Proatlas
The proatlas is a paired bone in the skeleton of many vertebrates that occurs between the skull and the first cervical vertebra. It ossifies endochondrally.[1]
A number of different interpretations have been made of the proatlas.[2][3] The most common interpretation is that it is the vestigial neural arch of a vertebra that is otherwise fully incorporated into their skull, but the development shows some differences from other vertebrae that present difficulties for this hypothesis.[1]
The proatlas was probably widely present across early tetrapods, and is retained in some modern reptiles, such as the tuatara.[4] In crocodylians, the left and right proatlases fuse into a single V-shaped midline element.[1][3]
A proatlas can occur pathologically in humans.[5]
The proatlas was first recognized in dinosaurs by Othniel Marsh, who initially termed them the "post-occipital bones",[6] but their homology with the proatlas of other reptiles was subsequently recognized by Charles W. Gilmore.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Korneisel, Dana E.; Vice, Rebekah; Maddin, Hillary C. (2021-11-30). "Anatomy and development of skull–neck boundary structures in the skeleton of the extant crocodylian Alligator mississippiensis". The Anatomical Record. 305 (10). doi:10.1002/ar.24834. eISSN 1932-8494. ISSN 1932-8486.
- ^ Baur, G. (1886). "The proatlas, atlas and axis of the Crocodilia". The American Naturalist. 20 (3): 288–293. doi:10.1086/274205. ISSN 0003-0147.
- ^ a b Mook, Charles C. (1921). "Notes on the postcranial skeleton in the Crocodilia". Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 44: 67–100.
- ^ Romer, Alfred Sherwood (1956). Osteology of the Reptiles.
- ^ Muhleman, Mitchel; Charran, Ordessia; Matusz, Petru; Shoja, Mohammadali M.; Tubbs, R. Shane; Loukas, Marios (2012). "The proatlas: a comprehensive review with clinical implications". Child's Nervous System. 28 (3): 349–356. doi:10.1007/s00381-012-1698-8. eISSN 1433-0350. ISSN 0256-7040.
- ^ Marsh, O. C. (1883). "Principal characters of American Jurassic dinosaurs. Part VI: restoration of Brontosaurus". American Journal of Science. 3. 26 (152): 81–85. doi:10.2475/ajs.s3-26.152.81. ISSN 0002-9599.
- ^ Gilmore, Charles W. (1907). "The type of the Jurassic reptile Morosaurus agilis redescribed, with a note on Camptosaurus". Proceedings of the United States National Museum. 32 (1519): 151–165. doi:10.5479/si.00963801.32-1519.151. ISSN 0096-3801.