Re: Spinosaurus redescribed as giant semiaquatic theropod

[David Krentz <ddkrentz@charter.net>]

Spinosaurnado.  Genius.

D


On Sep 25, 2014, at 11:09 AM, Ben Creisler <bcreisler@gmail.com> wrote:

> Ben Creisler
> bcreisler@gmail.com
> 
> The paper is now formally published in Science magazine. Here's the
> full reference:
> 
> Nizar Ibrahim, Paul C. Sereno, Cristiano Dal Sasso, Simone Maganuco,
> Matteo Fabbri, David M. Martill, Samir Zouhri, Nathan Myhrvold, and
> Dawid A. Iurino (2014)
> Semiaquatic adaptations in a giant predatory dinosaur.
> Science 345 (6204): 1613-1616
> DOI: 10.1126/science.1258750
> http://www.sciencemag.org/content/345/6204/1613.abstract
> 
> ****
> 
> Note that the pre-print version is available for free at:
> 
> http://lib.gen.in/deaae269b989589a593b63a9e08eed4f/ibrahim2014.pdf
> 
> On Thu, Sep 11, 2014 at 11:14 AM, Ben Creisler <bcreisler@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Ben Creisler
>> bcreisler@gmail.com
>> 
>> 
>> It's out...
>> 
>> Nizar Ibrahim, Paul C. Sereno, Cristiano Dal Sasso, Simone Maganuco,
>> Matteo Fabbri, David M. Martill, Samir Zouhri, Nathan Myhrvold, and
>> Dawid A. Iurino (2014)
>> Semiaquatic adaptations in a giant predatory dinosaur.
>> Science (advance online publication)
>> DOI: 10.1126/science.1258750
>> http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2014/09/10/science.1258750.abstract
>> 
>> NOTE: Supplementary material is free.
>> 
>> 
>> We describe adaptations for a semiaquatic lifestyle in the dinosaur
>> Spinosaurus aegyptiacus. These adaptations include retraction of the
>> fleshy nostrils to a position near the mid-region of the skull and an
>> elongate neck and trunk that shift the center of body mass anterior to
>> the knee joint. Unlike terrestrial theropods, the pelvic girdle is
>> downsized, the hind limbs are short, and all of the limb bones are
>> solid without an open medullary cavity, for buoyancy control in water.
>> The short, robust femur with hypertrophied flexor attachment and the
>> low, flat-bottomed pedal claws are consistent with aquatic
>> foot-propelled locomotion. Surface striations and bone microstructure
>> suggest that the dorsal “sail” may have been enveloped in skin that
>> functioned primarily for display on land and in water.
>> 
>> ==
>> 
>> Michael Balter (2014)
>> Giant dinosaur was a terror of Cretaceous waterways.
>> Science  345(6202): 1232
>> DOI: 10.1126/science.345.6202.1232
>> http://www.sciencemag.org/content/345/6202/1232.summary
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Researchers have long debated whether dinosaurs could swim, but there
>> has been little direct evidence for aquadinos. Some tantalizing hints
>> have appeared, however, in claimed "swim tracks" made by the bellies
>> of dinos in Utah and oxygen isotopes indicating possible aquatic
>> habitats in a group of dinosaurs called spinosaurs. Now, a research
>> team working in Morocco has found the most complete skeleton yet of a
>> giant carnivore called Spinosaurus, very fragmentary remains of which
>> were first discovered in 1912 in Egypt. The new fossils not only
>> confirm that Spinosaurus was bigger than Tyrannosaurus rex, but also
>> show that it had evolutionary adaptations—ranging from pedal-like feet
>> to a nostril far back on the head to high bone density like that of
>> hippos—clearly suited for swimming in lakes and rivers.