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Klinkhamer AJ, Woodley N, Neenan JM, Parr WCH, Clausen P, Sánchez-Villagra MR, Sansalone G, Lister AM, Wroe S. Head to head: the case for fighting behaviour in Megaloceros giganteus using finite-element analysis. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20191873. [PMID: 31594504 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.1873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The largest antlers of any known deer species belonged to the extinct giant deer Megaloceros giganteus. It has been argued that their antlers were too large for use in fighting, instead being used only in ritualized displays to attract mates. Here, we used finite-element analysis to test whether the antlers of M. giganteus could have withstood forces generated during fighting. We compared the mechanical performance of antlers in M. giganteus with three extant deer species: red deer (Cervus elaphus), fallow deer (Dama dama) and elk (Alces alces). Von Mises stress results suggest that M. giganteus was capable of withstanding some fighting loads, provided that their antlers interlocked proximally, and that their antlers were best adapted for withstanding loads from twisting rather than pushing actions, as are other deer with palmate antlers. We conclude that fighting in M. giganteus was probably more constrained and predictable than in extant deer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ada J Klinkhamer
- Function, Evolution and Anatomy Research Laboratory, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia
| | - Nicholas Woodley
- School of Engineering, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
| | - James M Neenan
- Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PW, UK
| | - William C H Parr
- Surgical and Orthopaedic Research Laboratories, School of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
| | - Philip Clausen
- School of Engineering, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
| | - Marcelo R Sánchez-Villagra
- Paleontological Institute and Museum, University of Zurich, Karl Schmid Strasse 4, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Gabriele Sansalone
- Function, Evolution and Anatomy Research Laboratory, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia
| | - Adrian M Lister
- Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Stephen Wroe
- Function, Evolution and Anatomy Research Laboratory, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia
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Klinkhamer AJ, Mallison H, Poropat SF, Sloan T, Wroe S. Comparative Three‐Dimensional Moment Arm Analysis of the Sauropod Forelimb: Implications for the Transition to a Wide‐Gauge Stance in Titanosaurs. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2018; 302:794-817. [DOI: 10.1002/ar.23977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2018] [Revised: 06/28/2018] [Accepted: 08/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ada J. Klinkhamer
- Function, Evolution and Anatomy Research Laboratory School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England Armidale New South Wales Australia
- Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum of Natural History Winton Queensland Australia
| | | | - Stephen F. Poropat
- Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum of Natural History Winton Queensland Australia
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology Swinburne University of Technology Hawthorn Victoria Australia
| | - Trish Sloan
- Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum of Natural History Winton Queensland Australia
| | - Stephen Wroe
- Function, Evolution and Anatomy Research Laboratory School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England Armidale New South Wales Australia
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Klinkhamer AJ, Mallison H, Poropat SF, Sinapius GH, Wroe S. Three‐Dimensional Musculoskeletal Modeling of the Sauropodomorph Hind Limb: The Effect of Postural Change on Muscle Leverage. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2018; 301:2145-2163. [DOI: 10.1002/ar.23950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2018] [Revised: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 06/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ada J. Klinkhamer
- Function, Evolution, and Anatomy Research Lab, School of Environmental and Rural Science University of New England Armidale New South Wales Australia
- Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum of Natural History Winton Queenland Australia
| | | | - Stephen F. Poropat
- Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum of Natural History Winton Queenland Australia
- Faculty of Science, Engineering, and Technology Swinburne University of Technology Hawthorn Victoria Australia
| | - George H.K. Sinapius
- Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum of Natural History Winton Queenland Australia
| | - Stephen Wroe
- Function, Evolution, and Anatomy Research Lab, School of Environmental and Rural Science University of New England Armidale New South Wales Australia
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White MA, Cook AG, Klinkhamer AJ, Elliott DA. The pes of Australovenator wintonensis (Theropoda: Megaraptoridae): analysis of the pedal range of motion and biological restoration. PeerJ 2016; 4:e2312. [PMID: 27547591 PMCID: PMC4975041 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.2312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2016] [Accepted: 07/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The pedal range of motion in Australovenator wintonensis is investigated to determine what influence soft tissue had on range of motion in the foot. Fortunately, the theropod pes shares a close morphology with extant large cursorial birds. Therefore, to better understand the pedal range of motion of Australovenator, the pedal range of motion of Dromaius novaehollandiae (commonly known as the emu) was analysed with and without soft tissue. We used a variety of innovative digital techniques to analyse the range of motion and biologically restore the Australovenator pes. Computed tomography scans of Dromaius pes in fully flexed and fully extended positions provided the soft tissue range of motion limits. The bone on bone range of motion of the same specimen was replicated following the removal of soft tissue. It was identified that there was an increase in range of motion potential with the removal of soft tissue. This variation provided a guide to develop the potential range of motion of a fully fleshed Australovenator pes. Additionally, the dissection of the Dromaius pes provided a guide enabling the replication of the corresponding soft tissue and keratin sheaths of the Australovenator pes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matt A White
- School of Engineering, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia; Palaeontology, Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum of Natural History, Winton, Queensland, Australia
| | - Alex G Cook
- Palaeontology, Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum of Natural History, Winton, Queensland, Australia; School of Earth Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Ada J Klinkhamer
- Palaeontology, Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum of Natural History, Winton, Queensland, Australia; School of Environmental and Rural Sciences, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia
| | - David A Elliott
- Palaeontology, Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum of Natural History , Winton , Queensland , Australia
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Abstract
Only three species of fossil murine have been described to date in Australia even though they are often found in fossil deposits and can be highly useful in understanding environmental change over time. Until now the genus Leggadina, a group of short-tailed mice that is particularly well adapted to an arid environment, was only known from two extant species: L. forresti and L. lakedownensis. Here two new fossil species of the genus are described from sites in northwestern Queensland. Leggadina gregoriensis sp. nov. comes from the Early Pleistocene Rackham’s Roost Site in the Riversleigh World Heritage Area and Leggadina macrodonta sp. nov. is from the Plio-Pleistocene Site 5C at Floraville Station. The evolution of the genus Leggadina and the lineage’s response to palaeoecological factors is considered. Taphonomy of the two fossil deposits is examined and shows marked differences in both faunal composition of the assemblages and preservation. Description of L. gregoriensis and L. macrodonta extends the known temporal range of the Leggadina lineage by over 2 million years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ada J Klinkhamer
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales , NSW , Australia
| | - Henk Godthelp
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales , NSW , Australia
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