Morphofunctional evolution of the pelvic girdle and hindlimb of Dinosauromorpha on the lineage to Sauropoda [Elektronische Ressource] / by Regina Fechner

Morphofunctional Evolution of the Pelvic Girdle and Hindlimb of
Dinosauromorpha on the Lineage to Sauropoda



Dissertation zur Erlangung des Doktorgrades
in den Naturwissenschaften

submitted to the
Fakultät für Geowissenschaften
der
Ludwigs Maximilians Universität, München








by
Dipl.-geol. Regina Fechner
Spring 2009




















1st supervisor: Dr. O.W.M. Rauhut
Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie
München


2nd supervisor: Prof. Dr. M. Sander
Steinmann-Institut für Geologie, Mineralogie und Paläontologie,
Universität Bonn
Bonn

Tag der mündlichen Prüfung: 14.11.2009










Nothing in Biology Makes Sense Except in the Light of Evolution
(Theodosius Dobzhansky)
Acknowledgements




I first express my gratitude to Dr. O.W.M Rauhut and Prof. Dr. M. Sander, the first and second
supervisor of this thesis, for guidance and support and for the opportunity to be part of the
wonderful Research group “Biology of the Sauropod Dinosaurs: The Evolution of Gigantism”. I have
greatly benefited from discussions with many people. Prof. Dr. H. Preuschoft, Dr. U. Witzel and Prof.
Dr. A. Christian have been a valuable source of information, advice, and support. I am also indebted
to Dr. K. Remes. Dr. H. Mallison, Dr. G. Demski, R. Gößling, Dr. E.-M. Griebeler, Dr. N. Klein, J.-T.
Möller, Dr. T. Suthau, Dr. T. Tütken, S. Stoinski and the remaining members of the Research group
for wonderful discussions on sauropods and locomotion. I could never have complete this project
without Dr. D. Schwarz, B. Hohn, Dr. D. Hone and T. Hübner and I am grateful for their support,
encouragement and all manner of discussion. I also want to thank K. Heitplatz for her help for help
and support. For access to specimens of their care and assistance I than the staff of following
institutions: British Museum of Natural History, London; Geological College of Chengdu, Chengdu;
Institut für Geologie und Paläontologie, Tübingen; Indian Statistical Institute, Calcutta; Institute of
Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Beijing; Museo Argentina de Ciencas Naturales
'Bernardino Rivadavia', Buenos Aires; Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin; Museu de Ciências e
Tecnologia, Pontifícia Universidade Católoca do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre; Museum of
Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge; Fundación Miguel Lillo, Universidad Nacional
de Tucumán, San Miguel de Tucumán; Museo de Ciencas Naturales, Universidad Nacional de San
Juan, San Juan; South African Museum, Cape Town; Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde, Stuttgart;
University California Museum of Paleontology, Berkeley; Museo de Paleontología, Universidad
Provincial de La Rioja, La Rioja; Yale Peabody Museum, New Haven; Zigong Dinosaur Museum,
Zigong. The staff of the Humboldt Museum in Berlin and Bayerische Staatssammlung für
Paläontologie und Geologie, Munich has been extraordinary helpful with many aspect of this
i dissertation. I am particular thankful to Prof. Dr. H.-P. Schulz, Prof. Dr. R. Leinfelder, Prof. Dr. G.
Wörheide, Dr. P. Bartsch, Dr. W. Werner, E. Kunz, K. Teubler, M.-L. Kaim, Dr. E.-M. Natzer, P. Ebber,
J. Erl. I am particularly grateful to my family and friends who never stopped supporting me though the
long years it to finish this project.
This research project was funded by the DFG (RA 1012/2), Synthesis (GB-TAF 1672,
London; FR-TAF-933, Paris), and by the Welles Research Fund of the Paleontological Museum,
University of California, Berkeley.
ii Table of Contents



Acknowledgements i
List of Tables iii
List of Figures iii
Chapters iv
Appendix A


List of Tables

Table 2-1. Source of data for archosauriformes used in this study 11
Table 2-2. Terminology and homology of the muscles of the pelvic girdle and hindlimb of Sauria 16
Table 3-1. Material and source of data of non-dinosaurian dinosauromorphs 25
Table 4-1. Source of data for Dinosauromorpha used in this study 52
Table 4-2. Osteological characters of the pelvic girdle and hindlimbs used to distinguish the sprawling,
intermediate and erect hindlimb posture in archosaurs 62
Table 4-3. Osteological characters of the pelvic girdle and hindlimbs of Dinosauromorpha 68
Table 5-1. Terminology and homology of the muscles of the pelvic girdle and hindlimb of Sauria 84
Table 5-2. Muscles inferred as present in Plateosaurus engelhardti 104
Table 6-1. Source of data for archosauriformes used in this study 123
Table 6-2. Terminology and homology of the muscles of the pelvic girdle and hindlimb of extinct
archosaurs 126
Table 6-3. Body mass estimates of Dinosauromorphs 131
Table 6-4. Hindlimb proportions of Dinosauromorpha 138
Table 6-4. Muscles inferred as present in Lagerpeton, Herrerasaurus, Plateosaurus and Shunosaurus 139


List of Figures

Figure 2-1. Phylogenetic framework of dinosauromorphs used in this study 13
Figure 2-2. Phylogenetic framework of extant archosaurs 14
Figure 2-2. Phylogenetic framework of Amniota used in this study 15
Figure 3-1. Phylogenetic framework of non-dinosaurian dinosauromorphs used in this study 22
Figure 3-2. Reconstructional drawing of the osteology of the pelvic girdle and hindlimb of Lagerpeton
chanarensis 26
iii Figure 3-3. Reconstructional drawing of the pelvic girdle and hindlimb of Lagerpeton chanarensis 29
Figure 3-4. Comparison of the adductor and abductor muscles of extant archosaurs and Lagerpeton
chanarensis 32
Figure 3-5. Comparison of Rotodactylus matthesi trackways 34
Figure 3-6. Reconstructional drawing of the Rotodactylus trackmaker 37
Figure 3-7. Morphofunctional evolution of the pelvic girdle and hindlimb of non-dinosaurian
dinosauromorphs mapped on the phylogenetic framework 39
Figure 4-1. Phylogenetic framework used to map the morphofunctional evolution of the pelvic girdle
and hindlimbs of Dinosauromorpha 53
Figure 4-2. Diagram of ichnogenera assigned to dinosauromorph trackmakers showing increasing
tendency towards bipedal locomotion 57
Figure 4-3. Hypothesis of systematic placement of dinosauromorph ichnogenera 58
Figure 4-4. Evolution of the pelvis of dinosauromorphs 60
Figure 4-5. Evolution of the femur of dinosauromorphs 63
Figure 4-6. Evolution of the pes of dinosauromorphs 65
Figure 4-7. Diagram depicting the postural support of archosaurs 66
Figure 4-8. Diagram depicting the correlation between body size and locomotor posture 71
Figure 5-1. Musculature of the pelvis in Alligator, Plateosaurus and Apteryx 88
Figure 5-2. Musculature of the femur in Alligator, Plateosaurus and Apteryx 93
Figure 5-3. Musculature of the distal limb in Alligator, Plateosaurus and Apteryx 97
Figure 5-4. Muscles of the pelvic girdle and hindlimb of Plateosaurus 106
Figure 6-1. Phylogenetic framework of Dinosauromorpha on the lineage to Sauropoda 125
Figure 6-2. Diagrammatic representation of the method for determining the femoral curvature 128
Figure 6-3. Diagram showing the hindlimb proportions 137
Figure 6-4. Diagram showing the effect of the modification of the hindlimb proportions 142
Figure 6-5. Evolution of the graviportal locomotor habit mapped on body size 147

Chapters

Chapter 1
General Introduction: Sauropoda 1
1.1 General Introduction 1
1.2 Overview and Goals 8


Chapter 2
Material and Methods 10
2.1 Material 10
iv 2.2 Methods 10


Chapter 3
Locomotor capabilities of the basal dinosauromorph Lagerpeton chanarensis and its implications for
the early evolution of dinosaurs 18
3.1 Introduction 18
3.2 Materials and methods 19
3.3 Results 23
3.3.2 Osteology of the pelvic girdle and hindlimb of Lagerpeton chanarensis 23
3.3.2 Locomotion of Lagerpeton chanarensis 24
3.3.2.1 Reconstruction of the hindlimb posture of Lagerpeton chanarensis 25
3.3.2.2 Reconstruction of the locomotor capacities of Lagerpeton chanarensis 31
3.3.3 Tracks and trackways of non-dinosauriform dinosauromorph trackmakers 33
3.3.4 The bauplan and locomotor function of Dinosauromorpha 36
3.3.4.1 Reconstruction of the bauplan of basal Dinosauromorpha 36
3.3.4.2 Reconstruction of the locomotor capacities of non-dinosauriform Dinosauromorpha 37
3.3.5 Evolution of the pelvic girdle and hindlimb of Dinosauromorpha on the lineage to basal
dinosaurs – implications for the evolution 38
3.4 Dis