Comments on: Carnotaurus Had a Hefty Neck http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/dinosaur/2012/08/carnotaurus-had-a-hefty-neck/ Where Paleontology Meets Pop Culture Sat, 22 Dec 2012 16:48:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4 By: Thomas R. Holtz, Jr. http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/dinosaur/2012/08/carnotaurus-had-a-hefty-neck/comment-page-1/#comment-6844 Thomas R. Holtz, Jr. Wed, 15 Aug 2012 20:22:59 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/dinosaur/?p=8277#comment-6844 Although I've not investigated this formally, I strongly suspect that the powerfully-built scapulae of abelisaurids may be associated with some pretty massive cervical muscles. (They certainly don't have those huge scapulae for their tiny little arms.) Although I’ve not investigated this formally, I strongly suspect that the powerfully-built scapulae of abelisaurids may be associated with some pretty massive cervical muscles. (They certainly don’t have those huge scapulae for their tiny little arms.)

]]> By: Andrea Cau http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/dinosaur/2012/08/carnotaurus-had-a-hefty-neck/comment-page-1/#comment-6843 Andrea Cau Wed, 15 Aug 2012 19:28:50 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/dinosaur/?p=8277#comment-6843 Sorry, part of my comment was truncated. Lockley et al. (2008) provided an explanation for forelimb reduction in large-headed, robust-necked theropods like Tyrannosaurus and Carnotaurus: develomnental exaggeration or emphasis in one organ or region of the body may result in under-development in adjacent organs, as required by the principle of compensation, in particular in animals that are obligatory bipeds. The forelimb reduction in Majungasaurus appears as less advanced than in Carnotaurus (Bursch and Carrano 2012), thus it may show an intermediate stage along the lineage leading to Carnotaurus in both skul shortening, neck thickening and forearm reduction, according to Lockley et al's "morphotrend". Lockley, M., R. Kukihara, and L. Mitchell. 2008. Why Tyrannosaurus Rex Had Puny Arms: An Integral Morphodynamic Solution To A Simple Puzzle in Theropod Paleobiology. P. 130-164 In Tyrannosaurus Rex: The Tyrant King , Larson, P. and K. Carpenter (eds.). Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press. Burch, S., and Carrano, M.T. 2012. An articulated pectoral girdle and forelimb of the abelisaurid theropod Majungasaurus crenatissimus from the Late Cretaceous of Madagascar, Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 32: 1-16. Sorry, part of my comment was truncated.
Lockley et al. (2008) provided an explanation for forelimb reduction in large-headed, robust-necked theropods like Tyrannosaurus and Carnotaurus: develomnental exaggeration or emphasis in one organ or region of the body may result in under-development in adjacent organs, as required by the principle of compensation, in particular in animals that are obligatory bipeds.
The forelimb reduction in Majungasaurus appears as less advanced than in Carnotaurus (Bursch and Carrano 2012), thus it may show an intermediate stage along the lineage leading to Carnotaurus in both skul shortening, neck thickening and forearm reduction, according to Lockley et al’s “morphotrend”.

Lockley, M., R. Kukihara, and L. Mitchell. 2008. Why Tyrannosaurus Rex Had Puny Arms: An Integral Morphodynamic Solution To A Simple Puzzle in Theropod Paleobiology. P. 130-164 In Tyrannosaurus Rex: The Tyrant King , Larson, P. and K. Carpenter (eds.). Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.

Burch, S., and Carrano, M.T. 2012. An articulated pectoral girdle and forelimb of the abelisaurid theropod Majungasaurus crenatissimus from the Late Cretaceous of Madagascar, Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 32: 1-16.

]]> By: Andrea Cau http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/dinosaur/2012/08/carnotaurus-had-a-hefty-neck/comment-page-1/#comment-6842 Andrea Cau Wed, 15 Aug 2012 19:17:57 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/dinosaur/?p=8277#comment-6842 Lockley et al. (2008) provided an explanation for forelimb reduction in large-headed, robust-necked theropods like Tyrannosaurus and Carnotaurus: develomnental exaggeration or emphasis in one organ or region of the body may result in under-development in adjacent organs, as required by the principle of compensation, in particular in animal that are obligatory bipeds. Lockley, M., R. Kukihara, and L. Mitchell. 2008. Why Tyrannosaurus Rex Had Puny Arms: An Integral Morphodynamic Solution To A Simple Puzzle in Theropod Paleobiology. P. 130-164 In Tyrannosaurus Rex: The Tyrant King , Larson, P. and K. Carpenter (eds.). Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press. Lockley et al. (2008) provided an explanation for forelimb reduction in large-headed, robust-necked theropods like Tyrannosaurus and Carnotaurus: develomnental exaggeration or emphasis in one organ or region of the body may result in under-development in adjacent organs, as required by the principle of compensation, in particular in animal that are obligatory bipeds.

Lockley, M., R. Kukihara, and L. Mitchell. 2008. Why Tyrannosaurus Rex Had Puny Arms: An Integral Morphodynamic
Solution To A Simple Puzzle in Theropod Paleobiology. P. 130-164 In Tyrannosaurus Rex: The Tyrant King , Larson, P. and K. Carpenter (eds.). Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.

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