Orthopedics in Reptiles and Amphibians

DiGeronimo, Peter M.; Brandão, João

doi:10.1016/j.cvex.2019.01.009

Cited by 11 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 68 publications

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“…Although the bone remodelling process can be first recognized in the third to fourth weeks after the trauma 11 , the healing times vary according to the species and to the extent of the trauma. Considering the healing times of traumatic injuries in modern reptiles, along with the size of the traumatic injury and the amount of bone repair, it is likely that the death of Big John occurred at least 6 months after this traumatic event 27 , 28 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Histological and chemical diagnosis of a combat lesion in Triceratops

D’Anastasio

Cilli

Bacchia³

et al. 2022

Sci Rep

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In the collective imagination derived from scientific and popular literature, Triceratops often faced each other in combat. Thus, from the second half of the twentieth century, these ceratopsids were described as pugnacious animals. This arises primarily from the interpretation of extracranial fenestrae in ceratopsids being the result of combat trauma. However, the diagnosis of the traumatic nature of these anatomical variants of their neck frill requires evidence of bone healing and remodelling by microscopy analysis. Here, we present the case of the Triceratops horridus known as Big John, which is one of the largest specimens discovered in the Hell Creek Formation (Upper Cretaceous; MT, USA). Its right squamosal bone shows an extrafenestra with irregular margins and signs of inflammation. Microscopy analysis revealed newly formed and healing bone, with histological signs typical of the bone remodelling phase. Chemical analysis revealed sulphur that was derived from glycosaminoglycan’s and sulphated glycoproteins of the preosseous osteoid substance present in the healing phases of a bone trauma. Histological and microanalytical analyses confirm that the squamosal fenestra of Big John is the result of a traumatic event, which might indeed have occurred during combat with another Triceratops.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Histological and chemical diagnosis of a combat lesion in Triceratops

D’Anastasio

Cilli

Bacchia³

et al. 2022

Sci Rep

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“…The periosteal callus deposition is concentrated more abundantly along the cranial and medial aspects of the affected cortex, which corresponds to the location of the movable butterfly fragments within the cranial (Figures 1dII, 3b, and 4b) and caudal cortex (Figure 1dII). This pattern and distribution of fracture callus deposition extending across a specific region of an affected bone is a common sequela observed in repair and healing bone fractures, and is associated with the body's attempt to stabilize those regions within the fracture exhibiting the most instability and loss of structural integrity (Mitchell, 2002; DiGeronimo & Brandão, 2019; Grosso, 2019; Sabater, 2019). Although bone healing varies between mammals, reptiles, and birds, the basic osteological or orthopedic principles to promote proper anatomical alignment and rigid stability of the fracture ends, minimize soft tissue disruption, and conserve blood supply to the injured bone are still imperative for successful fracture repair and healing across all species (Mitchell, 2002; DiGeronimo & Brandão, 2019; Grosso, 2019; Sabater, 2019).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This pattern and distribution of fracture callus deposition extending across a specific region of an affected bone is a common sequela observed in repair and healing bone fractures, and is associated with the body's attempt to stabilize those regions within the fracture exhibiting the most instability and loss of structural integrity (Mitchell, 2002; DiGeronimo & Brandão, 2019; Grosso, 2019; Sabater, 2019). Although bone healing varies between mammals, reptiles, and birds, the basic osteological or orthopedic principles to promote proper anatomical alignment and rigid stability of the fracture ends, minimize soft tissue disruption, and conserve blood supply to the injured bone are still imperative for successful fracture repair and healing across all species (Mitchell, 2002; DiGeronimo & Brandão, 2019; Grosso, 2019; Sabater, 2019). Information published on fracture healing in living reptiles and birds is limited, and controlled experiments to study the mechanisms involved in fracture repair processes are extremely scarce.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chronic fracture and osteomyelitis in a large‐bodied ornithomimosaur with implications for the identification of unusual endosteal bone in the fossil record

Chinzorig

Beguesse

Canoville

et al. 2022

The Anatomical Record

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Paleopathological diagnoses provide key information on the macroevolutionary origin of disease as well as behavioral and physiological inferences that are inaccessible via direct observation of extinct organisms. Here we describe the external gross morphology and internal architecture of a pathologic right second metatarsal (MMNS VP-6332) of a large-bodied ornithomimid (432 kg) from the Santonian (Upper Cretaceous) Eutaw Formation in Mississippi, using a combination of X-ray computed microtomography (microCT) and petrographic histological analyses. Xray microCT imaging and histopathologic features are consistent with multiple complete, oblique to comminuted, minimally displaced mid-diaphyseal cortical fractures that produce a "butterfly" fragment fracture pattern, and secondary osteomyelitis with a bone fistula formation. We interpret this as evidence of blunt force trauma to the foot that could have resulted from intra-or interspecific competition or predator-prey interaction, and probably impaired the function of the metatarsal as a weight-bearing element until the animal's death. Of particular interest is the apparent decoupling of endosteal and periosteal pathological bone deposition in MMNS VP-6332, which produces transverse sections exhibiting homogenously thick endosteal pathological bone in the absence of localized periosteal reactive bone. These distribution and depositional patterns are used as criteria for ruling out a pathological origin in favor of a reproductive one for unusual endosteal bone in fossil specimens. On the basis of MMNS VP-6332, we suggest caution in their use to substantiate a medullary bone identification in extinct archosaurians.

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“…Although the bone remodelling process can already begin in the third to fourth weeks after the trauma 11 , the healing times vary according to the species and to the extent of the trauma. Considering the healing times of traumatic injuries in modern reptiles, along with the size of the traumatic injury and the amount of bone repair, it is likely that the death of Big John occurred at least 6 months after this traumatic event 20,21 . This study con rms the existence of intraspeci c ghting in Triceratops.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Combat Lesion in Triceratops: Histological and Chemical Diagnosis

D’Anastasio

Cilli

Bacchia³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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In the collective imagination derived from scientific and popular literature, Triceratops often faced each other in combat. Thus, from the second half of the twentieth century, these ceratopsids were described as pugnacious animals. This arises primarily from the interpretation of extracranial fenestrae in ceratopsids being the result of combat trauma. However, the diagnosis of the traumatic nature of these anatomical variants of their neck frill requires evidence of bone healing and remodelling by microscopy analysis. Here, we present the case of the Triceratops horridus known as Big John, which is one of the largest specimens discovered in the Hell Creek Formation (Upper Cretaceous; MT, USA). Its right squamosal bone shows an extrafenestra with irregular margins and signs of inflammation. Microscopy analysis revealed newly formed and healing bone, with histological signs typical of the bone remodelling phase. Chemical analysis revealed sulphur that was derived from glucosaminoglycans and sulphated glycoproteins of the preosseous osteoid substance present in the healing phases of a bone trauma. Histological and microanalytical analyses confirm that the squamosal fenestra of Big John is the result of a traumatic event, which might indeed have occurred during combat with another Triceratops.

show abstract

Orthopedics in Reptiles and Amphibians

Cited by 11 publications

References 68 publications

Histological and chemical diagnosis of a combat lesion in Triceratops

Histological and chemical diagnosis of a combat lesion in Triceratops

Chronic fracture and osteomyelitis in a large‐bodied ornithomimosaur with implications for the identification of unusual endosteal bone in the fossil record

Combat Lesion in Triceratops: Histological and Chemical Diagnosis

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