Decompression syndrome and the evolution of deep diving physiology in the Cetacea
Cetacea; ocean; behavior; Science & Technology - Other Topics; blue; avascular osteonecrosis; beaked-whales; behaviorally induced paleopathology; dive; diving; gas-bubble lesions; mysticeti; odontoceti; Physiology; ziphiidae
Whales repetitively dive deep to feed and should be susceptible to decompression syndrome, though they are not known to suffer the associated pathologies. Avascular osteonecrosis has been recognized as an indicator of diving habits of extinct marine amniotes. Vertebrae of 331 individual modern and 996 fossil whales were subjected to macroscopic and radiographic examination. Avascular osteonecrosis was found in the Oligocene basal odontocetes (Xenorophoidea) and in geologically younger mysticetes, such as Aglaocetus [a sister taxon to Balaenopteridae+(Balaenidae+Eschrichtiidae) clade]. These are considered as early "experiments" in repetitive deep diving, indicating that they independently converged on their similar specialized diving physiologies.
Beatty B L; Rothschild B M
Naturwissenschaften
2008
2008-09
Journal Article or Conference Abstract Publication
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-008-0385-9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1007/s00114-008-0385-9</a>
Perspectives on decompression syndrome and the methodology of science
Decompression syndrome; Ichthyosaur; Science & Technology - Other Topics
This is a comment on Hayman's Deep Diving Dinosaurs (Naturwissenschaften, in press, 2012).
Rothschild B M
Naturwissenschaften
2012
2012-08
Journal Article
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-012-0946-9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1007/s00114-012-0946-9</a>
Hyperdisease in the late Pleistocene: validation of an early 20th century hypothesis
arthritis; Bison; erosive disease; extinction; hyperdisease; infection; lesions; mastodon; Pleistocene; Science & Technology - Other Topics; tuberculosis
The hypothesis of disease-related large mammal extinction has new support. A unique pathologic zone of resorption was first noticed in a Hiscock Mammut americanum metacarpal. The pathognomonic zone of resorption was present in fifty-nine (52%) of 113 skeletons with feet available for examination. Metacarpals and metatarsals were most commonly affected. Associated rib periosteal reaction is highly suggestive of tuberculosis and the foot lesions were identical to that documented in Bison as pathognomonic for tuberculosis. Recognizing that only a portion of animals infected by infectious tuberculosis develop bone involvement, the high frequency of the pathology in M. americanum suggests that tuberculosis was not simply endemic, but actually pandemic, a hyperdisease. Pandemic tuberculosis was one of several probable factors contributing to mastodon extinction.tinction.
Rothschild B M; Laub R
Naturwissenschaften
2006
2006-11
Journal Article
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-006-0144-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1007/s00114-006-0144-8</a>
Adaptations for marine habitat and the effect of Triassic and Jurassic predator pressure on development of decompression syndrome in ichthyosaurs
body; Caisson disease; deep; endothermy; evolution; Ichthyosaurs; oxygen; red muscle; reptiles; Science & Technology - Other Topics; swimming speed; thunnus-thynnus; Triassic; tuna katsuwonus-pelamis
Decompression syndrome (caisson disease or the "the bends") resulting in avascular necrosis has been documented in mosasaurs, sauropterygians, ichthyosaurs, and turtles from the Middle Jurassic to Late Cretaceous, but it was unclear that this disease occurred as far back as the Triassic. We have examined a large Triassic sample of ichthyosaurs and compared it with an equally large post-Triassic sample. Avascular necrosis was observed in over 15 % of Late Middle Jurassic to Cretaceous ichthyosaurs with the highest occurrence (18 %) in the Early Cretaceous, but was rare or absent in geologically older specimens. Triassic reptiles that dive were either physiologically protected, or rapid changes of their position in the water column rare and insignificant enough to prevent being recorded in the skeleton. Emergency surfacing due to a threat from an underwater predator may be the most important cause of avascular necrosis for air-breathing divers, with relative frequency of such events documented in the skeleton. Diving in the Triassic appears to have been a "leisurely" behavior until the evolution of large predators in the Late Jurassic that forced sudden depth alterations contributed to a higher occurrence of bends.
Rothschild B M; Xiaoting Z; Martin L D
Naturwissenschaften
2012
2012-06
Journal Article
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-012-0918-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1007/s00114-012-0918-0</a>