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@article{Brassey:2015:10.1098/rsbl.2014.0984,
author = {Brassey, CA and Maidment, SCR and Barrett, PM},
doi = {10.1098/rsbl.2014.0984},
journal = {Biology Letters},
title = {Body mass estimates of an exceptionally complete Stegosaurus (Ornithischia: Thyreophora): comparing volumetric and linear bivariate mass estimation methods},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2014.0984},
volume = {11},
year = {2015}
}
TY - JOUR
AB - Body mass is a key biological variable, but difficult to assess from fossils.Various techniques exist for estimating body mass from skeletal parameters,but few studies have compared outputs from different methods. Here, weapply several mass estimation methods to an exceptionally complete skeletonof the dinosaur Stegosaurus. Applying a volumetric convex-hullingtechnique to a digital model of Stegosaurus, we estimate a mass of 1560 kg(95% prediction interval 1082–2256 kg) for this individual. By contrast,bivariate equations based on limb dimensions predict values between 2355and 3751 kg and require implausible amounts of soft tissue and/or highbody densities. When corrected for ontogenetic scaling, however, volumetricand linear equations are brought into close agreement. Our results raise concernsregarding the application of predictive equations to extinct taxa withno living analogues in terms of overall morphology and highlight the sensitivityof bivariate predictive equations to the ontogenetic status of thespecimen. We emphasize the significance of rare, complete fossil skeletonsin validating widely applied mass estimation equations based on incompleteskeletal material and stress the importance of accurately determiningspecimen age prior to further analyses.
AU - Brassey,CA
AU - Maidment,SCR
AU - Barrett,PM
DO - 10.1098/rsbl.2014.0984
PY - 2015///
SN - 1744-957X
TI - Body mass estimates of an exceptionally complete Stegosaurus (Ornithischia: Thyreophora): comparing volumetric and linear bivariate mass estimation methods
T2 - Biology Letters
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2014.0984
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/26242
VL - 11
ER -