Quantitative estimates of visual performance features in fossil birds

Journal of Morphology
Lars Schmitz

Abstract

Eyeball structures such as the lens diameter (LD) and axial length are generally assumed to be highly correlated with optically meaningful parameters. However, these optical constraints on eyeball macroanatomy have never been tested explicitly. Tradeoffs between benefits of improved visual performance and cost of adaptation from an increase of tissue production predict that when eyeball size increases, optical parameters such as posterior nodal distance and maximum entrance pupil diameter should increase isometrically with eyeball axial length and LD, respectively. Here I show quantitatively that the interspecific allometry of the avian eye largely follows this predicted isometry. Additionally, I elaborate a method to estimate optically significant eyeball soft-tissue dimensions from scleral ring and orbit morphology based on analyses of interspecific allometry in Aves. The stringent correlations between avian eyeball morphology and optical function render this system ideal for the analysis of form-function relationships and allow for an accurate estimate of optically significant eyeball soft-tissue dimensions such as diameter, axial length, and LD in fossil species.

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Citations

Apr 16, 2011·Science·Lars Schmitz, Ryosuke Motani
Sep 5, 2014·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·K D Angielczyk, L Schmitz
Sep 25, 2009·The Anatomical Record : Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology·Margaret I HallCristián Gutiérrez-Ibáñez
Jul 28, 2011·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·Ryosuke Motani, Lars Schmitz
Jul 19, 2016·Current Biology : CB·Tyler R LysonG S Bever
Mar 9, 2017·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Malcolm A MacIverCurtis D Mobley
Oct 29, 2018·The Anatomical Record : Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology·Stephanie M SmithSteve C Wang
Dec 15, 2018·The Anatomical Record : Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology·Tamara Anne Franz-Odendaal
May 8, 2021·Science·Jonah N ChoiniereRoger B J Benson

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