The oldest record of aquatic amniote congenital scoliosis.

ABSTRACT: We report the first occurrence of congenital scoliosis in an early Permian aquatic parareptile, Stereosternum tumidum from Paraná state, Brazil. The spine malformation is caused by a congenital hemivertebra. These observations give insight into the biomechanical aspects of underwater locomotion in an axial skeleton-compromised aquatic amniote. This is the oldest record of a hemivertebra in an aquatic animal.

SUBMITTER: Szczygielski T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5608408 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature