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THE UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY Eric Snively A ... - Ohio University

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tenable from the available evidence. However, graaIity of the MT III of Sinraptor<br />

(UUVP10600) may indicate immaturity (Cum'e: pers. comm. 2000). Theropod<br />

metatarsals scale negatively with femur Iength during ontogeny (Cum'e 2000).<br />

An arctometatarsus occurs in coelurosaurs of a broad range of adult sizes<br />

(Figure 1.5, Chapter 1; Holtz 1994a,b), induding tyrannosaurids comparable in<br />

size to giant camosaurs. Therefore aspects of their morphology other than size<br />

must be considered in examination of the arctometatarsus' biological role. The<br />

following section explores the possible phytogenetic and selective ramifications<br />

of the arctometatarsus, with the avemding caveat that hypotheses of biological<br />

role are diffïcult to test adequately.<br />

EVOLUTIONARY CONTUCT FOR <strong>THE</strong> ARCTOMETATARSUS<br />

This thesis tests the hypothesis that the tyrannosaurid arctometatarsus<br />

irnparted benefits ta foot resilience and strength. These advantages have been<br />

mechanically conoborated, but their oflgin and utility require the contexts of<br />

phylogeny and historical aptation (traditionally adaptation). In the following<br />

section, I consider the arctometatarsus from an evolutionary perspective. The<br />

discussion begins with an explanation of aptational teminology. With this<br />

background in place, I then use recently published cladograms as baseline<br />

distributions of relevant charaders and taxa. From there I proceed into more<br />

complex evolutionary hypotheses (scenarios) based upon the pertinent cladistic<br />

hypotheses and the morphologicat evidence presented in this thesis. This

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