Osteoderm distribution has low impact on the centre of mass of stegosaurs
It has been hypothesized that the pronounced differences of stegosaur humeral shapes, with large forms having more slender and small forms having more robust humeri, may be explained by a difference in relative centre of mass (COM) placement caused by differing distributions of osteoderms. To test t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Copernicus Publications
2014-03-01
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| Series: | Fossil Record |
| Online Access: | http://www.foss-rec.net/17/33/2014/fr-17-33-2014.pdf |
| Summary: | It has been hypothesized that the pronounced differences of stegosaur
humeral shapes, with large forms having more slender and small forms having
more robust humeri, may be explained by a difference in relative centre of
mass (COM) placement caused by differing distributions of osteoderms. To
test this hypothesis, digital 3-D models of the bones and osteoderms of the
Tanzanian stegosaur <i>Kentrosaurus aethiopicus</i> and of the North
American stegosaur <i>Stegosaurus armatus</i> were used to create
a 3-D computer-aided design life reconstruction. On these models osteoderm
placement was varied drastically, recreating both existing and hypothetical
forms. These models show that COM position varies somewhat with realistic
osteoderm distributions, but insufficiently to explain major differences in
humeral shape. The uniform weight distribution between forelimbs and hindlimbs
found between the two taxa also casts doubt on the hypothesis that
differences in relative COM position caused by other factors than osteoderm
distribution can explain differences in humeral robustness. |
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| ISSN: | 2193-0066 2193-0074 |