Origin attachments of the caudofemoralis longus muscle in the Jurassic dinosaur Allosaurus

• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

The caudofemoralis longus muscle (CFL) is the primary limb retractor among non-avian sauropsids, and underwent a dramatic reduction along the dinosaur lineage leading to birds. The osteological correlates of the CFL among fossil reptiles have been controversial, because, contrary to traditional interpretations, the extent of the muscle is not necessarily related to the distribution of the caudal ribs. In some Cretaceous dinosaurs, the extent of the CFL has been inferred based on the preserved bony septa between the CFL and other tail muscles. Here, we describe a series of tail vertebrae of the Jurassic dinosaur Allosaurus, each showing a previously-unreported feature: a sulcus, formed by a regular pattern of tightly packed horizontal slits, that runs vertically along the lateral surfaces of the centra and neural arches. These sulci are interpreted as the origin attachment sites of the CFL, allowing for direct determination of the muscle extent along the tail of this dinosaur. Anteriorly to the 18th caudal vertebra, the sulcus runs along most of the centrum and neural arch, then it progressively reduces its vertical extent, and disappears between caudals 24 and 32, a pattern consistent with previous CFL reconstructions in other theropods.

Słowa kluczowe

EN

Jurassic; dinosaur; Allosaurus; caudofemoralis; caudofemoralis longus muscle; ancient species; extinct species; paleontology; paleozoology; predatory dinosaur

• Wydawca: -
• Czasopismo: Acta Palaeontologica Polonica
• Rocznik: 2017
• Tom: 62
• Numer: 2
• Opis fizyczny: p.273-277,fig.,ref.

Twórcy

Bibliografia

• Alessandrini, G. 2015. Allosaurus fragilis nelle collezioni del Museo di Paleontologia dell’Università di Modena e Reggio-Emilia: analisi e descrizione. 35 pp. Unpublished Thesis, University of Bologna, Bologna.
• Brochu, C.A. 2002. Osteology of Tyrannosaurus rex: insights from a nearly complete skeleton and high-resolution computer tomographic ana lysis of the skull. Society of Vertebrate Paleontology Memoir 7: 1–138.
• Currie, P.J. and Jacobsen, A.R. 1995. An azhdarchid pterosaur eaten by a velo ciraptorine theropod. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 32: 922–925.
• Dal Sasso, C. and Maganuco, S. 2011. Scipionyx samniticus (Theropoda: Compsognathidae) from the Lower Cretaceous of Italy (Osteology, ontogenetic assessment, phylogeny, soft tissue anatomy, taphonomy and palaeobiology). Memorie della Società Italiana di Scienze Naturali e del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Milano 37: 1–281.
• Dal Sasso, C. and Signore, M. 1998. Exceptional soft-tissue preservation in a theropod dinosaur from Italy. Nature 392: 383–387.
• D’Amore, D.C. and Blumenschine, R.J. 2009. Komodo monitor (Varanus komodoensis) feeding behavior and dental function reflected through tooth marks on bone surfaces, and the application to ziphodont paleobiology. Paleobiology 35: 525–552.
• Drumheller, S.K. 2007. Experimental taphonomy and microanalysis of crocodylian feeding traces. Microscopy and Microanalysis 13 (Supplement 2): 510.
• Fiorillo, A.R. 1991. Prey bone utilization by predatory dinosaurs. Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 88: 157–166.
• Forrest, R. 2003. Evidence for scavenging by the marine crocodile Metriorhynchus on the carcass of a plesiosaur. Proceedings of the Geological Association 144: 363–366.
• Gates, T.A. 2005. The Late Jurassic Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry as a Drought-Induced Assemblage. Palaios 20: 363–375.
• Gatesy, S.M. 1990. Caudofemoral musculature and the evolution of theropod locomotion. Paleobiology 16: 170–186.
• Gatesy, S.M. 1997. An electromyographic analysis of hindlimb function in Alligator during terrestrial locomotion. Journal of Morphology 234: 197–212.
• Hutchinson, J.R. 2001. The evolution of femoral osteology and soft tissues on the line to extant birds (Neornithes). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 131: 169–197.
• Madsen, J.H., Jr. 1976. Allosaurus fragilis—a revised osteology. Utah Geologic Survey Bulletin 109: 1–163.
• Marsh, O.C. 1877. Notice of new dinosaurian reptiles from the Jurassic formation. The American Journal of Science and Arts, Series 3 14: 514–516.
• Marsh, O.C. 1878. Notice of new dinosaurian reptiles. The American Journal of Science and Arts, Series 3, 15: 241–244.
• Owen, R. 1842. Report on British fossil reptiles, part II. Reports of the British Association for the Advancement of Science 11: 60–204.
• Persons, W.S. IV and Currie, P.J. 2011a. Dinosaur Speed Demon: The Caudal Musculature of Carnotaurus sastrei and Implications for the Evolution of South American Abelisaurids. PLoS ONE 6 (10): e25763.
• Persons, W.S. IV and Currie, P.J. 2011b. The tail of Tyrannosaurus: reassessing the size and locomotive importance of the M. caudofemoralis in non-avian theropods. The Anatomical Record 294: 119–131.
• Rogers, R.R., Krause, D.V., and Curry-Rogers, C. 2003. Cannibalism in the Madagascan dinosaur Majungatholus atopus. Nature 422: 515–518.
• Romer, A.S. 1923. The pelvic musculature of saurischian dinosaurs. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 48: 605–617.

Identyfikatory

DOI

10.4202/app.00362.2017