Evolution of Dental Tissues and Paleobiology in Selachians

ISBN-13: 9781785481390 / Angielski / Twarda / 2017 / 138 str.

Guillaume Ginot; Sebastien Enault; Gilles Cuny

Opis

Evolution of Dental Tissues and Paleobiology in Selachians offers a complete overview of the terminology used to describe fish tooth microstructures, focusing on the evolution of the teeth microstructure of the cartilaginous fishes. Enameloid microstructure has become a powerful tool to decipher the phylogenetic affinities of isolated fossil chondrichthyan teeth, and, more particularly, to study the transition between the hybodont and modern elasmobranchs. However, this field of research remains quite cryptic, mostly due to limited taxon sampling. As a result, numerous approximations, particularly involving terminology, are still found in the scientific literature, and research into the relationships between the microstructure and function of teeth is just starting. Sharks and their relatives (chondrichthyans) are often seen as "living-fossils" that did not evolve much during their more than 400 million years of long history. This is incorrect, but many forget that their teeth--a hallmark of sharks--developed many innovations in terms of microstructure that allow these animals to develop a wide range of feeding strategies. The iconic triangular, serrated teeth of the white shark is for example a rather recent innovation linked to the development of a special microstructure of their enameloid. Similar innovations led to a specialization to durophagous diets in some rays.

• Focuses on the evolution of the teeth microstructure of the cartilaginous fishes
• Offers a complete overview of the terminology used to describe fish tooth microstructures
• Offers an overview of convergent enameloid microstructures between actinopterygians (ray-finned fishes) and chondrichthyans to enable better understanding of the evolution of this kind of tissue
• Highlights the importance of isolated fossil teeth to understand the evolution of whole clades
• Discusses the use of isolated fossil teeth to understand the evolution of whole clades

Spis treści

1. Mineralized Tissues 2. Paleozoic Sharks 3. Hybodont Sharks 4. Enameloid Microstructure in Rays 5. Enameloid Microstructure Diversity in Modern Shark Teeth 6. Comparison of Enameloid Microstructure in Actinopterygian and Elasmobranch Teeth

O autorze

Gilles Cuny is Professor of Paleontology at the University of Lyon in France and a specialist in the evolution of sharks, having been curator of the collection of vertebrate palaeontology at the Natural History Museum of Denmark for 13 years. Guillaume Guinot is a lecturer at the University of Montpellier in France. His work focuses on the evolution of Mesozoic chondrichthyan faunas, dental histology, and the macroevolution of different groups of "fish” (chondrichthyans and osteichthyans) and other marine vertebrates. Sebastien Enault obtained his doctorate from the University of Montpellier in France for his research on the evolution and development of the chondrichthyan skeleton. After a post-doctorate at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Netherlands), he is now preparing osteological specimens for natural history museums.