Projects
1254 Projects

Media are grouped by projects created by users. Projects tend to contain media tied together by a theme. A project might represent the dataset for a single peer-reviewed paper, the results of a collections digitization project, or data for a digital lesson plan.

Projects can be used to share media ownership and access between project members, and projects can also be used to publish assortments of media and specimens for access and discovery by the public. If you want to share media ownership and access with multiple users across multiple projects, consider creating a user team. Projects can be managed by teams, and users with access to that team also gain access to any projects managed by that team.

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Listing of items you have deposited in MorphoSource
Title Description Team Creator Media Objects
Display all details of A three-dimensional skeleton of Goniopholididae from the Late Jurassic of Portugal: implications for the Crocodylomorpha bracing system Reference: Puértolas-Pascual, E., & Mateus, O. (2020). A three-dimensional skeleton of Goniopholididae from the Late Jurassic of Portugal: implications for the Crocodylomorpha bracing system. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 189(2), 521-548. Abstract: We here describe an articulated partial skeleton of a small neosuchian crocodylomorph from the Lourinhã Formation (Late Jurassic, Portugal). The skeleton corresponds to the posterior region of the trunk and consists of dorsal, ventral and limb osteoderms, dorsal vertebrae, thoracic ribs and part of the left hindlimb. The paravertebral armour is composed of two rows of paired osteoderms with the lateral margins ventrally deflected and an anterior process for a ‘peg and groove’ articulation. We also compare its dermal armour with that of several Jurassic and Cretaceous neosuchian crocodylomorphs, establishing a detailed description of this type of osteoderms. These features are present in crocodylomorphs with a closed paravertebral armour bracing system. The exceptional 3D conservation of the specimen, and the performance of a micro-CT scan, allowed us to interpret the bracing system of this organism to assess if previous models were accurate. The characters observed in this specimen are congruent with Goniopholididae, a clade of large neosuchians abundant in most semi-aquatic ecosystems from the Jurassic and Early Cretaceous of Laurasia. However, its small size, contrasted with the sizes observed in goniopholidids, left indeterminate whether it could have been a dwarf or juvenile individual. Future histological analyses could shed light on this. Puértolas-Pascual, Eduardo 4 1
Display all details of Vernicomacanthus uncinatus scale data (Supplementary data for Dearden et al. 2021) This is supplementary data for Dearden et al. (2021) A revision of Vernicomacanthus Miles with comments on the characters of stem-group chondrichthyans, Papers in Palaeontology. It comprises an image stack and 3D models from ct scans of an isolated scale of Vernicomacanthus uncinatus. 2 1
Display all details of Wing and leg bone microstructure reflects migratory demands in resident and migrant populations of the Dark-eyed Junco Migration is the primary strategy that temperate birds use to avoid overwintering under harsh conditions. As a consequence, migratory birds have evolved specific morphological features in their wings and skeleton. However, in addition to varying in overall shape and size, bone can also change at the microstructural level by, for example, increasing its thickness. Such changes are critical to preventing fracture and damage under repeated loading (fatigue), yet it is not known whether migratory behaviour influences bone microstructure. To address this gap in the literature, we performed micro-computed tomography on skeletons of resident and migrant subspecies of the Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis. We investigated the differences in the major wing bone, the humerus, and the major leg bone, the femur. In each bone, we studied the microarchitecture of the two types of bone tissue: cortical bone, the thick outer layer of bone; and trabecular bone, which is the porous network of bone tissue at the ends of long bones. We used linear models to quantify morphological features with respect to body mass and migratory behaviour. Humeri from migratory birds were thinner, wider, and had higher overall geometric stiffness, that is, a higher polar moment of inertia, relative to humeri from resident birds. These features may help keep their bones stiff to maintain their increased body mass during migration. In contrast, migrant femora were shorter, thinner, and had lower geometric stiffness than femora of residents, potentially to reduce total body mass. Tissue mineral density was lower in in both the humerus and femur of migratory birds. In addition, migratory subspecies had less trabecular bone (lower bone volume fraction) due primarily to a loss in trabecular thickness. Migratory behaviour may thus select for improved stiffness and fatigue resistance in the wing bones and reduced mass of leg bones. Our work demonstrates how important insights about morphological adaptation can be obtained by investigating bone microstructure. Louis, Leeann D 348 87
Display all details of The Repatriation of a Tsantsa to Ecuador Tsantsas, commonly referred to as “shrunken heads”, are unique and valuable antiquities that were produced by the Shuar, Achuar, Awajún/ Aguaruna, Wampís/ Huambisa, and Candoshi-Shampra culture groups until the mid 20th century. Originally used as ceremonial objects during important social group functions, tsantsas became monetarily valuable as keepsakes and curios during the 19th century as a result of Western/European culture encroachment. Unmet demand resulted in the production of convincing forgeries that created confusion about the authenticity of existing collections. Because ceremonial tsantsas are both human remains and valuable cultural items, many institutions have chosen to repatriate them to their place of origin. Herein, we report on the authentication and repatriation of ceremonial tsantsa discovered in a university natural history collection. The personal memoirs of the original collector confirm that it originated in the Ecuadorean Amazon. In consultation with the government of Ecuador, it was determined that authentication was required prior to repatriation. The tsantsa was compared to a list of thirty-three distinct characteristics shared by ceremonial tsantsas. These criteria were taken from those provided by Ecuador’s National Cultural Heritage Institute and those found in prior studies from the academic literature, they include notable skin and hair features, structure and facial anatomy, and evidence of traditional fabrication and modification. As part of our protocol the tsantsa was scanned with a CT-imaging system. The resulting 3D images were invaluable in discerning subtle and difficult-to-visualize characteristics regarding the skin and patterns of modification. The affirmative results of the authentication were accepted by the Ecuadorean government, and the tsantsa was repatriated in June 2019. 2 1
Display all details of The largest theropod track site in Yunnan, China: a footprint assemblage from the Lower Jurassic Fengjiahe Formation 3D model of a theropod footprint acquired by photogrammetry. Track catalogue number: XIY-048 Ichnotaxonomy: Kayentapus isp. No scale used. Track is 39 cm long. Xu, Xing. 1 1
Display all details of Greererpeton Osteohistology The vertebrate transition to land is one of the most consequential, yet poorly understood periods in tetrapod evolution. Despite the important of water–land transition in establishing modern ecosystems, we still know very little about the life histories of the earliest tetrapods. Bone histology provides an exceptional opportunity to study the biology of early tetrapods and has the potential to reveal new insights into their life histories. Here, we examine the femoral bone histology from an ontogenetic series of Greererpeton, an early tetrapod from the Middle-Late Mississippian (early Carboniferous) of North America. Thin-sections and micro-CT data show a moderately-paced rate of bone deposition with significant cortical thickening through development. An interruption to regular bone deposition, as indicated by a zone of avascular tissue and growth marks, is notable at the same late-juvenile stage of development throughout our sample. This suggests that an inherent aspect to the life history of juvenile Greererpeton resulted in a temporary reduction in bone deposition. We review several possible life history correlates for this bony signature including metamorphosis, an extended juvenile phase, environmental stress, and movement (migration/dispersal) between habitats. We suggest that given the anatomy of Greererpeton, it is unlikely that events related to polymorphism (metamorphosis, extended juvenile phase) can explain the bony signature observed in our sample. Further, the ubiquity of this signal in our sample suggests a taxon-level rather than a population-level trait which is expected for an environmental stress. We conclude that movement via dispersal represents a likely correlate, as such events are a common life history strategy of aquatically-bound vertebrates. 11 3
Display all details of Rising Star Major specimens of the new species of Homo from South Africa (Berger et al., 2015, eLife, September 10, 2015) 224 204
Display all details of Comparing Ice Age Mammals This activity allows students to compare the morphologies of 3D printed teeth from Ice Age mammals. Students will manipulate 3D prints and record observations in order to infer the diet of megafauna and discuss the role of technology in paleontological research. The 3D prints, representative of actual fossils collected in Indiana, will be generated by students using 3D scans from the Indiana University Paleontology Collection. Don't forget to download the lesson plan from the Indiana Geological and Water Survey website! 4 4
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Display all details of Hyperodapedon sanjuanensis - skull of holotype 3D models and CT-scan data of the skull of the holotype of the South American rhynchosaur Hyperodapedon sanjuanensis (Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Colección Paleovertebrados, 18185). 5 5
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