Are Cursorial Birds Good Kinematic Models of Non-Avian Theropods?

Grossi, Bruno; Loncomilla, Patricio; Canals, Mauricio; Ruiz-Del-Solar, Javier

Abstract

Determining kinematics of hindlimbs of theropod dinosaurs has been a challenge. Since cursorial birds are phylogenetically closest to theropod dinosaurs they are commonly used as a kinematic model of theropod dinosaur locomotion. Using a comparative biomechanical approach, we found that cursorial birds have a different morphology of legs than non avian theropodos and that appears to be that felines and ungulates share more morphological properties in the hindlimbs with theropod dinosaurs than cursorial birds. We calculated the ratio between the lower leg and the femur, and the relative length of the tibia and the metatarsus with respect to the length of the femur in cursorial birds, as well as felines, ungulates and non-avian theropods. We found that as the length of the femur increases, the length of the lower leg increases similarly in felines, ungulates and non-avian theropods. On the other hand, existing and extinct cursorial birds did not follow this pattern. This observation suggests that the hindlimb of cursorial birds are not well suited to serve as kinematic models for hindlimb of extinct theropod dinosaur locomotion.

Más información

Título según WOS: Are Cursorial Birds Good Kinematic Models of Non-Avian Theropods?
Título según SCOPUS: Are cursorial birds good kinematic models of non-avian theropods? [¿Son los pájaros corredores buenos modelos cinemáticos de terópodos no aviares?]
Título según SCIELO: Are Cursorial Birds Good Kinematic Models of Non-Avian Theropods?
Título de la Revista: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MORPHOLOGY
Volumen: 37
Número: 2
Editorial: SOC CHILENA ANATOMIA
Fecha de publicación: 2019
Página de inicio: 620
Página final: 625
Idioma: English
DOI:

10.4067/S0717-95022019000200620

Notas: ISI, SCIELO, SCOPUS