the Staff of the Paleontological Institute named after A. A. borisyak RAS together with radiologists from St. Petersburg showed the most ancient case of a benign tumor in terrestrial vertebrates. She was discovered on the lower jaw early Triassic amphibians called bentazon (Benthosuchus korobkovi).
the remains of the animal were found in the Yaroslavl region. Their age is around 251 million years.
As noted by the authors, cases of pathological changes of bone tissue of the ancient vertebrates have already been described in the scientific literature. In most cases they were the result of in vivo mechanical damage: bites, bumps, or fractures. Less pathology arose from the activities of bacteria, metabolic disorders, age-related changes.
According to Russian researchers, a significant part of such changes recorded in Mesozoic reptiles – dinosaurs, ichthyopterygia, sauropterygia and mosasaurs.
meanwhile, in relation to the ancient amphibians, the available data on skeletal anomalies are relatively rare and mostly relate to violations of the ontogenetic development, i.e. the “mistakes” of the development of individuals in the process of growth.
the Only previously described case of a tumor of pathological changes of bone tissue in amphibians is one of the skull bones from early Triassic amphibians of the genus parotosuchus. However, her remains were found in the younger rocks.
Paleontologists clarify that studied in the new work skeletal element – the right branch of the lower jaw of entozoa. Its owner was a large vertebrate with a length of about 1.6 meters. His skull had a length of at least 40 centimeters.
Scientists have identified changes in the bone tissue, characteristic for neokonchennaya osteoma.Illustration of the Paleontological Institute of RAS.
labiales (labial) side of the specimen, scientists have discovered a local swelling of the bone oblongOh form. Length neoplasms – 29.8 mm width – 17.5 mm.
Experts used multislice computed tomography – a method which is often used to visualize cancer tumors and determine the stage of tumor development.
it is Important that this technology allows to preserve the integrity of the valuable paleontological finds.
using a multi-slice CT scan, scientists have identified the changes of bone tissue, characteristic for neokonchennaya osteoma.
Article with a detailed description of the study presented in the publication ran “Paleontological journal”.
by the Way, before “News.Science” (nauka.vesti.ru) talked about how paleontologists have discovered a tumor the age almost two million years and found out about the pregnancy of a Tyrannosaurus Rex on the composition of his bones.
Text: To.Science
