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Primary bone and dinosaurian physiology

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 May 2009

R. E. H. Reid
R. E. H. Reid
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, Northern Ireland
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Abstract

Primary compact bone is ignored in some recent discussions of claims that dinosaurs were endotherms, but forms the basis of one of the arguments from bone, and part of the basis of another. This paper explains its histology and discusses its possible significance. In dinosaurs the primary compact bone was commonly fibre-lamellar bone, resembling bone seen in many large mammals, and implying a capacity to sustain rapid growth to large sizes. This probably indicates some physiological difference between dinosaurs and modern types of reptiles; but similar bone is present in early therapsids, which were probably not endotherms, and bone with typical reptilian ‘growth rings’ was sometimes formed. Endothermy is also unlikely in most kinds of dinosaurs, if its evolution requires a trend to small sizes; but perhaps they were ‘failed endotherms’.

Type
Articles
Information
Geological Magazine , Volume 121 , Issue 6 , November 1984 , pp. 589 - 598
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1984

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