Figure 5
From: Palaeohistology reveals a slow pace of life for the dwarfed Sicilian elephant
Tusk histology. (a) MicroCT—scan section of P. falconeri tusks. 1: Transversal microCT—scan section of CAT-102 tusk showing dark (winter) light (summer) bands; observe that the winter bands are thinner than summer bands. 2: magnification of (1) showing the last 5 annual incremental bands (pairs of dark–light dentine bands). 3: thin external cementum layer. (b) CAT-24 tusk (slide 24 B2-L1-110305.1) under green fluorescence light (for better visibility of the structures); measurements were taken between daily cross striations to calculate mean daily secretion rate (DSR); white line: prism; the prism was carefully followed as it decussated to estimate the days along the prism between the annual increments; white bars: key annual FOIs; the calculated number of days (white numbers) confirms the annual nature of the increments; Zeiss Scope.A1 microscope fluorescence light. (c) tusk 5 (slide 5-2–4) exemplifies the arrangement of daily increments (parallel green lines) and sub-daily increments (white lines) deposited along the border of the pulp cavity (dark area upper left). (d) CAT 100 tusk with monthly (second-order) increments; red arrow: cementum-dentine junction; (b) green arrows: second-order increments. Zeiss Scope A1 microscope with integrated digital camera (AxioCam ICc5).
