DOCSLIB.ORG

Dong '89 English

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Dong '89 English THE DISCOVERY OF THE BONY TAIL CLUB OF SAUROPODS* Dong Zhiming Peng Guangzhao Huang Daxi (Zigong Dinosaur Museum) Key words Zigong Sichuan Province; Sauropoda; Bony tail club Original English Abstract There have been 15 pieces of the bony tail club of sauropods found in the Lower Shaximiao Formation of Middle Jurassic in the Dinosaurian Quarry of Dashanpu, Zigong, Sichuan Province, China. Both of the two groups of sauropods in the Shunosaurus fauna of Dashanpu—Shunosaurus Iii and Omeisaurus tianfuensis have a bony club at the end of the tail. It has never been reported that sauropods have a bony tail club. This discovery shows that sauropods are a group of terrestrial dinosaurs, and it proves that R. T. Bakker's theory is probably correct. The characteristics of the morphology and structure of these bony tail clubs are described in this paper. The main features of the bony clubs are as follows: The shape of the bony clubs is ellipspheroidal or spindle-shaped. The anterior and posterior parts are narrow and middle part is inflated. These clubs are fused with 3–5 distal caudal vertebrae. The fused lines between the vertebrae can be seen· on the ventral part. The neural spines of the anterior vertebrae of the bony clubs are present and low, and that of the posterior vertebrae have disappeared. The neural foramen is small, runs through the whole bony club, and forms a U-shaped trough at the end. The haemal arches and diapophysis have disappeared. The main function of the bony tail clubs of sauropods, like that of ankylosaurs, is for defense. However, the tail clubs of sauropods and ankylosaurs are analogous organs. Their origin and structure are different. *Original reference: Dong Zhiming, Peng Guangzhao, and Huang Daxi. 1989. The discovery of the bony tail club of sauropods. Vertebrata PalAsiatica 27(3):219–224. Translated by Bian Wang. Edited by Tariq A. Kareem and Jeffrey A. Wilson University of Michigan, November 2018 Vol. 27 No. 3 VERTEBRATA PALASIATICA pp. 219–224 July 1989 figs. 1–3, Pl. I THE DISCOVERY OF THE BONY TAIL CLUB OF SAUROPODS Dong Zhiming Peng Guangzhao Huang Daxi (Zigong Dinosaur Museum) Key words Zigong Sichuan Province; Sauropoda; Bony tail club Abstract Spindle-shaped bony tail clubs formed by fusion and inflation of caudal vertebrae were found in Shunosaurus lii and Omeisaurus tianfuensis from the Dashanpu dinosaur site in Zigong. This is the first report of such features in sauropods. Bony tail clubs are a special structural adaptation for terrestrial lifestyle. It is primarily used as a weapon in self-defense. Its existence supports R. T. Bakker’s idea that sauropods were terrestrial dinosaurs. In 1981, when organizing stegosaur fossils from Dashanpu, Zigong, we found two elongated, irregular ball-shaped bones, which we thought were “wrist bones” of stegosaurs. Zhou Shiwu (1984), when describing Huayangosaurus taibaii, also described CV 00720 (Chongqing Museum of Nature catalog number), an elliptical bone, as a “wrist bone.” In 1984, when organizing dinosaur fossils from Dashanpu, Zigong, we examined a few relatively large elliptical bones collected by Pi Xiaozhong. Bones this large could not have been “wrist bones,” but no other evidence was available back then to explain what taxa and what skeletal position the bones belonged to. In the same year, when describing a complete skeleton of a juvenile Shunosaurus lii T 5401 (number initially given by the Sichuan Zigong Dashanpu dinosaur fossil collecting team; the specimen has been returned to Zigong Dinosaur Museum and re-catalogued as ZDM5006), Zhang Yihong et al. reported that the tail of Shunosaurus lii consisted of club-shaped fused vertebrae. They thought it resulted from injury. In 1987, we compared the tail clubs of Shunosaurus lii, the so-called “wrist-bones” of stegosaurs, and large elliptical bones collected by Pi Xiaozhong, and we confirmed that these elliptical bones were tail clubs of sauropods. Sauropods are a group of large herbivorous dinosaurs. Despite the diversity in their morphology and structures, such as Diplodocus with whip-shaped tails and Titanosaurus with dermal plates (Powell, 1980), there has been no reports of their bony tail clubs. Discovery of the tail clubs of Dashanpu sauropods has important implications for sauropod morphology and paleoecology. Section 1. Description Specimens: 15 pieces of complete bony tail club. Specimen number: V7661 (Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology catalog number), V7662, ZDM5006 (Zigong Dinosaur Museum catalog number), ZDM5007, ZDM5013-a, ZDM5035, ZDM5045, ZDM5046, ZDM5047, ZDM5048, ZDM5049, ZDM5050, ZDM5051, ZDM5052, ZDM5053, ZDM5006 and ZDM5045 are the best preserved. Locality and stratigraphy: Dashanpu, Zigong, Sichuan Province; Lower Shaximiao Formation, Middle Jurassic. Description: ZDM5006 (T5401, Zhang et al., 1984) is a complete juvenile individual of Shunosaurus lii. The vertebral column is preserved in articulation. The bone anterior to the bony tail club is enlarged compared to regular caudal vertebrae, showing apparent transition into the tail club. The tail club of ZDM 5006 (Fig. 1; Plate I, 4) is composed of three fused caudal vertebrae. The suture lines between vertebrae are not distinct/clear. The proximal end is thicker and bigger, the end surface is nearly circular and slightly concave, the middle is enlarged, the distal end is pointed; it is overall half- ellipsoid in shape. The surface is smooth, with no obvious pits or protrusions. The maximum length is 78 mm, and the maximum width is 54 mm, with a ratio of approximately 1.4 : 1. The neural arch is developed, wide and thick in shape. The neural spines of the first two vertebrae are low and connected into a low ridge. The neural spine of the last vertebra is absent. The neural canal is small; a tiny arc-shaped notch is visible above the anterior neural canal and between the anterior articular process. Neural arch is partially missing where the neural canal becomes larger and eventually turns into a U-shaped groove that extends to the end. Fig. 1. Tail club of Shunosaurus lii (ZDM5006). Above, left lateral view; below, dorsal view. The bony element anterior to the tail club of ZDM5006 (Fig. 1) is composed of two fused vertebra, which are irregular and club-shaped. The healing line/suture between these two vertebrae is clearly visible from the ventral and lateral sides. Maximum length and width are 60 mm and 44 mm, respectively. The anterior vertebra is longer than the posterior one, and both have a relatively well developed, wide, thick neural arch. The neural spine of the anterior vertebra is low, whereas that of the posterior is absent. The neural canal is small and connected all the way through, eventually turning into a U-shaped groove at the end where the neural arch is partially missing. The postzygapophysis of the posterior vertebra is highly developed and nodular in shape. On the right side of this joint, the postzygapophysis of the first vertebra and the prezygapophysis of the latter vertebra are fused into an articular arch. A small circular hole is present on the articular arch, beneath the circular hole is a rectangular hole. Both holes connect to the neural canal. On the left side, the suture/healing line is comparatively intense/strong, the articular arch is enlarged and also fused with the centrum and neural arch. The two upper and lower holes are absent. The tail club of ZDM5045 (Fig. 2; plate 5–6) is composed of five fused vertebrae. Four sutures/healing lines are visible on the ventral and lateral sides. The suture zones slightly bulge into low ridges. The first vertebra of the fused tail club is similar in morphology to the free caudal vertebra, but it gradually expands from the anterior to the posterior, and the deformation becomes greater as well. The expansion continues on the second vertebra and reaches its maximum on the third. Reduction occurs on the fourth vertebra and continues on the fifth, finally tapering at the end and giving the tail club an elongated spindle shape. The surface is rugged and filled with small wrinkles, pits, and tuberculiform bumps. Maximum length and widths are 212 mm and 104 mm, respectively, with a ratio of ~2 : 1. The ventral side of the centrum is wide and flat, with relatively obvious depression on the lateral sides. The neural arch is developed, wide and thick in shape. The neural spines on the first three vertebrae are low and appear in isolated cones. The neural spine of the first vertebra has a three-sided cone shape, extending to the back, whereas those on the second and third vertebrae are conical and point forward. The neural spines on the fourth and fifth vertebrae are absent. The neural canal is small and has a posterior opening on the right posterior side of the fifth vertebra. The U-shaped groove is not obvious. The nutrient foramina are highly developed and circular; they are located on the ventral and right lateral sides of the third vertebra, both anterior sides and left rear side of the neural spine, and the left lateral side of the fourth vertebra. Both the transverse processes and the haemal arches are absent. Besides minor variations in morphology, other specimens are fundamentally similar to the two described above. In sum the tail club of Dashanpu sauropods are fusiform or ellipsoidal in shape with tapered ends and an expansion in the middle; composed of 3–5 fused and inflated vertebrae; anterior neural spines are low, posterior neural spines are absent; neural canal is small and turns into a U-shaped groove on the end part due to partial absence of neural arch on the last vertebra; transverse processes and haemal arches are absent. Fig. 2. Tail club of Omeisaurus tianfuensis (ZDM5045) A.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Dashanpu Dinosaur Fauna of Zigong Sichuan Short Report V - Labyrinthodont Amphibia
    The Dashanpu Dinosaur Fauna of Zigong Sichuan Short Report V - Labyrinthodont Amphibia Zhiming Dong (Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology, Paleoanthropology, Academia Sinica) Vertebrata PalAsiatica Volume XXIII, No. 4 October, 1985 pp. 301-305 Translated by Will Downs Department of Geology Bilby Research Center Northern Arizona University December, 1990 Abstract A brief discussion is presented on the morphological characteristics and phylogenetic position of Sinobrachyops placenticephalus (gen. et sp. nov.). The specimen is derived from the well-known Middle Jurassic Dashanpu dinosaur quarries of Zigong County, Sichaun Province. Sinobrachyops is the youngest geological occurrence of a labyrinthodont amphibian known to date. Its discovery extends the upper geochronological limit for the Labyrinthodontia into the Middle Jurassic. Introduction The first fossils collected from Dashanpu, Zigong, in 1979, were a pair of rhachitomous vertebrae. This discovery created a sense of perplexity among the workers, for the morphology of these pleurocentra and intercentra suggested an assignment to the Labyrinthodontia. This group of amphibians, however, was traditionally believed to have become extinct in the Late Triassic, a traditional concept that must be abandoned if scientific investigation is to be advanced and left unfettered. In 1983 the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology, Paleoanthropology Academia Sinica launched a paleontological expedition in the Shishugou Formation (Middle-Late Jurassic) from the Kelameili region, northeast Jungar Basin, Xinjiang Autonomous Region, where several rhachitomous vertebrae were discovered. Later, a fragmentary skull of a labyrinthodont amphibian was collected, confirming that this group extended into the Middle Jurassic. The discovery from the Shishugou Formation convinced the workers that the rhachitomous vertebrae at Dashanpu belonged to the Labyrinthodontia.
    [Show full text]
  • The Braincase, Brain and Palaeobiology of the Basal Sauropodomorph Dinosaur Thecodontosaurus Antiquus
    applyparastyle “fig//caption/p[1]” parastyle “FigCapt” Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2020, XX, 1–22. With 10 figures. Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/advance-article/doi/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa157/6032720 by University of Bristol Library user on 14 December 2020 The braincase, brain and palaeobiology of the basal sauropodomorph dinosaur Thecodontosaurus antiquus ANTONIO BALLELL1,*, J. LOGAN KING1, JAMES M. NEENAN2, EMILY J. RAYFIELD1 and MICHAEL J. BENTON1 1School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK 2Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PW, UK Received 27 May 2020; revised 15 October 2020; accepted for publication 26 October 2020 Sauropodomorph dinosaurs underwent drastic changes in their anatomy and ecology throughout their evolution. The Late Triassic Thecodontosaurus antiquus occupies a basal position within Sauropodomorpha, being a key taxon for documenting how those morphofunctional transitions occurred. Here, we redescribe the braincase osteology and reconstruct the neuroanatomy of Thecodontosaurus, based on computed tomography data. The braincase of Thecodontosaurus shares the presence of medial basioccipital components of the basal tubera and a U-shaped basioccipital–parabasisphenoid suture with other basal sauropodomorphs and shows a distinct combination of characters: a straight outline of the braincase floor, an undivided metotic foramen, an unossified gap, large floccular fossae, basipterygoid processes perpendicular to the cultriform process in lateral view and a rhomboid foramen magnum. We reinterpret these braincase features in the light of new discoveries in dinosaur anatomy. Our endocranial reconstruction reveals important aspects of the palaeobiology of Thecodontosaurus, supporting a bipedal stance and cursorial habits, with adaptations to retain a steady head and gaze while moving.
    [Show full text]
  • Valérie Martin, Varavudh Suteethorn & Eric Buffetaut, Description of the Type and Referred Material of Phuwiangosaurus
    ORYCTOS, V ol . 2 : 39 - 91, Décembre 1999 DESCRIPTION OF THE TYPE AND REFERRED MATERIAL OF PHUWIANGOSAURUS SIRINDHORNAE MARTIN, BUFFETAUT AND SUTEETHORN, 1994, A SAUROPOD FROM THE LOWER CRETACEOUS OF THAILAND Valérie MARTIN 1, Varavudh SUTEETHORN 2 and Eric BUFFETAUT 3 1 Musée des Dinosaures, 11260 Espéraza, France 2 Geological Survey Division, Department of Mineral Resources, Rama VI Road, 10400 Bangkok, Thailand 3 CNRS (UMR 5561), 16 cour du Liégat, 75013 Paris, France Abstract : The type specimen of P. sirindhornae Martin, Buffetaut and Suteethorn, 1994 is an incomplete, partly articulated, skeleton discovered in the Phu Wiang area of northeastern Thailand). Most of the abundant sauropod material from the Sao Khua Formation (Early Cretaceous), collected on the Khorat Plateau, in northeastern Thailand, is referable to this species. Phuwiangosaurus is a middle-sized sauropod, which is clearly different from the Jurassic Chinese sauropods (Euhelopodidae). On the basis of a few jaw elements and teeth, P. sirindhornae may be considered as an early representative of the family Nemegtosauridae. Key words : Sauropoda, Osteology, Early Cretaceous, Thailand Description du type et du matériel rapporté de Phuwiangosaurus sirindhornae Martin, Buffetaut et Suteethorn, 1994, un sauropode du Crétacé inférieur de Thaïlande Résumé : Le spécimen type de Phuwiangosaurus sirindhornae est un squelette incomplet, partiellement articulé, découvert dans la région de Phu Wiang (Nord-Est de la Thaïlande). Phuwiangosaurus est un sauropode de taille moyenne (15 à 20 m de longueur) très différent des sauropodes du Jurassique chinois. La majeure partie de l’abondant matériel de sauropodes, récolté sur le Plateau de Khorat (Formation Sao Khua, Crétacé inférieur), est rap - portée à cette espèce.
    [Show full text]
  • At Carowinds
    at Carowinds EDUCATOR’S GUIDE CLASSROOM LESSON PLANS & FIELD TRIP ACTIVITIES Table of Contents at Carowinds Introduction The Field Trip ................................... 2 The Educator’s Guide ....................... 3 Field Trip Activity .................................. 4 Lesson Plans Lesson 1: Form and Function ........... 6 Lesson 2: Dinosaur Detectives ....... 10 Lesson 3: Mesozoic Math .............. 14 Lesson 4: Fossil Stories.................. 22 Games & Puzzles Crossword Puzzles ......................... 29 Logic Puzzles ................................. 32 Word Searches ............................... 37 Answer Keys ...................................... 39 Additional Resources © 2012 Dinosaurs Unearthed Recommended Reading ................. 44 All rights reserved. Except for educational fair use, no portion of this guide may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any Dinosaur Data ................................ 45 means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other without Discovering Dinosaurs .................... 52 explicit prior permission from Dinosaurs Unearthed. Multiple copies may only be made by or for the teacher for class use. Glossary .............................................. 54 Content co-created by TurnKey Education, Inc. and Dinosaurs Unearthed, 2012 Standards www.turnkeyeducation.net www.dinosaursunearthed.com Curriculum Standards .................... 59 Introduction The Field Trip From the time of the first exhibition unveiled in 1854 at the Crystal
    [Show full text]
  • A Phylogenetic Analysis of the Basal Ornithischia (Reptilia, Dinosauria)
    A PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS OF THE BASAL ORNITHISCHIA (REPTILIA, DINOSAURIA) Marc Richard Spencer A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE December 2007 Committee: Margaret M. Yacobucci, Advisor Don C. Steinker Daniel M. Pavuk © 2007 Marc Richard Spencer All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT Margaret M. Yacobucci, Advisor The placement of Lesothosaurus diagnosticus and the Heterodontosauridae within the Ornithischia has been problematic. Historically, Lesothosaurus has been regarded as a basal ornithischian dinosaur, the sister taxon to the Genasauria. Recent phylogenetic analyses, however, have placed Lesothosaurus as a more derived ornithischian within the Genasauria. The Fabrosauridae, of which Lesothosaurus was considered a member, has never been phylogenetically corroborated and has been considered a paraphyletic assemblage. Prior to recent phylogenetic analyses, the problematic Heterodontosauridae was placed within the Ornithopoda as the sister taxon to the Euornithopoda. The heterodontosaurids have also been considered as the basal member of the Cerapoda (Ornithopoda + Marginocephalia), the sister taxon to the Marginocephalia, and as the sister taxon to the Genasauria. To reevaluate the placement of these taxa, along with other basal ornithischians and more derived subclades, a phylogenetic analysis of 19 taxonomic units, including two outgroup taxa, was performed. Analysis of 97 characters and their associated character states culled, modified, and/or rescored from published literature based on published descriptions, produced four most parsimonious trees. Consistency and retention indices were calculated and a bootstrap analysis was performed to determine the relative support for the resultant phylogeny. The Ornithischia was recovered with Pisanosaurus as its basalmost member.
    [Show full text]
  • Titanosauriform Teeth from the Cretaceous of Japan
    “main” — 2011/2/10 — 15:59 — page 247 — #1 Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências (2011) 83(1): 247-265 (Annals of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences) Printed version ISSN 0001-3765 / Online version ISSN 1678-2690 www.scielo.br/aabc Titanosauriform teeth from the Cretaceous of Japan HARUO SAEGUSA1 and YUKIMITSU TOMIDA2 1Museum of Nature and Human Activities, Hyogo, Yayoigaoka 6, Sanda, 669-1546, Japan 2National Museum of Nature and Science, 3-23-1 Hyakunin-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-0073, Japan Manuscript received on October 25, 2010; accepted for publication on January 7, 2011 ABSTRACT Sauropod teeth from six localities in Japan were reexamined. Basal titanosauriforms were present in Japan during the Early Cretaceous before Aptian, and there is the possibility that the Brachiosauridae may have been included. Basal titanosauriforms with peg-like teeth were present during the “mid” Cretaceous, while the Titanosauria with peg-like teeth was present during the middle of Late Cretaceous. Recent excavations of Cretaceous sauropods in Asia showed that multiple lineages of sauropods lived throughout the Cretaceous in Asia. Japanese fossil records of sauropods are conformable with this hypothesis. Key words: Sauropod, Titanosauriforms, tooth, Cretaceous, Japan. INTRODUCTION humerus from the Upper Cretaceous Miyako Group at Moshi, Iwaizumi Town, Iwate Pref. (Hasegawa et al. Although more than twenty four dinosaur fossil local- 1991), all other localities provided fossil teeth (Tomida ities have been known in Japan (Azuma and Tomida et al. 2001, Tomida and Tsumura 2006, Saegusa et al. 1998, Kobayashi et al. 2006, Saegusa et al. 2008, Ohara 2008, Azuma and Shibata 2010).
    [Show full text]
  • Re-Description of the Sauropod Dinosaur Amanzia (“Ornithopsis
    Schwarz et al. Swiss J Geosci (2020) 113:2 https://doi.org/10.1186/s00015-020-00355-5 Swiss Journal of Geosciences ORIGINAL PAPER Open Access Re-description of the sauropod dinosaur Amanzia (“Ornithopsis/Cetiosauriscus”) greppini n. gen. and other vertebrate remains from the Kimmeridgian (Late Jurassic) Reuchenette Formation of Moutier, Switzerland Daniela Schwarz1* , Philip D. Mannion2 , Oliver Wings3 and Christian A. Meyer4 Abstract Dinosaur remains were discovered in the 1860’s in the Kimmeridgian (Late Jurassic) Reuchenette Formation of Moutier, northwestern Switzerland. In the 1920’s, these were identifed as a new species of sauropod, Ornithopsis greppini, before being reclassifed as a species of Cetiosauriscus (C. greppini), otherwise known from the type species (C. stewarti) from the late Middle Jurassic (Callovian) of the UK. The syntype of “C. greppini” consists of skeletal elements from all body regions, and at least four individuals of diferent sizes can be distinguished. Here we fully re-describe this material, and re-evaluate its taxonomy and systematic placement. The Moutier locality also yielded a theropod tooth, and fragmen- tary cranial and vertebral remains of a crocodylomorph, also re-described here. “C.” greppini is a small-sized (not more than 10 m long) non-neosauropod eusauropod. Cetiosauriscus stewarti and “C.” greppini difer from each other in: (1) size; (2) the neural spine morphology and diapophyseal laminae of the anterior caudal vertebrae; (3) the length-to-height proportion in the middle caudal vertebrae; (4) the presence or absence of ridges and crests on the middle caudal cen- tra; and (5) the shape and proportions of the coracoid, humerus, and femur.
    [Show full text]
  • Journal of Anatomy
    Journal of Anatomy J. Anat. (2017) 230, pp325--336 doi: 10.1111/joa.12557 Reconstruction of body cavity volume in terrestrial tetrapods Marcus Clauss,1 Irina Nurutdinova,2 Carlo Meloro,3 Hanns-Christian Gunga,4 Duofang Jiang,2 Johannes Koller,2 Bernd Herkner,5 P. Martin Sander6 and Olaf Hellwich2 1Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland 2Computer Vision and Remote Sensing, Technical University Berlin, Berlin, Germany 3Research Centre in Evolutionary Anthropology and Palaeoecology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK 4ChariteCrossOver - Institute of Physiology, Berlin, Germany 5Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum, Frankfurt (Main), Germany 6Steinmann Institute of Palaeontology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany Abstract Although it is generally assumed that herbivores have more voluminous body cavities due to larger digestive tracts required for the digestion of plant fiber, this concept has not been addressed quantitatively. We estimated the volume of the torso in 126 terrestrial tetrapods (synapsids including basal synapsids and mammals, and diapsids including birds, non-avian dinosaurs and reptiles) classified as either herbivore or carnivore in digital models of mounted skeletons, using the convex hull method. The difference in relative torso volume between diet types was significant in mammals, where relative torso volumes of herbivores were about twice as large as that of carnivores, supporting the general hypothesis. However, this effect was not evident in diapsids. This may either reflect the difficulty to reliably reconstruct mounted skeletons in non-avian dinosaurs, or a fundamental difference in the bauplan of different groups of tetrapods, for example due to differences in respiratory anatomy.
    [Show full text]
  • Inferring Body Mass in Extinct Terrestrial Vertebrates and the Evolution of Body Size in a Model-Clade of Dinosaurs (Ornithopoda)
    Inferring Body Mass in Extinct Terrestrial Vertebrates and the Evolution of Body Size in a Model-Clade of Dinosaurs (Ornithopoda) by Nicolás Ernesto José Campione Ruben A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Toronto © Copyright by Nicolás Ernesto José Campione Ruben 2013 Inferring body mass in extinct terrestrial vertebrates and the evolution of body size in a model-clade of dinosaurs (Ornithopoda) Nicolás E. J. Campione Ruben Doctor of Philosophy Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Toronto 2013 Abstract Organismal body size correlates with almost all aspects of ecology and physiology. As a result, the ability to infer body size in the fossil record offers an opportunity to interpret extinct species within a biological, rather than simply a systematic, context. Various methods have been proposed by which to estimate body mass (the standard measure of body size) that center on two main approaches: volumetric reconstructions and extant scaling. The latter are particularly contentious when applied to extinct terrestrial vertebrates, particularly stem-based taxa for which living relatives are difficult to constrain, such as non-avian dinosaurs and non-therapsid synapsids, resulting in the use of volumetric models that are highly influenced by researcher bias. However, criticisms of scaling models have not been tested within a comprehensive extant dataset. Based on limb measurements of 200 mammals and 47 reptiles, linear models were generated between limb measurements (length and circumference) and body mass to test the hypotheses that phylogenetic history, limb posture, and gait drive the relationship between stylopodial circumference and body mass as critics suggest.
    [Show full text]
  • Discovery of Omeisaurus (Dinosauria: Sauropoda)
    第57卷 第2期 古 脊 椎 动 物 学 报 pp. 105–116 figs. 1–3 2019年4月 VERTEBRATA PALASIATICA DOI: 10.19615/j.cnki.1000-3118.181115 Discovery of Omeisaurus (Dinosauria: Sauropoda) in the Middle Jurassic Shaximiao Formation of Yunyang, Chongqing, China TAN Chao1 DAI Hui1 HE Jian-Jun1 ZHANG Feng1 HU Xu-Feng1 YU Hai-Dong1 LI Ning1 WEI Guang-Biao2 PENG Guang-Zhao3 YE Yong3 ZHANG Qian-Nan4,5,6 REN Xin-Xin4,5,6 YOU Hai-Lu4,5,6* (1 Chongqing Laboratory of Geological Heritage Protection and Research, No. 208 Hydrogeological and Engineering Geological Team, Chongqing Bureau of Geological and Mineral Resource Exploration and Development Chongqing 400700) (2 Chongqing Institute of Geological Survey Chongqing 401122) (3 Zigong Dinosaur Museum Zigong, Sichuan 643013) (4 Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100044) (5 CAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment Beijing 100044) (6 University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 * Corresponding author: [email protected]) Abstract A cervical vertebra recovered from the Middle Jurassic Lower Member of the Shaximiao Formation in Town of Puan, Yunyang County, Chongqing is assigned to an species undeterminata of the sauropod dinosaur Omeisaurus based on morphological and comparative study. The centrum of this mid-cervical is much hollower than solider with extremely developed fossa/foramen complex and has a high ratio (5.05) of its anteroposterior length excluding the articular ball divided by the mean value of the posterior articular surface mediolateral width and dorsoventral height.
    [Show full text]
  • Osteological Revision of the Holotype of the Middle
    Osteological revision of the holotype of the Middle Jurassic sauropod dinosaur Patagosaurus fariasi (Sauropoda: Cetiosauridae) BONAPARTE 1979 Femke Holwerda, Oliver W.M. Rauhut, Pol Diego To cite this version: Femke Holwerda, Oliver W.M. Rauhut, Pol Diego. Osteological revision of the holotype of the Middle Jurassic sauropod dinosaur Patagosaurus fariasi (Sauropoda: Cetiosauridae) BONAPARTE 1979. 2020. hal-02977029 HAL Id: hal-02977029 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-02977029 Preprint submitted on 27 Oct 2020 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. 1 Osteological revision of the holotype of the Middle Jurassic sauropod 2 dinosaur Patagosaurus fariasi (Sauropoda: Cetiosauridae) 3 BONAPARTE 1979 4 5 Femke M Holwerda1234, Oliver W M Rauhut156, Diego Pol78 6 7 1 Staatliche Naturwissenscha�liche Sammlungen Bayerns (SNSB), Bayerische Staatssamlung für 8 Paläontologie und Geologie, Richard-Wagner-Strasse 10, 80333 München, Germany 9 10 2 Department of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Princetonlaan, 3584 CD Utrecht, 10 Netherlands 11 12 3 Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology, Drumheller, AlbertaT0J 0Y0, Canada (current) 13 14 4 Fachgruppe Paläoumwelt, GeoZentrum Nordbayern, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen- 15 Nürnberg, Loewenichstr. 28, 91054 Erlangen, Germany 16 17 5 Department für Umwelt- und Geowissenscha�en, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Richard- 18 Wagner-Str.
    [Show full text]
  • A New Middle Jurassic Diplodocoid Suggests an Earlier Dispersal and Diversification of Sauropod Dinosaurs
    ARTICLE DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05128-1 OPEN A new Middle Jurassic diplodocoid suggests an earlier dispersal and diversification of sauropod dinosaurs Xing Xu1, Paul Upchurch2, Philip D. Mannion 3, Paul M. Barrett 4, Omar R. Regalado-Fernandez 2, Jinyou Mo5, Jinfu Ma6 & Hongan Liu7 1234567890():,; The fragmentation of the supercontinent Pangaea has been suggested to have had a profound impact on Mesozoic terrestrial vertebrate distributions. One current paradigm is that geo- graphic isolation produced an endemic biota in East Asia during the Jurassic, while simul- taneously preventing diplodocoid sauropod dinosaurs and several other tetrapod groups from reaching this region. Here we report the discovery of the earliest diplodocoid, and the first from East Asia, to our knowledge, based on fossil material comprising multiple individuals and most parts of the skeleton of an early Middle Jurassic dicraeosaurid. The new discovery challenges conventional biogeographical ideas, and suggests that dispersal into East Asia occurred much earlier than expected. Moreover, the age of this new taxon indicates that many advanced sauropod lineages originated at least 15 million years earlier than previously realised, achieving a global distribution while Pangaea was still a coherent landmass. 1 Key Laboratory of Evolutionary Systematics of Vertebrates, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology & Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100044 Beijing, China. 2 Department of Earth Sciences, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK. 3 Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK. 4 Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK. 5 Natural History Museum of Guangxi, 530012 Nanning, Guangxi, China.
    [Show full text]