Scythes, sickles and other blades: Defining the diversity of pectoral fin morphotypes in Pachycormiformes

Jeff J. Liston; Anthony E. Maltese; Paul H. Lambers; Dominique Delsate; William E.H. Harcourt-Smith; Anneke H. Van Heteren

doi:10.7717/peerj.7675

Scythes, sickles and other blades: Defining the diversity of pectoral fin morphotypes in Pachycormiformes

Jeff J. Liston^*
, Anthony E. Maltese
, Paul H. Lambers
, Dominique Delsate
, William E.H. Harcourt-Smith
, Anneke H. Van Heteren

^*Corresponding author for this work

Bavarian Natural History Collections
National Museums of Scotland
University of Bristol
University of Glasgow
Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center
Musée National d'Histoire Naturelle de Luxembourg
American Museum of Natural History
Lehman College
City University of New York
Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

The traditional terminology of 'scythe' or 'sickle' shaped is observed to be flawed as an effective descriptor for pectoral fin shape in pachycormids. The diversity of pachycormid pectoral fin shapes is assessed across the 14 recognised genera that preserve complete pectoral fins, and improved terms are defined to more effectively describe their form, supported by anatomical observation and aspect ratio analysis of individual fins, and corroborated by landmark analysis. Three clear and distinct pectoral fin structural morphotypes emerge (falceform, gladiform, falcataform), reflecting a diversity of pachycormid lifestyles throughout the Mesozoic, from agile pursuit predator to slow-cruising suspension feeder.

Original language	English
Article number	e7675
Number of pages	26
Journal	PeerJ
Volume	7
Issue number	11
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.7675
Publication status	Published - 7 Nov 2019

Funding

1Vertebrate Palaeontology, SNSB-Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie, Munich, Bavaria, Germany 2Palaeobiology, Department of Natural Sciences, National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland 3School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, England 4Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland 5Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center, Woodland Park, CO, USA 6Universiteitsmuseum Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands 7Centre de Recherche Scientifique/Paléontologie, Musée National d’histoire Naturelle de Luxembourg, Luxembourg, Luxembourg 8Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA 9Department of Anthropology, Lehman College, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA 10Department of Anthropology, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA 11Sektion Mammalogie, Zoologische Staatssammlung München, Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns, Munich, Germany 12GeoBio-Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany 13Department Biologie II, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany

Keywords

Aspect ratio
Bonnerichthys
Character creep
Leedsichthys
Lifestyle indicator
Pachycormidae
Pectoral fin morphotype
Planform
Protosphyraena
Saurostomus

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title = "Scythes, sickles and other blades: Defining the diversity of pectoral fin morphotypes in Pachycormiformes",

abstract = "The traditional terminology of 'scythe' or 'sickle' shaped is observed to be flawed as an effective descriptor for pectoral fin shape in pachycormids. The diversity of pachycormid pectoral fin shapes is assessed across the 14 recognised genera that preserve complete pectoral fins, and improved terms are defined to more effectively describe their form, supported by anatomical observation and aspect ratio analysis of individual fins, and corroborated by landmark analysis. Three clear and distinct pectoral fin structural morphotypes emerge (falceform, gladiform, falcataform), reflecting a diversity of pachycormid lifestyles throughout the Mesozoic, from agile pursuit predator to slow-cruising suspension feeder.",

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AU - Lambers, Paul H.

AU - Delsate, Dominique

AU - Harcourt-Smith, William E.H.

AU - Van Heteren, Anneke H.

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KW - Character creep

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KW - Lifestyle indicator

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KW - Protosphyraena

KW - Saurostomus

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Scythes, sickles and other blades: Defining the diversity of pectoral fin morphotypes in Pachycormiformes

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