Table 1.
Results of the histological examination of eosauropterygian taxa
| Taxon | Collection number | Bone type | Type of section | Bone tissue type | Number of growth cycles | Ontogenetic stage | Medullary Index (%) | Histological specialization |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
N. marchicus/ N. winterswijkensis |
MfN R 174-2 |
Humerus |
ts of proximal shaft |
lzb |
7 |
Adult |
42.5 |
Some osteosclerosis |
|
N. mirabilis |
SIPB R 54/2 |
Humerus |
dts, lts of proximal head, 9 ps |
lzb |
10 |
Adult |
63.8 |
Much reduced cortex |
|
N. mirabilis |
SIPB R 50/2 |
Femur |
dts |
lzb |
9 |
Subadult |
63.0 |
None |
|
N. mirabilis |
SIPB R 54/1 |
Femur |
dts, lts of proximal head, 8 ps |
lzb |
8 |
Adult |
42.5 |
Some osteosclerosis |
|
N. mirabilis |
SIPB R 50/1 |
Femur |
dts |
lzb |
9 |
Subadult |
32.9 |
Osteosclerosis |
|
N. giganteus |
SIPB R 45 |
Humerus |
dts |
lzb |
EFS |
Fully grown |
58.8 |
Much reduced cortex |
|
N. giganteus |
SIPB R 53 |
Humerus |
dts |
lzb |
EFS |
Fully grown |
77.4 |
Much reduced cortex |
|
N. giganteus |
SIPB R 40 |
Humerus |
ts of proximal shaft |
lzb |
/ |
Adult |
74.7 |
Much reduced cortex |
|
N. giganteus |
MHI 1903 |
Humerus |
2 mts |
lzb |
8 |
/ |
/ |
/ |
|
N. giganteus |
SIPB R 49 |
Femur |
dts |
lzb |
7 |
Subadult |
75.8 |
Much reduced cortex |
|
Nothosaurus sp. indet. |
MHI 1906 |
Humerus |
dts |
lzb |
3 |
Juvenile |
35.0 |
Osteosclerosis |
|
Nothosaurus sp. indet. |
MHI 633 |
Humerus |
dts |
flb |
3 |
Juvenile |
26.9 |
Thick cortex of flb |
|
Nothosaurus sp. indet. |
SMNS 84856 |
Femur |
dts |
lzb |
10 |
Adult |
27.8 |
Osteosclerosis |
|
Pistosaurus longaevus |
SIPB R 46 |
Humerus |
dts |
flb |
5 |
Adult |
6.7 |
Thick cortex of flb |
|
Pistosaurus longaevus |
SMNS 84825 |
Humerus |
dts |
flb |
7 |
Adult |
5.0 |
Thick cortex of flb |
|
Pistosaurus longaevus |
SIPB R 74 |
Femur |
dts |
lzb |
8 |
Subadult or adult |
65.8 |
Some osteosclerosis |
| Plesiosaurus dolichodeirus | SIPB R 90 | Femur | dts | flb | EFS | Fully grown | 35.0 | Haversian remodeling |
Overview of the sampled taxa, long bones, and histological observations. A low MI means a small medullary region. Abbreviations: dts diaphyseal thin section, EFS external fundamental system, flb fibrolamellar bone, lts longitudinal thin section, lzb lamellar zonal bone, mts metaphyseal thin section, ps polished sections, ts thin section, / absent or growth marks not identifiable.