Metatarsal II osteohistology of Xixianykus zhangi (Theropoda: Alvarezsauria) and its implications for the development of the arctometatarsalian pes
Received date: 2019-03-26
Online published: 2019-07-20
The late-branching alvarezsaurian Xixianykus zhangi is among the smallest known non-avialan theropods. With great similarity to its close relatives, it is highly cursorial as indicated by proportionally long lower segments of the hindlimbs and the presence of an arctometatarsalian pes-a highly modified structure that has been suggested to improve cursorial capability in theropods. Here we describe the osteohistology of the metatarsal II of the holotype of X. zhangi (XMDFEC V 0011). Two rarely reported histological features, radial vascular canals and Sharpey’s fibers, are presented in this study. We suggest that both features are related to the development of the arctometatarsalian pes; however, further investigations of metatarsal osteohistology in theropods are required for the validation of our interpretation.
QIN Zi-Chuan, ZHAO Qi, XU Xing . Metatarsal II osteohistology of Xixianykus zhangi (Theropoda: Alvarezsauria) and its implications for the development of the arctometatarsalian pes[J]. Vertebrata Palasiatica, 2019 , 57(3) : 205 -213 . DOI: 10.19615/j.cnki.1000-3118.190425
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