作者
Kristina Curry Rogers, Michael D'emic, Raymond Rogers, Matthew Vickaryous, Amanda Cagan
发表日期
2011/9
期刊
Nature communications
卷号
2
期号
1
页码范围
564
出版商
Nature Publishing Group UK
简介
Osteoderms are bones embedded within the dermis, and are common to select members of most major tetrapod lineages. The largest known animals that bear osteoderms are members of Titanosauria, a diverse clade of sauropod dinosaurs. Here we report on two titanosaur osteoderms recovered from the Upper Cretaceous Maevarano Formation of Madagascar. Each osteoderm was discovered in association with a partial skeleton representing a distinct ontogenetic stage of the titanosaur Rapetosaurus krausei. Combined, these specimens provide novel insights into the arrangement and function of titanosaur osteoderms. Taphonomic data confirm that Rapetosaurus developed only limited numbers of osteoderms in its integument. The adult-sized osteoderm is the most massive integumentary skeletal element yet discovered, with an estimated volume of 9.63 litres. Uniquely, this specimen possesses an internal …
引用总数
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学术搜索中的文章
K Curry Rogers, M D'emic, R Rogers, M Vickaryous… - Nature communications, 2011