  
M. Fabiana Kubke ◽  
Stuart Parsons ◽  
Christine Köppl

Author(s):  
Zhihua Zhang ◽  
Andy Jones ◽  
M. James C. Crabbe

Purpose Currently, negotiation on global carbon emissions reduction is very difficult owing to lack of international willingness. In response, geoengineering (climate engineering) strategies are proposed to artificially cool the planet. Meanwhile, as the harbor around one-third of all described marine species, coral reefs are the most sensitive ecosystem on the planet to climate change. However, until now, there is no quantitative assessment on the impacts of geoengineering on coral reefs. This study aims to model the impacts of stratospheric aerosol geoengineering on coral reefs. Design/methodology/approach The HadGEM2-ES climate model is used to model and evaluate the impacts of stratospheric aerosol geoengineering on coral reefs. Findings This study shows that (1) stratospheric aerosol geoengineering could significantly mitigate future coral bleaching throughout the Caribbean Sea; (2) Changes in downward solar irradiation, sea level rise and sea surface temperature caused by geoengineering implementation should have very little impacts on coral reefs; (3) Although geoengineering would prolong the return period of future hurricanes, this may still be too short to ensure coral recruitment and survival after hurricane damage. Originality/value This is the first time internationally to quantitatively assess the impacts of geoengineering on coral reefs.


2000 ◽  
Vol 355 (1401) ◽  
pp. 1285-1288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Friedrich Ladich

Fishes have evolved a diversity of sound–generating organs and acoustic signals of various temporal and spectral content. Additionally, representatives of many teleost families such as otophysines, anabantoids, mormyrids and holocentrids possess accessory structures that enhance hearing abilities by acoustically coupling air–filled cavities to the inner ear. Contrary to the accessory hearing structures such as Weberian ossicles in otophysines and suprabranchial chambers in anabantoids, sonic organs do not occur in all members of these taxa. Comparison of audiograms among nine representatives of seven otophysan families from four orders revealed major differences in auditory sensitivity, especially at higher frequencies (> 1kHz) where thresholds differed by up to 50 dB. These differences showed no apparent correspondence to the ability to produce sounds (vocal versus non–vocal species) or to the spectral content of species–specific sounds. In anabantoids, the lowest auditory thresholds were found in the blue gourami Trichogaster trichopterus , a species not thought to be vocal. Dominant frequencies of sounds corresponded with optimal hearing bandwidth in two out of three vocalizing species. Based on these results, it is concluded that the selective pressures involved in the evolution of accessory hearing structures and in the design of vocal signals were other than those serving to optimize acoustic communication.


2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (8) ◽  
pp. 170685 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandro Palci ◽  
Mark N. Hutchinson ◽  
Michael W. Caldwell ◽  
Michael S. Y. Lee

The inner ear morphology of 80 snake and lizard species, representative of a range of ecologies, is here analysed and compared to that of the fossil stem snake Dinilysia patagonica , using three-dimensional geometric morphometrics. Inner ear morphology is linked to phylogeny (we find here a strong phylogenetic signal in the data that can complicate ecological correlations), but also correlated with ecology, with Dinilysia resembling certain semi-fossorial forms ( Xenopeltis and Cylindrophis ), consistent with previous reports. We here also find striking resemblances between Dinilysia and some semi-aquatic snakes, such as Myron (Caenophidia, Homalopsidae). Therefore, the inner ear morphology of Dinilysia is consistent with semi-aquatic as well as semi-fossorial habits: the most similar forms are either semi-fossorial burrowers with a strong affinity to water ( Xenopeltis and Cylindrophis ) or amphibious, intertidal forms which shelter in burrows ( Myron). Notably, Dinilysia does not cluster as closely with snakes with exclusively terrestrial or obligate burrowing habits (e.g. scolecophidians and uropeltids). Moreover, despite the above similarities, Dinilysia also occupies a totally unique morphospace, raising issues with linking it with any particular ecological category.


RSC Advances ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (50) ◽  
pp. 31408-31420
Author(s):  
Palalle G. Tharushi Perera ◽  
Nevena Todorova ◽  
Zoltan Vilagosh ◽  
Olha Bazaka ◽  
The Hong Phong Nguyen ◽  
...  

Membrane model systems capable of mimicking live cell membranes were used for the first time in studying the effects arising from electromagnetic fields (EMFs) of 18 GHz where membrane permeability was observed following exposure.


2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (11) ◽  
pp. 871-874
Author(s):  
Natália S. Martins ◽  
Sara P. da Motta ◽  
Carolina C. Santos ◽  
Andrios S. Moreira ◽  
Nara A.R. Farias ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT: Eimeria infections are common in the sheep industry worldwide. Lambs are more susceptible to coccidiosis, especially in stressful conditions, being infected by different species of the parasite. Eimeria crandallis and Eimeria ovinoidalis are considered the most pathogenic, causing reduced growth, dehydration, anorexia, and death. In this study, the frequency of Eimeria species was evaluated in lambs from the southern region of the Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Fecal samples from 248 lambs, from 19 farms, were tested for the presence of oocysts. The positive samples were re-examined and the sporulated oocysts analyzed morphometrically to identify the presence of Eimeria species. In 100% of the evaluated farms, there were animals positive for the protozoan. The frequency of Eimeria species was: E. ovinoidalis (94.74%), E. crandallis (89.47%), E. granulosa (78.95%), E. parva (68.42%), E. ahsata (63.13%), E. punctata (42.11%), E. bakuensis (36.84%), E. faurei (10.53%), and E. pallida (5.26%). Mixed infection was found in 94.74% of the samples. This research describes, for the first time, the occurrence of E. crandallis and E. ovinoidalis infecting lambs in the study area. The wide distribution of this protozoan and the high frequency of pathogenic species show the importance and potential damage of sheep coccidiosis in herds from Rio Grande do Sul.


Radiocarbon ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 31 (03) ◽  
pp. 469-474 ◽  
Author(s):  
S W Leavitt ◽  
Austin Long

We have developed a master δ13C chronology from 14 pinyon pine sites in 6 states of the southwestern U S. Two of the individual isotopic chronologies, reported here for the first time, and 10 of those previously reported (Leavitt & Long, 1986; 1988) are from sites where cores from 4 trees were pooled prior to analysis, and the other 2 are merged from groups of 4 single-tree chronologies (sites) developed in an earlier phase of research (Leavitt & Long, 1985). Regressions of first differences of ring-width indices and δ13C values from each site were used to “correct” individual δ13C chronologies for climate effects which appear primarily related to high-frequency δ13C fluctuations, many of which are common among sites. These climate-corrected chronologies were normalized as deviations from their respective 1800–1849 δ13C means, and these normalized chronologies were averaged into the master. The overall δ13C drop from 1600 to the present is ca 1.2–1.4, consistent with recent ice-core data showing a drop of 1.14 ± 0.15% from 1740 to present (Friedli et al, 1986). However, the δ13C decline in the late 19th and early 20th centuries is greater in the pinyon chronology than that of the ice cores, thus supporting a greater biospheric CO2 input to the atmosphere than that indicated in the ice-core data.


Polymers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 1887
Author(s):  
Daniel Puerto ◽  
Sergi Gallego ◽  
Jorge Francés ◽  
Andrés Márquez ◽  
Inmaculada Pascual ◽  
...  

Photopolymers can be used to fabricate different holographic optical elements, although maximization of the phase-shift in photopolymers has been a challenge for the last few decades. Different material compositions and irradiation conditions have been studied in order to achieve it. One of the main conclusions has been that with continuous laser exposure better results are achieved. However, our results show for the first time that higher phase-shift can be achieved using a pulsed laser. The study has been conducted with crosslinked acrylamide-based photopolymers exposed with a pulsed laser (532 nm). The increment of the phase-shift between the pulsed laser and continuous laser exposure is 17%, achieving a maximum phase-shift of 3π radians and a refractive index shift of 0.0084 at the zero spatial frequency limit, where monomer diffusion does not take place. This allows this photopolymer to be used in large-scale manufacturing.


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