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Determining Average Dinosaur Size Using the Most Recent Comprehensive Body Mass Data Set

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Determining Average Dinosaur Size Using the Most Recent Comprehensive Body Mass Data Set Answers Research Journal 8 (2015):85–91. www.answersingenesis.org/arj/v8/average-dinosaur-size.pdf Determining Average Dinosaur Size Using the Most Recent Comprehensive Body Mass Data Set Timothy L. Clarey, Institute for Creation Research, 1806 Royal Lane, Dallas, Texas 75229. Jeffrey P. Tomkins, Institute for Creation Research, 1806 Royal Lane, Dallas, Texas 75229. Abstract The median mass of a dinosaur is determined to be 630 kg (1389 lb), or the size of an American bison, based on the largest published and most accurate data set to date. Most dinosaurs seem to have stayed very small (0–60 kg [0–132 lb]) or grew very large (1081–56,000 kg [2383–123,459 lb]), with less species in the medium-sized range. The dinosaurs buried in the lower Flood layers (Upper Triassic series) were mostly small. Although there was an average size increase upward into younger Flood layers, it was not universal or statistically strong. There were many small dinosaurs buried throughout the entire spectrum of dinosaur-bearing rocks. The largest sauropodomorphs were buried in the Upper Jurassic series, about midway through the Flood record of dinosaurs. Whereas, ornithopods showed an increase in size from earliest to latest Flood deposits, attaining greatest size in the Upper Cretaceous series. Theropods generally showed an increase in size from the earliest deposits to the later Flood deposits, but had a small peak in size in the Middle Jurassic deposits also. The sizes of dinosaurs buried at different times LQWKH)ORRGVHHPWRKDYHEHHQLQÁXHQFHGE\VHYHUDOIDFWRUVLQFOXGLQJKDELWDWHOHYDWLRQPRELOLW\DQG reaction to danger or intelligence. The larger brain size and mobility of the coelurosaur theropods may explain their prevalence in the Cretaceous system. Higher mobility of theropods in general may explain their greater than expected proportion of footprints also. Keywords: dinosaur mass, dinosaur size, Sauropodomorph, Theropod, Marginocephalia, Ornithopod, Thyreophoran, Ornithischia Introduction Herrerasauria It has often been stated in the literature that the average dinosaur was only the size of a sheep or large Ceratosauria dog. This notion probably originated in the secular Carnosauria VFLHQWLÀFOLWHUDWXUHZKHUH+RUQHUDQG/HVVHP have claimed that most dinosaurs were smaller Coelurosauria than bulls, and in popular literature where Crichton Theropoda KDVVWDWHGWKDWWKH\ZHUHWKHVL]HRIVKHHSRU Saurischia Therizinosauridae a pony. Unfortunately, most of these estimates have been based on very little empirical data. It is critical Sauropoda that creationists base their statements on the best available data, so this contribution hopefully assists that endeavor. Prosauropoda There are about 1350 species of dinosaurs, with Sauropodomorpha VHYHUDOQHZQDPHGHDFK\HDU 2·*RUPDQDQG+RQH Dinosauria Fabrosauridae 0RVW RI WKHVH DUH QDPHG RQ LQFRPSOHWH specimens, so occasionally a species becomes Ornithopods combined with another, reducing the overall number Ornithopoda RIVSHFLHV%HQWRQ HVWLPDWHGWKDWWKHRYHUDOO Pachycephalosauria success rate in naming a new dinosaur species has been about 50%. A lot of this uncertainty is due to the Ornithischia Ceratopsia fragmentary nature of most discoveries. Fig. 1 shows one way to classify dinosaurs. Marginocephalia Stegosauria 'LQRVDXULDDUHÀUVWGLYLGHGLQWRWZRFODGHV 2UGHUV E\KLSVW\OHWKH2UQLWKLVFKLD ELUGKLSSHG DQGWKH Ankylosauria 6DXULVFKLD OL]DUGKLSSHG 7KHVH WZR JURXSV DUH Thyreophora IXUWKHU VXEGLYLGHG LQWR ÀYH VXERUGHUV EDVHG RQ Fig. 1. &XUUHQW VHFXODU FODVVLÀFDWLRQ KLHUDUFK\ IRU DGGLWLRQDO VNHOHWDO VLPLODULWLHV WKH 7K\UHRSKRUD dinosaurs. ISSN: 1937-9056 Copyright © 2015, 2016 Answers in Genesis, Inc. All content is owned by Answers in Genesis (“AiG”) unless otherwise indicated. AiG consents to unlimited copying and distribution of print copies of Answers Research Journal articles for non-commercial, non-sale purposes only, provided the following conditions are met: the author of the article is clearly identified; Answers in Genesis is acknowledged as the copyright owner; Answers Research Journal and its website, www.answersresearchjournal.org, are acknowledged as the publication source; and the integrity of the work is not compromised in any way. For website and other electronic distribution and publication, AiG consents to republication of article abstracts with direct links to the full papers on the ARJ website. All rights reserved. For more information write to: Answers in Genesis, PO Box 510, Hebron, KY 41048, Attn: Editor, Answers Research Journal. The views expressed are those of the writer(s) and not necessarily those of the Answers Research Journal Editor or of Answers in Genesis. 86 T. L. Clarey and J. P. Tomkins WKH 0DUJLQRFHSKDOLD WKH 2UQLWKRSRGD WKH ERQHV DQ DYHUDJH GLQRVDXU VL]H KDV EHHQ GLIÀFXOW Sauropodomorpha and the Theropoda. Currently WR GHWHUPLQH $Q HDUO\ DWWHPSW E\ 3HF]NLV accepted infraorders are also shown for each XVHGGLQRVDXUJHQHUD3HF]NLVGHWHUPLQHGWKDW suborder. The data set used in this study occasionally the mass of dinosaurs varied across six orders of differentiated down to the Family level. magnitude with the modal mass range falling in Determining the exact mass of a dinosaur is WKH ²WRQQHV ² 86 VKRUW WRQV ² VRPHWKLQJZH·OOQHYHUEHDEOHWRGRZLWKRXWDOLYLQJ %ULWLVK ORQJ WRQV FDWHJRU\ 0RUH UHFHQW UHVHDUFK VSHFLPHQ6FLHQWLVWVFDQRQO\PDNHHVWLPDWHVXVLQJ has examined individual species instead of genera. VNHOHWDO GDWD )RU WKLV UHDVRQ PDVV HVWLPDWHV 2·*RUPDQ DQG +RQH XVHG VSHFLHV RI for some dinosaurs have changed dramatically dinosaurs, but relied heavily on less accurate over the years. The earliest models and paintings methods of mass estimation, including bone lengths portrayed dinosaurs as fat, sluggish, lethargic- DQG VFDOH PRGHOV %HQVRQ HW DO H[FOXVLYHO\ ORRNLQJUHSWLOHV0RVWRIWKHÀUVWUHFRQVWUXFWLRQVRI used leg bone shaft circumference measurements of XSULJKWGLQRVDXUVZHUHLQWKHFODVVLFNDQJDURROLNH 441 species of dinosaurs and fossil birds to compile pose, with the tail dragging on the ground behind. their mass estimates. 0RUH UHFHQW SRUWUD\DOV KDYH PDGH GLQRVDXUV LQWR leaner and more agile-moving creatures. Detailed Methods FRPSXWHU DQDO\VHV IRRWSULQW GDWD VKRZLQJ D ODFN 7KH GDWD XVHG LQ WKLV VWXG\ ZDV WDNHQ IURP RIWDLOGUDJJLQJPDUNVDQGPRYLHVVXFKDVJurassic the species listed in Dataset S1 of Benson et al. Park have made these slimmer reconstructions 7KHVH GDWD LQFOXGH VSHFLHV QDPH VXERUGHU mainstream. FODVVLÀFDWLRQVRPHLQIUDRUGHUVDPDVVHVWLPDWH NJ There are three generally accepted ways if leg bone material was available and the level of WR HVWLPDWH GLQRVDXU PDVV XVH RI OHJ ERQH RFFXUUHQFHLQWKHURFNVWUDWD7KLVLVOLNHO\WKHPRVW FLUFXPIHUHQFHV XVH RI ÁHVKHGRXW VFDOH PRGHOV accurate, and comprehensive, data set of dinosaur DQG XVHRIOHJERQHOHQJWKV6RPHSDOHRQWRORJLVWV mass estimates to date. Unfortunately the data set SUHIHU WR XVH VFDOH PRGHOV /XFDV EXW WKHUH also included many fossil birds. are distinct advantages and disadvantages to all Before beginning our study, we eliminated all mass methods. The beauty of the circumference method is HVWLPDWHVWKDWZHUHFODVVLÀHGDVELUGV $YLDODH DQG in its simplicity. All a paleontologist needs is a couple ÀYHDUJXDEOHELUGOLNHVSHFLHVWKDWZHUHFODVVLÀHGDV of leg bones, which are often well preserved, in order theropods such as Microraptor gui. We also dropped WRPDNHDUHDVRQDEOHHVWLPDWHRIERG\PDVVDQGWKH all species that had no given mass estimate, paring same is true of the leg-length method. GRZQ RXU DQDO\VLV WR D ÀQDO WRWDO RI GLQRVDXU $QGHUVRQ +DOO0DUWLQ DQG 5XVVHOO VSHFLHV 7KLV ÀQDO GDWD VHW LQFOXGHG VRPH PDVV developed a method to estimate mass of a quadruped estimates from different species within the same based on the circumferences of the humerus and genus when leg bone material was available. We also femur bones, measured at the midpoint where left in 10 theropods and one sauropodomorph with the bones are the thinnest. They summed the two PXOWLSOH WZRDQGVRPHWLPHVWKUHH PDVVHVWLPDWHV circumferences and plotted the value against body from the same species, but determined using different mass on a logarithmic scale and found a straight- specimens. OLQHUHODWLRQVKLSDQGFRUUHVSRQGLQJEHVWÀWHTXDWLRQ :HZHUHDEOHWRH[WUDFWFODVVLÀFDWLRQLQIRUPDWLRQ for us to use. A similar method involving the from the published data set to place each of the circumference of only the femur was also developed GLQRVDXUVLQWRRQHRIWKHÀYHVXERUGHUVOLVWHGLQ)LJ IRU ELSHGDO GLQRVDXUV $QGHUVRQ +DOO0DUWLQ DQG )XUWKHU FODVVLÀFDWLRQ LQWR LQIUDRUGHUV ZDV QRW 5XVVHOO attempted as the numbers in some of these categories The scale model method requires a more complete ZHUH TXLWH VPDOO PDNLQJ VWDWLVWLFDO DQDO\VLV OHVV VNHOHWRQWREHJLQZLWKLQRUGHUWRPDNHDQHVWLPDWH meaningful. We also used the geologic occurrence and may be less accurate due to a possible greater information given for each specimen to place the YDULDWLRQ LQ WKH ÁHVKHGRXW YROXPH RI WKH PRGHO dinosaurs into one of six, accepted geologic series, %HQVRQ HW DO 7KH OHJ ERQH OHQJWK PHWKRG WKH8SSHU7ULDVVLFWKH/RZHU-XUDVVLFWKH0LGGOH of estimating dinosaur mass is also thought to be -XUDVVLFWKH8SSHU-XUDVVLFWKH/RZHU&UHWDFHRXV less reliable compared to the circumference method and the Upper Cretaceous, in ascending Flood %HQVRQHWDO depositional order. Two of the 350 dinosaur species There have been several large studies that have used in this study did not have any geologic series tried to address the question of average dinosaur information provided. Statistics and graphing of data size. However, because most dinosaur specimens are ZHUHGRQHXVLQJERWK06([FHODQGWKH5VWDWLVWLFDO
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