From fossils to mind

Fossil endocasts record features of brains from the past: size, shape, vasculature, and gyrification. These data, alongside experimental and comparative evidence, are needed to resolve questions about brain energetics, cognitive specializations, and developmental plasticity. Through the application of interdisciplinary techniques to the fossil record, paleoneurology has been leading major innovations. Neuroimaging is shedding light on fossil brain organization and behaviors. Inferences about the development and physiology of the brains of extinct species can be experimentally investigated through brain organoids and transgenic models based on ancient DNA. Phylogenetic comparative methods integrate data across species and associate genotypes to phenotypes, and brains to behaviors. Meanwhile, fossil and archeological discoveries continuously contribute new knowledge. Through cooperation, the scientific community can accelerate knowledge acquisition. Sharing digitized museum collections improves the availability of rare fossils and artifacts. Comparative neuroanatomical data are available through online databases, along with tools for their measurement and analysis. In the context of these advances, the paleoneurological record provides ample opportunity for future research. Biomedical and ecological sciences can benefit from paleoneurology's approach to understanding the mind as well as its novel research pipelines that establish connections between neuroanatomy, genes and behavior

A New Saurolophine Dinosaur from the Latest Cretaceous of Far Eastern Russia

Background: Four main dinosaur sites have been investigated in latest Cretaceous deposits from the Amur/Heilongjiang Region: Jiayin and Wulaga in China (Yuliangze Formation), Blagoveschensk and Kundur in Russia (Udurchukan Formation). More than 90% of the bones discovered in these localities belong to hollow-crested lambeosaurine saurolophids, but flat-headed saurolophines are also represented: Kerberosaurus manakini at Blagoveschensk and Wulagasaurus dongi at Wulaga. Methodology/Principal Findings: Herein we describe a new saurolophine dinosaur, Kundurosaurus nagornyi gen. et sp. nov. from the Udurchukan Formation (Maastrichtian) of Kundur, represented by disarticulated cranial and postcranial material. This new taxon is diagnosed by four autapomorphies. Conclusions/Significance: A phylogenetic analysis of saurolophines indicates that Kundurosaurus nagornyi is nested within a rather robust clade including Edmontosaurus spp. Saurolophus spp. and Prosaurolophus maximus, possibly as a sister-taxon for Kerberosaurus manakini also from the Udurchukan Formation of Far Eastern Russia. The high diversity and mosaic distribution of Maastrichtian hadrosaurid faunas in the Amur-Heilongjiang region are the result of a complex palaeogeographical history and imply that many independent hadrosaurid lineages dispersed without any problem between western America and eastern Asia at the end of the Cretaceous. © 2012 Godefroit et al.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

General structure and evolution of the brain in ornithischian dinosaurs

Parmi les dinosaures, le clade des Ornithopodes est l’un de ceux qui a rencontré le plus de succès. Apparus au Jurassique supérieur, le groupe s’est dispersé et diversifié jusqu’à sa disparition à la fin du Crétacé. Je me suis attachée à étudier le cerveau des Ornithopodes d’Europe et d’Asie, à établir des comparaisons avec les autres archosaures et de nouveaux arbres phylogénétiques incluant des caractères issus de l’endocrâne. Pour ce faire, des moulages et des reconstitutions à partir de données CT-scan ont été réalisées pour étudier la cavité endocrânienne de divers membres de ce groupe. J’ai réalisé des moulages endocrâniens en silicone de 3 taxons et les reconstructions à partir de données CT-scan de 3 autres taxons de Dinosaures Ornithopodes. Une collection unique d’endocrânes de crocodiles et d’oiseaux récents étend les possibilités de comparaison. Certains endocrânes des taxons fossiles ont confirmé les caractéristiques décrites précédemment dans la littérature, tandis que de nouveaux éléments sont apparus. Les endocrânes n’ont en effet pas seulement livré la morphologie du cerveau, mais aussi des valleculae, le détail des nerfs crâniens et de la glande pituitaire. J’ai ainsi pu étendre la présence de valleculae, qui est un indice fort en faveur d’un télencéphale développé, chez un nouvel Hadrosauroidea, alors que cela n’était connu que chez les Hadrosauridae et les membres dérivés de deux autres groupes (Theropoda et Pachycephalosauria). Le cerveau des Ornithopodes dérivés était caractérisé par des hémisphères cérébraux très larges et de forme arrondie. Les flexions crâniale et pontine sont inexistantes, à l’opposé de ce qui est observé chez les Saurischiens. Les pédoncules olfactifs étaient larges. J’ai également fourni de nouveaux exemples de l’influence de la taille de la glande pituitaire sur la taille totale de l’individu. Le cerveau des Ornithopodes a subi des changements au cours de leur évolution :le plus marquant est l’augmentation du volume des hémisphères cérébraux par rapport au reste du cerveau. J’émets l’hypothèse que cette augmentation résulte de la complexification des comportements chez les Ornithopodes.Une nouvelle phylogénie a été établie, bénéficiant de l’apport de nouveaux caractères basés sur l’endocrâne. Elle apporte des éléments de réflexion intéressants quant à la position de plusieurs taxons d’Iguanodontia basaux. La résolution est cependant faible et d’autres études devront être menées dans le futur. Les relations de parenté ne sont pas stables et de faibles changements entraînent des différences notables dans les résultats des analyses phylogénétiques./Among the Dinosauria, Ornithopoda were one of the most successful clade. Since the Late Jurassic, they spread and diversified until the end of the Cretaceous. I studied the brain of Ornithopoda from Europe and Asia, established comparisons with other archosaurs and new phylogenetic analyses including endocranial characters. In order to do this, I made silicone endocasts of 3 taxa and virtual reconstructions from CT-scan dataset of 3 other taxa of ornithopod dinosaurs. A collection of extant crocodiles and birds allows more points of comparison. Some endocasts made on the fossil specimens confirmed previously described characteristics, while new ones were brought to our attention. The endocasts opened up not only the morphology of the brain, but also the anatomy of the cranial nerves, the pituitary gland and the presence of valleculae. This last element, evidence of a developped telencephalon, has been established in a new Hadrosauroidea species as his oldest occurrence. The brain of more derived Ornithopods was characterized by very large cerebral hemispheres. The pontine and cranial flexures disappeared, to the contrary to what is observed in Saurischians. The olfactory peduncles were large. New evidences about the correlation between the size of the pituitary gland and the size of the individual. The Ornithopod’s brain changed throughout their evolution :the most striking is the increase of the cerebral hemispheres. The complexity of behaviors exhibited by Ornithopods is suggested as the trigger of the increase of the size of the cerebral hemispheres.A new phylogenetic analysis was established, including new characters from the endocranial cavity. It brings interesting perspectives about the position of several basal Iguanodontia. Unfortunately the resolution is weak and new studies will be needed. The relationships are not stable and small changes lead to instabilities in the result of the phylogenetic analysis.Doctorat en Sciencesinfo:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublishe

Brain of ornithopods and new characters for phylogenetic analyses

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The braincase and the endocranial space of the Iguanodontian Lurdusaurus arenatus

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The Brain of Iguanodon and mantellisaurus: Perspectives on Ornithopod Evolution

Information on the structure of the brain of the basal iguanodontian dinosaurs Iguanodon bernissartensis and Mantellisaurus atherfieldensis, from the Early Cretaceous of Bernissart, is presented on the basis of computed tomographic scanning and 3D reconstruction of three braincases. The resulting digital cranial endocasts are compared with physical and digital endocasts of other dinosaurs. The orientation of the brain is more horizontal than in lambeosaurine hadrosaurids. The large olfactory tracts indicate that the sense of smell was better developed than in hadrosaurids. The primitive flexures of the midbrain are virtually absent in I. bernissartensis but appear to be better developed in M. atherfieldensis, which might be explained by the smaller body size of the latter. The brain of Iguanodon was relatively larger than in most extant nonavian reptiles, sauropods, and ceratopsians. However, it was apparently smaller than in lambeosaurines and most theropods. The relative size of the cerebrum was low in Iguanodon. In Mantellisaurus, the cerebrum was proportionally larger than in Iguanodon and compares favorably with lambeosaurines. The behavioral repertoire and/or complexity were therefore probably different in the two iguanodontoids from Bernissart, Iguanodon and Mantellisaurus. The enlargement of the cerebrum appeared independently, together with possible capabilities for more complex behaviors, at least two times during the evolution of Iguanodontoidea. © 2012 by Indiana University Press. All rights reserved.SCOPUS: ch.binfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Iguanodon’s brain and perspectives on ornithopod evolution

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New hadrosaurid dinosaurs from the uppermost Cretaceous of northeastern China

Several hundred disarticulated dinosaur bones have been recovered from a large quarry at Wulaga (Heilongjiang Prov− ince, China), in the Upper Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) Yuliangze Formation. The Wulaga quarry can be regarded as a monodominant bonebed: more than 80 % of the bones belong to a new lambeosaurine hadrosaurid, Sahaliyania elunchunorum gen. et sp. nov. This taxon is characterised by long and slender paroccipital processes, a prominent lateral depression on the dorsal surface of the frontal, a quadratojugal notch that is displaced ventrally on the quadrate, and a prepubic blade that is asymmetrically expanded, with an important emphasis to the dorsal side. Phylogenetic analysis shows that Sahaliyania is a derived lambeosaurine that forms a monophyletic group with the corythosaur and para− sauroloph clades. Nevertheless, the exact position of Sahaliyania within this clade cannot be resolved on the basis of the available material. Besides Sahaliyania, other isolated bones display a typical hadrosaurine morphology and are referred to Wulagasaurus dongi gen. et sp. nov., a new taxon characterised by the maxilla pierced by a single foramen below the jugal process, a very slender dentary not pierced by foramina, and by the deltopectoral crest (on the humerus) oriented cranially. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that Wulagasaurus is the most basal hadrosaurine known to date. Phylogeo− graphic data suggests that the hadrosaurines, and thus all hadrosaurids, are of Asian origin, which implies a relatively long ghost lineage of approximately 13 million years for basal hadrosaurines in Asia

Insights into the brain of two hadrosaurid dinosaurs from Kundur, Russia

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A new basal hadrosauroid dinosaur from the upper Cretaceous of Kazakhstan

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