Journal
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
Volume 10, Issue 8, Pages -Publisher
ROYAL SOC
DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230481
Keywords
disparity; evolution; functional morphology; locomotion; Megalosauroidea; palaeontology
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The study analyzed the macroevolution of the locomotor system in early Theropoda, with a focus on Megalosauroidea. By scoring Spinosaurus and mapping the modifications onto a phylogeny, the researchers studied the disparities in the evolution of Megalosauroidea. The findings provide a stronger foundation for future studies on pelvic/appendicular musculature and locomotor function.
During the Mesozoic, non-avian theropods represented one of the most successful clades globally distributed, with a wide diversity of forms. An example is the clade Megalosauroidea, which included medium- to large-bodied forms. Here, we analyse the macroevolution of the locomotor system in early Theropoda, emphasizing the Megalosauroidea. We scored the Spinosaurus neotype in a published taxon-character matrix and described the associated modifications in character states, mapping them onto a phylogeny and using these to study disparity. In the evolution of Megalosauroidea, there was the mosaic emergence of a low swollen ridge; enlargement of the posterior brevis fossa and emergence of a posterodorsal process on the ilium in some megalosauroids; emergence of a femoral head oriented anteromedially and medially angled, and appearance of posterolaterally oriented medial femoral condyles in spinosaurids. The greatest morphological disparity is in the ilium of megalosaurids; the ischium seems to have a high degree of homoplasy; there is a clear distinction in the femoral morphospace regarding megalosauroids and other theropods; piatnitzkysaurids show considerable disparity of zeugopodial characters. These reconstructions of osteological evolution form a stronger basis on which other studies could build, such as mapping of pelvic/appendicular musculature and/or correlating skeletal traits with changes in locomotor function.
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