Determination of individual age and ontogenetic stages of fossil tetrapods using paleohistological methods

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Abstract

The determination of individual age and ontogenetic stage (juvenile, subadult, adult) of fossil vertebrates is important for the initial determination of taxonomic affiliation, as well as for further evolutionary and paleobiological interpretations. Determination of individual age and ontogenetic stage (= relative age) is carried out by various methods, including paleohistological analysis. The study of thin sections of tetrapod bones allows us to assume how many years the animal lived (skeletochronological method) and to determine the ontogenetic stage according to a set of age-related histological markers: change in the type of bone matrix and vascularization, change in the distance between growth marks, formation of the external fundamental system (EFS), formation of the inner (endosteal) and outer (periosteal) circumferential layers (OCL, ICL), occurrences of secondary remodeling – Haversian substitution and formation of trabeculae. Depending on the phylogenetic position and biological peculiarities of the study group of tetrapods, the set of age “histologic markers” may be different.

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About the authors

P. P. Skutschas

Saint Petersburg State University

Author for correspondence.
Email: skutchas@mail.ru
Russian Federation, Saint Petersburg, 199034

V. V. Kolchanov

Saint Petersburg State University

Email: veniamin.kolchanov@mail.ru
Russian Federation, Saint Petersburg, 199034

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2. Fig. 1. Diagram of a cross-section of a tetrapod bone limb showing growth marks (including double LAGs), histological markers (external fundamental system, reduction of the distance between growth marks) and their corresponding events in ontogenesis.

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3. Fig. 2. A diagram of a cross-section of a tetrapod limb bone showing growth marks, histological markers (external fundamental system, changes in the type of bone matrix and vascularization, external and internal circular layers) and their corresponding events in ontogenesis.

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4. Fig. 3. Diagram of ontogenetic changes in the bones of tetrapod limbs associated with secondary remodeling.

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5. Fig. 4. Cross sections of the limb bones of fossil tetrapods in normal (A) and polarized light with a wave plate (B–E). A is a primitive Early Cretaceous stem salamander Kulgeriherpeton ultimum, a section of the humerus at the level of the middle of the diaphysis (see Skutschas et al., 2024). The absence of a reduction in the distance between cyclic growth marks indicates that this humerus belonged to an actively growing animal that had not yet reached the maximum individual age. Also pay attention to the presence of double LAGs. The yellow arrows indicate the height marks. B is a primitive Late Cretaceous cryptobranchid salamander Eoscapherpeton asiaticum, a section of the femur at the level of the middle of the diaphysis (see Skutschas et al., 2019). Pay attention to the network of vascular channels in the primary cortex, which appears in the late stages of ontogenesis. B – late Permian pareiasaurus Deltavjatia rossica, a section of the tibia of an individual that reached less than 25% of the maximum

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6. Fig. 5. Cross sections of limb bones and ribs of fossil tetrapods in polarized light with a wave plate. A is a Late Cretaceous duckbilled dinosaur, a section of the femur (see Bapinaev et al., 2023). The cortex is entirely formed by secondary osteons – there was a complete replacement of the primary periostelial bone with a secondary bone with the formation of a dense Haversoid bone, therefore, the animal is an adult. B – Late Jurassic Stegosaurus, rib section. Pay attention to the secondary trabeculae formed by the lamellar bone. B is a Late Cretaceous basal ornithomimid, a section of the femur of a large individual (see Skutschas et al., 2017). The cortex is entirely formed by secondary osteons – there was a complete replacement of the primary periostelial bone with a secondary bone with the formation of a dense Haversoid bone, therefore, the animal is an adult. G – Late Cretaceous pterosaur Azhdarcho lancicollis, a section of limb bone. The presence of both external and internal circular layers of evidence

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