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Updated: Mar 1, 2026

Experimental Manipulation of Body Size to Estimate Morphological Scaling Relationships in Drosophila
Published on: October 1, 2011
TITANOTHERE ALLOMETRY, HETEROCHRONY, AND BIOMECHANICS: REVISING AN EVOLUTIONARY CLASSIC
Michael L McKinney1, Robert M Schoch2
1Department of Geology and Geophysics, and Peabody Museum of Natural History, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511.
Abstract:
A reanalysis of Osborn's titanothere data indicates that extrapolative growth of a constant allometric relationship alone ("hypermorphosis") does not account for the trend toward body and horn size increase. Empirically, we also observe possible positive changes in the y-intercept ("predisplacement" or early onset of development), and possibly, changes in the slope ("acceleration/neoteny" or changes in growth rate) between the Oligocene and Eocene groups. Theoretically, these may be responses to more massive body shapes, perforce accompanying size increase, which increase the amount of force to which the horns were subjected.
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