Ontogenetic and Adult Shape Variation in the Endocast of Tapirus: Implications for T. polkensis from the Gray Fossil Site
Endocranial morphology provides evidence of sensory ecology and sociality of extinct vertebrates. The Earliest Pliocene Gray Fossil Site (GFS) of NE Tennessee features a conspicuous dominance of skeletal elements belonging to the dwarf tapir, Tapirus polkensis. Numerous individuals in one fossil loc...
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ndltd-ETSU-oai-dc.etsu.edu-etd-52542021-06-02T05:04:20Z Ontogenetic and Adult Shape Variation in the Endocast of Tapirus: Implications for T. polkensis from the Gray Fossil Site Gaetano, Thomas M Endocranial morphology provides evidence of sensory ecology and sociality of extinct vertebrates. The Earliest Pliocene Gray Fossil Site (GFS) of NE Tennessee features a conspicuous dominance of skeletal elements belonging to the dwarf tapir, Tapirus polkensis. Numerous individuals in one fossil locality often suggests gregarious behavior, but sociality in T. polkensis contradicts behavior documented for extant Tapirus species. I test T. polkensis for variation in sensory and social ecology using computed tomography and 3D digital endocasts from an ontogenetic sequence. I compare the T. polkensis endocasts with extant Tapirus species using Encephalization Quotients (EQs) and 3D geometric morphometrics. Results show conserved endocast morphology for Tapirus, and thus, conserved sensory and social ecology. Tapirus behavior is likely consistent for ~5 Ma, and extant Tapirus behavior can be inferred for T. polkensis. The large number of individuals from the GFS is likely the result of a preservation bias unrelated to gregariousness. 2020-05-01T07:00:00Z text application/pdf https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/3765 https://dc.etsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5254&context=etd Copyright by the authors. Electronic Theses and Dissertations eng Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University Paleoneurology Tapir Endocast Gray Fossil Site Sociality Sensory Ecology Other Neuroscience and Neurobiology Paleobiology Paleontology Zoology |
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English |
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Others
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Paleoneurology Tapir Endocast Gray Fossil Site Sociality Sensory Ecology Other Neuroscience and Neurobiology Paleobiology Paleontology Zoology |
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Paleoneurology Tapir Endocast Gray Fossil Site Sociality Sensory Ecology Other Neuroscience and Neurobiology Paleobiology Paleontology Zoology Gaetano, Thomas M Ontogenetic and Adult Shape Variation in the Endocast of Tapirus: Implications for T. polkensis from the Gray Fossil Site |
description |
Endocranial morphology provides evidence of sensory ecology and sociality of extinct vertebrates. The Earliest Pliocene Gray Fossil Site (GFS) of NE Tennessee features a conspicuous dominance of skeletal elements belonging to the dwarf tapir, Tapirus polkensis. Numerous individuals in one fossil locality often suggests gregarious behavior, but sociality in T. polkensis contradicts behavior documented for extant Tapirus species. I test T. polkensis for variation in sensory and social ecology using computed tomography and 3D digital endocasts from an ontogenetic sequence. I compare the T. polkensis endocasts with extant Tapirus species using Encephalization Quotients (EQs) and 3D geometric morphometrics. Results show conserved endocast morphology for Tapirus, and thus, conserved sensory and social ecology. Tapirus behavior is likely consistent for ~5 Ma, and extant Tapirus behavior can be inferred for T. polkensis. The large number of individuals from the GFS is likely the result of a preservation bias unrelated to gregariousness. |
author |
Gaetano, Thomas M |
author_facet |
Gaetano, Thomas M |
author_sort |
Gaetano, Thomas M |
title |
Ontogenetic and Adult Shape Variation in the Endocast of Tapirus: Implications for T. polkensis from the Gray Fossil Site |
title_short |
Ontogenetic and Adult Shape Variation in the Endocast of Tapirus: Implications for T. polkensis from the Gray Fossil Site |
title_full |
Ontogenetic and Adult Shape Variation in the Endocast of Tapirus: Implications for T. polkensis from the Gray Fossil Site |
title_fullStr |
Ontogenetic and Adult Shape Variation in the Endocast of Tapirus: Implications for T. polkensis from the Gray Fossil Site |
title_full_unstemmed |
Ontogenetic and Adult Shape Variation in the Endocast of Tapirus: Implications for T. polkensis from the Gray Fossil Site |
title_sort |
ontogenetic and adult shape variation in the endocast of tapirus: implications for t. polkensis from the gray fossil site |
publisher |
Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/3765 https://dc.etsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5254&context=etd |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT gaetanothomasm ontogeneticandadultshapevariationintheendocastoftapirusimplicationsfortpolkensisfromthegrayfossilsite |
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1719408365375848448 |