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Variation in the shape and mechanical performance of the lower jaws in ceratopsid dinosaurs (Ornithischia, Ceratopsia)
- Source :
- Journal of Anatomy. 227:631-646
- Publication Year :
- 2015
- Publisher :
- Wiley, 2015.
-
Abstract
- Ceratopsidae represents a group of quadrupedal herbivorous dinosaurs that inhabited western North America and eastern Asia during the Late Cretaceous. Although horns and frills of the cranium are highly variable across species, the lower jaw historically has been considered to be relatively conservative in morphology. Here, the lower jaws from 58 specimens representing 21 ceratopsoid taxa were sampled, using geometric morphometrics and 2D finite element analysis (FEA) to explore differences in morphology and mechanical performance across Ceratopsoidea (the clade including Ceratopsidae, Turanoceratops and Zuniceratops). Principal component analyses and non-parametric permuted MANOVAs highlight Triceratopsini as a morphologically distinct clade within the sample. A relatively robust and elongate dentary, a larger and more elongated coronoid process, and a small and dorso-ventrally compressed angular characterize this clade, as well as the absolutely larger size. By contrast, non-triceratopsin chasmosaurines, Centrosaurini and Pachyrhinosaurini have similar morphologies to each other. Zuniceratops and Avaceratops are distinct from other taxa. No differences in size between Pachyrhinosaurini and Centrosaurini are recovered using non-parametric permuted ANOVAs. Structural performance, as evaluated using a 2D FEA, is similar across all groups as measured by overall stress, with the exception of Triceratopsini. Shape, size and stress are phylogenetically constrained. A longer dentary as well as a long coronoid process result in a lower jaw that is reconstructed as relatively much more stressed in triceratopsins.
- Subjects :
- Histology
principal component analysis
geometric morphometric
finite element analysis
phylogeny
mandible
stress
Paleontology
Ceratopsia
evolution
Ceratopsidae
mechanical
tooth
geometric morphometrics
medicine (all)
dinosaurs
Molecular Biology
Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Morphometrics
biology
herbivory
Zuniceratops
triceratopsini
Original Articles
Cell Biology
behavior and systematics
biology.organism_classification
anatomic landmarks
finite element analysi
biomechanical phenomena
ceratopsidae
lower jaw
animals
fossils
stress, mechanical
anatomy
histology
developmental biology
ecology, evolution, behavior and systematics
molecular biology
cell biology
Avaceratops
Triceratopsini
Turanoceratops
Stress, Mechanical
ecology
Anatomy
Pachyrhinosaurini
Ornithischia
Developmental Biology
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 00218782
- Volume :
- 227
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Journal of Anatomy
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....8c1b50429240aa7ba535ef67e1c39048