Paleohistological analysis of Stupendemys sp. (Pleurodira, Pelomedusoides, Podocnemidae) appendicular skeleton

• Grant number: 17/01148-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2017
• End date: May 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Paleozoology
• Principal Investigator: Annie Schmaltz Hsiou
• Grantee: Caio Alves Vogt
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Paleohistology is an area that has been studied for more than a century, but studies involving bone microstructures had a significant rise some years ago. Studies in this area involving turtles had a focus in shell osteology. Results related to growth patterns did not provide sufficient data to come with a hypothesis that answers the questions about these patterns, making a study focused on long bone osteology of these animals is necessary. In this project the analysis of long bones growth lines through histological slides of Stupendemys sp. has the objective to add information about the growth patterns, allowing to infer hypothesis about the size of these organisms.