The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

Photoluminescent visual displays:: an additional function of integumentary structures in extinct archosaurs?

Photoluminescent visual displays:: an additional function of integumentary structures in extinct archosaurs?
Photoluminescent visual displays:: an additional function of integumentary structures in extinct archosaurs?
Many extant invertebrate and vertebrate taxa possess osteological, keratinous, or chitinous structures that are photoluminescent: that is, variably coloured and patterned when observed under ultraviolet light. These features are frequently associated with inter- and/or intraspecific display. Among terrestrial vertebrates, keratinous photoluminescent capabilities are especially well documented in birds. Inspired by recent discoveries, we consider whether non-bird dinosaurs, the evolutionary precursors to birds, might also have possessed photoluminescent display structures. Dinosaurs and other bird-line archosaurs (collectively ornithodirans) often possess extravagant structures that likely functioned in visual display. From a phylogenetic bracketing perspective, UV-sensitive visual capabilities in extant reptiles – including Aves – support the likelihood of tetrachromatic vision in extinct ornithodirans. The ability to perceive the ultraviolet, or near-ultraviolet, range of the visible light spectrum, combined with the presence of extravagant, keratinous-covered display structures, supports proposals that these features may have played an important role in inter- and intraspecific visual displays and communication in extinct Mesozoic bird-line archosaurs.
Photoluminescence, archosaur, dinosaur, keratin, pterosaur, ultraviolet
0891-2963
Woodruff, D. Cary
c89a44da-6a42-4b19-b420-c3eba0904b59
Naish, Darren
aa6bd7f8-86e4-4965-bd94-20b1573b194d
Dunning, Jamie
da8e7201-c93e-4149-b668-1097aa111bb1
Woodruff, D. Cary
c89a44da-6a42-4b19-b420-c3eba0904b59
Naish, Darren
aa6bd7f8-86e4-4965-bd94-20b1573b194d
Dunning, Jamie
da8e7201-c93e-4149-b668-1097aa111bb1

Woodruff, D. Cary, Naish, Darren and Dunning, Jamie (2020) Photoluminescent visual displays:: an additional function of integumentary structures in extinct archosaurs? Historical Biology. (doi:10.1080/08912963.2020.1731806).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Many extant invertebrate and vertebrate taxa possess osteological, keratinous, or chitinous structures that are photoluminescent: that is, variably coloured and patterned when observed under ultraviolet light. These features are frequently associated with inter- and/or intraspecific display. Among terrestrial vertebrates, keratinous photoluminescent capabilities are especially well documented in birds. Inspired by recent discoveries, we consider whether non-bird dinosaurs, the evolutionary precursors to birds, might also have possessed photoluminescent display structures. Dinosaurs and other bird-line archosaurs (collectively ornithodirans) often possess extravagant structures that likely functioned in visual display. From a phylogenetic bracketing perspective, UV-sensitive visual capabilities in extant reptiles – including Aves – support the likelihood of tetrachromatic vision in extinct ornithodirans. The ability to perceive the ultraviolet, or near-ultraviolet, range of the visible light spectrum, combined with the presence of extravagant, keratinous-covered display structures, supports proposals that these features may have played an important role in inter- and intraspecific visual displays and communication in extinct Mesozoic bird-line archosaurs.

Text
08912963.2020.1731806 - Version of Record
Restricted to Repository staff only
Request a copy

More information

Accepted/In Press date: 16 February 2020
e-pub ahead of print date: 1 March 2020
Additional Information: Publisher Copyright: © 2020, © 2020 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Keywords: Photoluminescence, archosaur, dinosaur, keratin, pterosaur, ultraviolet

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 441374
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/441374
ISSN: 0891-2963
PURE UUID: 7b45eb6a-cffb-415a-926a-5691bc0000c2

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 10 Jun 2020 16:32
Last modified: 05 Jun 2024 19:00

Export record

Altmetrics

Contributors

Author: D. Cary Woodruff
Author: Darren Naish
Author: Jamie Dunning

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×