INVESTIGADORES
SALGADO Leonardo
artículos
Título:
Extreme postcranial pneumaticity in sauropod dinosaurs from South AmericaArgentina
Autor/es:
CERDA, I.A.; SALGADO, L.; POWELL, J.E.
Revista:
PALAEONTOLOGISCHE ZEITSCHRIFT
Editorial:
SPRINGER HEIDELBERG
Referencias:
Lugar: HEIDELBERG; Año: 2012 p. 1 - 11
ISSN:
0031-0220
Resumen:
Birds are unique among living tetrapods in possessing pneumaticity of the postcranial skeleton, withinvasion of bone by the lung and air-sac system. Postcranial skeletal pneumaticity (PSP) has been reported in numerous extinct archosaurs including pterosaurs and nonavian dinosaurs. Here we report a case of extreme PSP in a group of small-bodied, armored sauropod dinosaurs fromthe Upper Cretaceous of South America. Based on osteological data, we report an extensive invasion of pneumatic diverticula along the vertebral column, reaching the distal portion of the tail. Also, we provide evidence of pneumaticity in both pectoral and pelvic girdles. Our study reveals that the extreme PSP in archosaurs is not restricted to pterosaurs and theropod dinosaurs.