化石物种最大体型的估计:使用Tyrannosaurus rex的案例研究
Jordan C Mallon1,2, David W E Hone3
1Beaty Centre for Species Discovery and Palaeobiology Section, Canadian Museum of Nature Ottawa Ontario Canada.
Ecology and evolution
|July 25, 2024
概括
化石记录很少捕捉到极端的身体大小. 虽然最大的泰龙龙龙王可能比已知的标本重出70%,但找到这样的巨人需要数千年的化石发现.
科学领域:
- 古生物学的古生物学
- 进化生物学 进化生物学
- 生物力学 生物力学
背景情况:
- 在现存物种中抽取极端体型的样本是不可能的.
- 化石记录是不完整的,进一步限制了极端体型的捕捉.
- 身体尺寸是个人的生态学的关键预测因素.
研究的目的:
- 量化取样概率,以确定化石记录中身体尺寸的上限.
- 为了使用Tyrannosaurus rex作为模型,由于其已知的生命历史参数.
- 为了估计Tyrannosaurus rex的潜在最大体重.
主要方法:
- 通过计算生成了1.4亿个Tyrannosaurus rex标本的人口.
- 模拟的生长曲线变化,有或没有性变态.
- 包括从物种生存率和语音偏差的采样限制.
主要成果:
- 第99个百分位的铁龙龙王体质量很可能已经被采样.
- 更大的个体 (第99.99百分位数) 可能需要数千年才能以目前的速度被发现.
- 据估计,绝对最大的泰龙龙龙王可能比已知最大的标本 (约15,000公斤与约8800公斤) 大70%以上.
结论:
- 化石物种的体型比较应该使用由ontogenetically控制的统计参数.
- 仅仅依靠已知的最大个体进行尺寸比较是误导性的,因为采样强度.
- 化石物种体型的全谱在很大程度上仍未得到采样.
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