Lielie plēsīgie dinozauri, piemēram, T. rex, attīstīja dažādas acu dobumu formas, lai nodrošinātu spēcīgākus kodumus.

Jauni pētījumi liecina, ka lieli, plēsīgi dinozauri attīstīja dažādas acu dobumu formas, lai labāk tiktu galā ar lielākiem košanas spēkiem.

Saskaņā ar jauniem pētījumiem lielie plēsīgie dinozauri, piemēram, Tiranozaurs Rekss Ir izstrādātas dažādas acu dobumu formas, lai labāk izturētu lielākus sakošanas spēkus.

Ja daudziem dzīvniekiem, tostarp lielākajai daļai dinozauru, acs dobums ir tikai apļveida caurums galvaskausā, kurā atrodas acs ābols, bet lielākiem plēsējiem tas ir pavisam savādāk.

Jauns pētījums atklāja, kā šo plēsēju galvaskausos atrastie neparastie ovālie vai ovālie acu dobumi, iespējams, ir attīstījušies, lai palīdzētu galvaskausam absorbēt triecienu, kad tas metās pret laupījumu. Šis zinātnieku pētījums gadā Birmingemas Universitātepublicēts šodien (2022. gada 11. augustā). Komunikācijas bioloģija.

Tyrannosaurus rex acu kontaktligzdas

Galvaskausa un dzīvības rekonstrukcijas Tyrannosaurus Rex ar oriģinālo acs dobumu un aci (pa kreisi) un virtuāla rekonstrukcija, izmantojot apļveida acs dobumu un palielinātu aci (pa labi). Pateicība: Dr. Stefan Lautschlager, Birmingemas Universitāte

Dr Stefan Luttenschlager, vecākais lektors paleobioloģijā plkst[{” attribute=””>University of Birmingham and author of the new study, analyzed the shape of the eye sockets of ca. 500 different dinosaurs and related species.

“The results show that only some dinosaurs had eye sockets that were elliptical or keyhole-shaped,” said Dr. Stephan Lautenschlager. “However, all of those were large, carnivorous dinosaurs with skull lengths of 1 m or more.”

Hypothetical Dinosaur Skulls Computer Simulations

Computer simulations of hypothetical dinosaur skulls. Colors indicate skull stress. High stresses occur in the skull with a round eye socket (top), lower stresses in a skull with a keyhole-shaped eye socket (bottom). Credit: Dr. Stephan Lautenschlager, University of Birmingham

Dr. Lautenschlager tested what purpose these unusual eye socket shapes could have by using computer simulations and stress analysis.

The results demonstrated that a skull with a circular eye socket was more prone to high stresses during biting. However, if these were replaced with other eye socket shapes stresses were significantly reduced. This allowed top predators, including Tyrannosaurus rex, to evolve high bite forces without compromising skull stability.

The study also showed that most plant-eating species and juvenile individuals retained a circular eye socket. Only large carnivores adopted other morphologies, such as elliptical, keyhole-shaped, or figure-of-eight-shaped eye sockets.

Different Dinosaur Skulls

Skulls of different dinosaurs showing variation in eye socket shape (stippled outline). Credit: Dr. Stephan Lautenschlager, University of Birmingham

Dr. Lautenschlager added: “In these species, just the upper part of the eye socket was actually occupied by the eyeball. This also led to a relative reduction of eye size compared with skull size.”

The researchers also investigated what would have happened if eye size had increased at the same rate as skull length. In such a case, the eyes of Tyrannosaurus rex would have been up to 30 cm (12 inches) in diameter and weighed nearly 20 kg (44 pounds). This is instead of an estimated 13 cm (5 inches) and 2 kg (4.4 pounds).

Reference: “Functional and ecomorphological evolution of orbit shape in mesozoic archosaurs is driven by body size and diet” by Stephan Lautenschlager, 11 August 2022, Communications Biology.
DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03706-0

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