Poster De Conférence Année : 2022

Virtual dissection of Vampyroteuthis infernalis provides the first 3-D comparative morphological study between fossil and extant Vampyromorpha

Résumé

Computed Tomography (CT) is a non-invasive imaging method that allows a realistic 3-D visualisation of internal structures. It provides the opportunity to accurately determine soft tissue morphology, especially in less common or deep-sea taxa; an issue identified as one of the major challenges in cephalopod research. This technique can be utilized for morphological characterization of extant species and can also provide meaningful analyses between fossil and extant forms. Much attention has been focused on the systematic position and ecology of Vampyromorpha and its only living species, Vampyroteuthis infernalis. Here, we directly apply this imaging technique in a comparative anatomy study between extant and fossil Vampyromorph taxa: modern Vampyroteuthis infernalis, and a supposed related species from the Jurassic, Vampyronassa rhodanica. Scans of three extant specimens from museum collections (AMNH and YPM IZ), and three exceptionally preserved fossil specimens were utilized. The data obtained demonstrates that key Vampyroteuthis characters (such as sucker attachments) were already present in Jurassic taxa. However, these characters were coeval with morphology consistent with a pelagic predatory lifestyle indicating that the detritivorous ecology of Vampyroteuthis was not employed by ancestral forms, and that it represents a more recent adaptation to deep sea ecosystems. This research highlights the utility of CT imaging and its application for visualizing internal structures in their natural state. Disseminated through digital databases, these anatomical reconstructions can advance the understanding of soft tissue morphology, and provide data for comparative, functional, and ecological studies.

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Dates et versions

hal-03665451 , version 1 (11-05-2022)

Identifiants

  • HAL Id : hal-03665451 , version 1

Citer

Alison Rowe, Isabelle Rouget, Henk-Jan Hoving, Neil H Landman, Loïc Villier, et al.. Virtual dissection of Vampyroteuthis infernalis provides the first 3-D comparative morphological study between fossil and extant Vampyromorpha. Cephalopod International Advisory Council 2022, Apr 2022, Sesimbra, Portugal. ⟨hal-03665451⟩
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