Crocodilian behaviour: a window to dinosaur behaviour?

Brazaitis, Peter; Watanabe, Myrna E.

doi:10.1080/08912963.2011.560723

Cited by 57 publications

(47 citation statements)

References 86 publications

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“…If our soft–tissue inferences regarding the presence of flat facial scales and ISOs are correct, then behavioral inferences for tyrannosaurids can be drawn based on comparison with crocodylians59. Tyrannosaurids had a highly sensitive facial tactile system that functioned in prey capture, and object identification and manipulation, given the skeletal similarities with crocodylians5859.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 89%

A new tyrannosaur with evidence for anagenesis and crocodile-like facial sensory system

Carr

Varricchio

Sedlmayr

et al. 2017

Sci Rep

103

185

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A new species of tyrannosaurid from the upper Two Medicine Formation of Montana supports the presence of a Laramidian anagenetic (ancestor-descendant) lineage of Late Cretaceous tyrannosaurids. In concert with other anagenetic lineages of dinosaurs from the same time and place, this suggests that anagenesis could have been a widespread mechanism generating species diversity amongst dinosaurs, and perhaps beyond. We studied the excellent fossil record of the tyrannosaurid to test that hypothesis. Phylogenetic analysis places this new taxon as the sister species to Daspletosaurus torosus. However, given their close phylogenetic relationship, geographic proximity, and temporal succession, where D. torosus (~76.7–75.2 Ma) precedes the younger new species (~75.1–74.4 Ma), we argue that the two forms most likely represent a single anagenetic lineage. Daspletosaurus was an important apex predator in the late Campanian dinosaur faunas of Laramidia; its absence from later units indicates it was extinct before Tyrannosaurus rex dispersed into Laramidia from Asia. In addition to its evolutionary implications, the texture of the facial bones of the new taxon, and other derived tyrannosauroids, indicates a scaly integument with high tactile sensitivity. Most significantly, the lower jaw shows evidence for neurovasculature that is also seen in birds.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 89%

A new tyrannosaur with evidence for anagenesis and crocodile-like facial sensory system

Carr

Varricchio

Sedlmayr

et al. 2017

Sci Rep

103

185

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Such a difference seems biologically incongruous for the same egg species. This inconsistency could be either related to the use of different parameters (such as temperature) by previous authors, the paraphyletic nature of the megaloolithid parataxonomic group, or the oviposition of the same egg type in extremely different ecosystems, although the latter seems unlikely in view of the patterns observed in other extinct and extant archosaurs (Brazaitis and Watanabe, 2011).…”

Section: Description Sanagasta Eggs and Eggshellsmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…Nevertheless, it is quite plausible that the neosauropod dinosaurs, as a family that laid megaloolithid eggs, could have adopted several nesting strategies adapted to very moist nesting environments like the modern crocodilians (Singh and Bustard, 1977;Verdade and Lavorenti, 1990;Whitehead et al, 1990;Hunt and Ogden, 1991;Piña et al, 2007;Stevenson and Whitaker, 2010;Brazaitis and Watanabe, 2011).…”

Section: Megaloolithid Eggsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Water Vapor Conductance of the Lower Cretaceous Dinosaurian Eggs From Sanagasta, La Rioja, Argentina: Paleobiological and Paleoecological Implications for South American Faveoloolithid and Megaloolithid Eggs

Grellet-Tinner¹,

Fiorelli

Salvador

2012

PALAIOS

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The water vapor conductance (G H2O ) of the neosauropod eggs from the Lower Cretaceous Sanagasta nesting site in La Rioja Province, Argentina, was examined and compared with other Cretaceous Argentinean oological material. The 2900 mgH 2 O/day?Torr G H2O of the Sanagasta eggshells confirms an extremely moist nesting environment and supports field observations of dug-out nests in a geothermal setting. The observed thinning of the outer eggshell surface during incubation increases gas conductance and concomitantly decreases eggshell mechanical resistance during the late ontogenetic stages, thus facilitating embryonic development and hatching. The Sanagasta and Entre Ríos Province faveoloolithid eggs display the highest and comparable G H2O values and share several morphological and diagenetic characters, indicating comparable nesting strategy in geothermal settings. However, the faveoloolithid Yaminué and La Pampa Province specimens cluster together with lower G H2O values closer to the megaloolithid eggs. The G H2O of the megaloolithid egg Megaloolithus patagonicus was reconsidered and new results are now congruent with other reported megaloolithid G H2O values. Additionally, we hypothesize that Y-shaped pore canals of M. patagonicus, which upper sections reach only the top third or half eggshell thickness and, a wider section in the middle would not compromise the overall egg mechanical resistance like vertical pores connecting directly the outer to the inner eggshell surfaces. Such pore spatial arrangement and geometry would enhance, as the eggshell thins during incubation, a greater G H2O , G O2 and G CO2 and facilitate embryonic development in high moisture nesting contents. Overall, data suggests that neosauropod nesting and brooding behaviors were dependent on elevated moisture nesting environments.

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“…Despite their prominence, few studies have investigated their function. They have been hypothesized to play a role in secreting cleansing and waterproofing oils (Grigg and Gans, 1993), enabling osmoreception (Jackson and Brooks, 2007;Jackson et al, 1996), mediating mechanotransduction (Necker, 1974) and facilitating courtship behavior (Brazaitis and Watanabe, 2011). Other suggestions include possibly acting as electroreceptors, as a consequence of the aquatic habitat of crocodilians (Bullock, 1999), or acting as magnetoreceptors, an ability noted in alligators (Rodda, 1984).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Structure, innervation and response properties of integumentary sensory organs in crocodilians

Leitch

Catania

2012

Journal of Experimental Biology

123

142

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2) receptive fields, often from a single ISO, were recorded from the premaxilla, the rostral dentary, the gingivae and the distal digits. These responded to a median threshold of 0.08mN. The less densely innervated caudal margins of the jaws had larger receptive fields (>100mm 2 ) and higher thresholds (13.725mN). Rapidly adapting, slowly adapting type I and slowly adapting type II responses were identified based on neuronal responses. Several rapidly adapting units responded maximally to vibrations at 20-35Hz, consistent with reports of the ISOsʼ role in detecting prey-generated water surface ripples. Despite crocodiliansʼ armored bodies, the ISOs imparted a mechanical sensitivity exceeding that of primate fingertips. We conclude that crocodilian ISOs have diverse functions, including detection of water movements, indicating when to bite based on direct contact of pursued prey, and fine tactile discrimination of items held in the jaws. Supplementary material available online at

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Crocodilian behaviour: a window to dinosaur behaviour?

Cited by 57 publications

References 86 publications

A new tyrannosaur with evidence for anagenesis and crocodile-like facial sensory system

A new tyrannosaur with evidence for anagenesis and crocodile-like facial sensory system

Water Vapor Conductance of the Lower Cretaceous Dinosaurian Eggs From Sanagasta, La Rioja, Argentina: Paleobiological and Paleoecological Implications for South American Faveoloolithid and Megaloolithid Eggs

Structure, innervation and response properties of integumentary sensory organs in crocodilians

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