The Minimum Number of Individuals (MNI) was calculated for each transect based on species, ontogenetic age, skeletal element, and weathering stage (following [7], [13], [20]) and compared to the living abundance data from aerial surveys (Figure 1).
The Minimum Number of Individuals (MNI) was calculated for each transect based on species, ontogenetic age, skeletal element, and weathering stage (following [7], [13], [20]) and compared to the living abundance data from aerial surveys (Figure 1, Supporting Information S1 text S1.0, Figure S1).
I collected all data on each bone occurrence using standardized data sheets including location (Garmin eTrex Vista or Rhino II WAS enabled GPS), species identity, skeletal element type, ontogenetic age, and bone weathering stage (a proxy for postmortem duration [22]).
To investigate pedal digit ontogeny in syndactylous marsupials, ossification sequences of pedal digit elements were recorded for ontogenetic series of 5 diprotodontian species, the peramelemorph Isoodon macroura, 2 dasyurids, the ameridelphian Didelphis virginiana, the placental mouse Mus musculus, and the skincid lizard Hemiergis peronii as an outgroup.
The expression of LTR REs in vertebrates is thought to depend on a variety of genetic and epigenetic factors as indicated by specific spatiotemporal expression patterns, i.e. differences in the expression profiles of distinct elements (families) between tissues, sexes, ontogenetic and age stages, individuals, and species [ 78– 82].
Our data suggest that, when sampling element and location is kept consistent, ontogenetic variation in OLD appears negligible.
This appears in sharp contrast with most recent ontogenetic studies as well as new discoveries of postcranial elements of the archaeolemurids that indicate striking similarities with lemurids.
If the morphometric integration of digit elements is intrinsic to syndactyly through an ontogenetic constraint, the establishment of syndactyly as a non-adaptive trait is less improbable because, as discussed above, it effectively retains the capacity of digit flexion and extension.
This demonstrates the unreliability of simple LAG spacing patterns for inferring a particular ontogenetic stage or relative maturity across a wide range of taxa or elements in somatically immature specimens where an EFS/OCL is not present [ 7, 16].
Its functional integration into the forelimb changed the correspondence between fore- and hindlimb segments and previous ontogenetic studies observed more similar growth patterns for functionally than serially homologous elements.
