Necks for sex: Sexual selection as an explanation for sauropod dinosaur neck elongation

Journal of Zoology

Volumn 271, Issue 1, 2007, Pages 45-53

  Senter, P ^a  

^a Lamar State College at Orange   (United States)

Author keywords

Dinosauria; Neck; Saurischia; Sauropoda; Sexual selection

Indexed keywords

COMPETITION (ECOLOGY); DINOSAUR; FOSSIL RECORD; MORPHOLOGY; SEXUAL SELECTION;

DINOSAURIA; SAURISCHIA; SAUROPODA;

EID: 33846050446     PISSN: 09528369     EISSN: 14697998     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.2006.00197.x     Document Type: Review

References (77)

1. Bakker, R.T. (1978). Dinosaur feeding behaviour and the origin of flowering plants. Nature 274, 661-663.
2. Bakker, R.T. & Bir, G. (2004). Dinosaur crime scene investigations: theropod behavior at Como Bluff, Wyoming, and the evolution of birdness. In Feathered dragons: 301-342. Currie, P.J., Koppelhaus, E.B., Shugar, M.A. & Wright, J.L. (Eds). Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
3. Bakker, R.T., Kralis, D., Siegwarth, J. & Filla, J. (1992). Edmarka rex, a new, gigantic theropod dinosaur from the middle Morrison Formation, Late Jurassic of the Como Bluff outcrop region. Hunteria 2, 1-24.
4. Barrett, P.M. & Upchurch, P. (1995). Sauropod feeding mechanisms: their bearing on paleoecology. In Sixth symposium on Mesozoic terrestrial ecosystems and biota, short papers: 107-110. Sun, A. & Wang, Y. (Eds). Beijing: China Ocean Press.
5. Berman, D.S. & Rothschild, B.M. (2005). Neck posture of sauropods determined using radiological imaging to reveal three-dimensional structure of cervical vertebrae. In Thunder-lizards: the sauropodomorph dinosaurs: 233-247. Tidwell, V. & Carpenter, K. (Eds). Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
6. Bonaparte, J.F. (1986). Les dinosaurs (carnosaures, allosauridés, sauropodes, cétiosauridés) de Jurassic moyen de Cerro Condor (Chubut, Argentine). Ann. Paléontol. 73, 247-289.
7. Bonaparte, J.F. & Coria, R.A. (1993). Un Nuevo y gigantesco sauropodo titanosaurio de la Formación Río Limay (Albiano-Cenomaniano) de la Provincia del Neuquén, Argentina. Ameghiniana 30, 271-282.
8. Bonnan, M.F. (2001). The evolution and functional morphology of sauropod dinosaur locomotion. PhD thesis, Northern Illinois University.
9. Borsuk-Bialynicka, M. (1977). A new camarasaurid sauropod Opisthocoelicaudia skarzynskii gen. n. sp. n. from the Upper Cretaceous of Mongolia. Palaeontol. Pol. 37, 5-64.
10. Britt, B.B. (1991). Theropods of Dry Mesa Quarry (Morrison Formation, Late Jurassic, Colorado), with emphasis on the osteology of Torvosaurus tanneri. BYU Geol. Stud. 37, 1-72.
11. Brochu, C.A. (2003). Osteology of Tyrannosaurus rex: insights from a nearly complete skeleton and high-resolution computed tomographic analysis of the skull. Mem. Soc. Vert. Paleontol. 7, 1-138.
12. Calvo, J.O. & Bonaparte, J.F. (1991). Andesaurus delgadoi, gen. et sp. nov. (Saurischia-Sauropoda), dinosaurio Titanosauridae de la Formación Río Limay (Albiano-Cenomaniano) de la Provincia del Neuquén, Argentina. Ameghiniana 28, 303-310.
13. Chapman, R.E., Weishampel, D.B., Hunt, G. & Russkin-Gutman, D. (1997). Sexual dimorphism in dinosaurs. In Dinofest International: proceedings of a symposium held at Arizona State University: 83-93. Wolberg, D.L., Stump, E. & Rosenberg, G. (Eds). Philadelphia: Academy of Natural Sciences.
14. Chure, D.J. (1995). A reassessment of the gigantic theropod Saurophagus maximus from the Morrison Formation (Upper Jurassic) of Oklahoma, USA. In Sixth symposium on Mesozoic terrestrial ecosystems and biota, short papers: 103-106. Sun, A. & Wang, Y. (Eds). Beijing: China Ocean Press.
15. Clutton-Brock, T.H., Albon, S.D. & Harvey, P. (1980). Antlers: body size and breeding group size in the Cervidae. Nature 285, 565-567.
16. Coria, R.A. & Salgado, L. (1995). A new giant carnivorous dinosaur from the Cretaceous of Patagonia. Nature 377, 224-226.
17. Currie, P.J. & Carpenter, K. (2000). A new specimen of Acrocanthosaurus atokensis (Theropoda, Dinosauria) from the Lower Cretaceous Antlers Formation (Lower Cretaceous, Aptian) of Oklahoma, USA. Geodiversitas 22, 207-246.
18. Currie, P.J. & Zhao, X. (1993). A new carnosaur (Dinosauria, Theropoda) form the Jurassic of Xinjiang, People's Republic of China. Can. J. Earth Sci. 30, 2037-2081.
19. Darwin, C. (1871). The origin of species and the descent of man in relation to sex. London: John Murray.
20. Dong, Z., Zhou, X. & Zhang, Y. (1983). The dinosaurian remains from Sichuan Basin, China. Paleontol. Sin. Wh. Num. 162 New Ser. C 23, 1-145.
21. Estes, R.D. (1991). The behavior guide to African mammals. Berkeley: University of California Press.
22. Gao, Y. (1992). Yangchuanosaurus hepingensis - a new species of carnosaur from Zigong, Sichuan. Vert. Paleontol. 30, 313-324.
23. Gillette, D.D. (1991). Seismosaurus halli gen. et sp. nov., a new sauropod dinosaur from the Morrison Formation (Upper Jurassic/Lower Cretaceous) of New Mexico, USA. J. Vert. Paleontol. 11, 417-433.
24. Gilmore, C.W. (1920). Osteology of the carnivorous Dinosauria in the United States National Museum, with special reference to the genera Antrodemus (Allosaurus) and Ceratosaurus. Bull. US Nat. Mus. 110, 1-154.
25. Gilmore, C.W. (1922). A new sauropod dinosaur from the Ojo Alamo Formation of New Mexico. Smithson. Misc. Coll. 72, 1-9.
26. Gilmore, C.W. (1936). Osteology of Apatosaurus with special reference to specimens in the Carnegie Museum. Mem. Carnegie Mus. 11, 175-300.
27. Grafen, A. (1990). Biological signals as handicaps. J. Theor. Biol. 144, 517-546.
28. Harris, J.D. & Dodson, P. (2004). A new diplodocid sauropod dinosaur from the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation of Montana, USA. Acta Palaeontol. Pol. 49, 197-210.
29. Hatcher, J.B. (1901). Diplodocus (Marsh): its osteology, taxonomy, and probable habits, with a restoration of the skeleton. Mem. Carnegie Mus. 1, 1-61.
30. He, X., Li, K., Cai, K. & Gao, Y. (1984). [Omeisaurus tianfuensis - a new species of Omeisaurus from Dashanpu, Zigong, Sichuan]. J. Chengdu Coll. Geol. Suppl. 2, 13-32 (in Chinese).
31. Ikejiri, T., Tidwell, V. & Trexler, D.K. (2005). New adult specimens of Camarasaurus lentus highlight ontogenetic variation within the species. In Thunder-lizards: the sauropodomorph dinosaurs: 154-179. Tidwell, V. & Carpenter, K. (Eds). Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
32. Janensch, W. (1925). Die Coelurosaurier und Theropoden der Tendaguru-Schichten Deutch-Ostafrikas. Palaeontogr. Suppl. 7, 7-50.
33. Janensch, W. (1929a). Magensteine bei Sauropoden der Tendaguru-Schichten. Palaeontogr. Suppl. 7, 135-143.
34. Janensch, W. (1929b). Matieral und Formengehalt der Sauropoden in der Ausbeute der Tendaguru-Expedition. Palaeontogr. Suppl. 7, 1-34.
35. Madsen, J.H. Jr. (1976). Allosaurus fragilis: a revised osteology. Utah Geol. Min. Surv. Bull. 109, 1-163.
36. Madsen, J.H.Jr. & Welles, S.P. (2000). Ceratosaurus (Dinosauria, Theropoda). A revised osteology. Misc. Publ. Utah Geol. Surv. 2, 1-80.
37. Martin, J. (1987). Mobility and feeding of Cetiosaurus (Saurischia: Sauropoda) - why the long neck? In Fourth symposium on Mesozoic terrestrial ecosystems, short papers: 154-155. Currie, P.J. & Koster, E.H. (Eds). Drumheller: Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology.
38. Martin, J., Martin-Rolland, V. & Frey, E. (1998). Not cranes or masts, but beams. The biomechanics of sauropod necks. Oryctos 1, 113-120.
39. McIntosh, J.S. (1990). Sauropoda. In The Dinosauria: 345-401. Weishampel, D.B., Dodson, P. & Osmólska, H. (Eds). Berkeley: University of California Press.
40. McIntosh, J.S. (1995). Remarks on the North American sauropod Apatosaurus. In Sixth symposium on Mesozoic terrestrial ecosystems and biota, short papers: 119-124. Sun, A. & Wang, Y. (Eds). Beijing: China Ocean Press.
41. McIntosh, J.S. (2005). The genus Barosaurus Marsh (Sauropoda, Diplodocidae). In Thunder-lizards: the sauropodomorph dinosaurs: 38-77. Tidwell, V. & Carpenter, K. (Eds). Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
42. McIntosh, J.S., Brett-Surman, M.K. & Farlow, J.O. (1997). Sauropods. In The complete dinosaur: 264-290. Farlow, J.O. & Brett-Surman, M.K. (Eds). Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
43. McIntosh, J.S., Miles, C.A., Cloward, K.C. & Parker, J.R. (1996). A new nearly complete skeleton of Camarasaurus. Bull. Gunma Mus. Nat. Hist. 1, 1-87.
44. McIntosh, J.S. & Williams, M.E. (1988). A new species of sauropod dinosaur, Haplocanthosaurus delfsi sp. nov., from the Upper Jurassic Morrison Fm. of Colorado. Kirtlandia 43, 3-26.
45. Novas, F.E., de Valais, S., Vickers-Rich, P. & Rich, T. (2005). A large Cretaceous theropod from Patagonia, Argentina, and the evolution of carcharodontosaurids. Naturwissenschaften 92, 226-230.
46. Ouyang, H. & Ye, Y. (2002). The first Mamenchisaurian skeleton with complete skull: Mamenchisaurus youngi. Chengdu: Sichuan Science and Technology Press.
47. Parrish, J.M. (2006). The origins of high browsing and the effects of phylogeny and scaling on neck length in sauropodomorphs. In Amniote paleobiology: phylogenetic and functional perspectives on the evolution of mammals, birds, and reptiles: 201-204. Carrano, M., Blob, R., Gaudin, T. & Wible, J. (Eds). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
48. Paul, G.S. (1987). The science and art of restoring the appearance of dinosaurs and their relatives: a rigorous how-to guide. In Dinosaurs past and present, Vol. II: 5-49. Czerkas, S.J. & Olson, E.C. (Eds). Los Angeles: Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.
49. Paul, G.S. & Leahy, G.D. (1992). Terramegathermy in the time of the titans: restoring the metabolics of colossal dinosaurs. In Dino fest: 177-198. Rosenberg, G.D. & Wolberg, D.L. (Eds). Knoxville: University of Tennessee.
50. Petrie, M. (1988). Intra-specific variation in structures that display competitive ability: large animals invest relatively more. Anim. Behav. 36, 1174-1179.
51. Petrie, M. (1992). Are all secondary sexual display structures positively allometric and if so, why? Anim. Behav. 43, 173-175.
52. Pi, L., Ouyang, H. & Ye, Y. (1996). A new species of sauropod from Zigong, Sichuan, Mamenchisaurus youngi. In Papers on geoscience contributed to the thirtieth international geological congress: 87-89. Department of Spatial Planning and Regional Economy (Ed.). Beijing: China Economic Publishing House.
53. Rauhut, W.M., Remes, K., Fechner, R., Cladera, G. & Puerta, P. (2005). Discovery of a short-necked sauropod dinosaur from the Late Jurassic period of Patagonia. Nature 435, 670-672.
54. Riggs, E.S. (1903). Structure and relationships of opisthocoelian dinosaurs. Part I. Apatosaurus Marsh. Field Columbian Mus. Publ. Geol. Ser. 2, 165-196.
55. Riggs, E.S. (1904). Structure and relationships of opisthocoelian dinosaurs. Part II. Brachiosauridae. Field Col. Mus. Publ. Geol. Ser. 2, 229-247.
56. Rothschild, B. & Molnar, R.E. (2005). Sauropod stress fractures as clues to activity. In Thunder-lizards: the sauropodomorph dinosaurs: 381-392. Tidwell, V. & Carpenter, K. (Eds). Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
57. Salgado, L. (1993). Comments on Chubutisaurus insignis del Corro (Saurischia: Sauropoda). Ameghiniana 30, 265-270.
58. Salgado, L. & Bonaparte, J.F. (1991). Un Nuevo saurópodo Dicraeosauridae, Amargasaurus cazaui gen. et sp. nov., de la Formación La Amarga, Neocomiano de la provincia del Neuquén, Argentina. Ameginiana 28, 333-346.
59. Senter, P. (2002). Lack of a pheromonal sense in phytosaurs and other archosaurs, and its implications for reproductive communication. Paleobiology 28, 544-550.
60. Sereno, P.C., Dutheil, D.B., Iarochene, M., Larsson, H.C.E., Lyon, G.H., Magwene, P.W., Sidor, C.A., Varricchio, D.J. & Wilson, J.A. (1999). Cretaceous sauropods from the Sahara and the uneven rate of skeletal evolution among dinosaurs. Science 286, 1342-1347.
61. Simmons, R.S. & Scheepers, L. (1996). Winning by a neck: sexual selection in the evolution of giraffe. Am. Nat. 148, 771-786.
62. Smith, J.B., Lamanna, M.C., Lacovara, K.J., Dodson, P., Smith, J.R., Poole, J.C., Giegengack, R. & Attia, Y. (2001). A giant sauropod dinosaur from an Upper Cretaceous mangrove deposit in Egypt. Science 292, 1704-1706.
63. Stevens, K.A. & Parrish, J.M. (1999). Neck posture and feeding habits of two Jurassic sauropod dinosaurs. Science 284, 798-800.
64. Stevens, K.A. & Parrish, J.M. (2005). Neck posture, dentition, and feeding strategies in Jurassic sauropod dinosaurs. In Thunder-lizards: the sauropodomorph dinosaurs: 212-232. Tidwell, V. & Carpenter, K. (Eds). Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
65. Stovall, J.W. & Langston, W. Jr. (1950). Acrocanthosaurus atokensis, a new genus and species of Lower Cretaceous Theropoda from Oklahoma. Am. Midl. Nat. 43, 698-728.
66. Stromer, E. (1931). Wirbeltier-Reste der Baharije-Stufe (unterstes Cenoman). 10. Ein Skelett-Reste von Carcharodontosaurus nov. gen. Abhandl. Bayer. Akad. Wiss. Math.-Naturwiss. Abt. B 9, 1-23.
67. Stromer, E. (1934). Wirbeltier-Reste der Baharije-Stufe (unterstes Cenoman). 11. Sauropoda. Abhandl. Bayer. Akad. Wiss. Math.-Naturwiss. Abt. B 2, 74-85.
68. Tang, F., Jing, X., Kang, X. & Zhang, G. (2001). Omeisaurus maoianus: a complete sauropod from Jingyuan, Sichuan. Beijing: China Ocean Press.
69. Tidwell, V., Carpenter, C. & Brooks, B. (1995). New sauropod from the Lower Cretaceous of Utah, USA. Oryctos 2, 21-27.
70. Tidwell, V., Carpenter, C. & Meyer, S. (2001). New titanosauriform (Sauropoda) from the Poison Strip Member of the CedarMountain Formation (Lower Cretaceous), Utah. In Mesozoic vertebrate life: 139-165. Tanke, D.H. & Carpenter, C. (Eds). Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
71. Wiman, C. (1929). Die Kreide-Dinosaurier aus Shantung. Paleontol. Sin. 6, 1-67.
72. Young, C.C. (1939). On the new Sauropoda, with notes on other fragmentary reptiles from Szechuan. Bull. Geol. Soc. China 19, 279-315.
73. Young, C.C. (1954). [On a new sauropod from Yiping, Szechuan, China]. Acta Palaeontol. Sin. 2, 355-369 (in Chinese).
74. Young, C.C. & Zhao, X. (1972). Mamenchisaurus hochuanensis. Inst. Vert. Paleontol. Paleoanthropol. Monogr. Ser. A 8, 1-30.
75. Zahavi, A. (1975). Mate selection: a selection for handicap. J. Theor. Biol. 53, 205-214.
76. Zhang, Y. (1988). The Middle Jurassic dinosaur fauna from Dashanpu, Zigong, Sichuan. Vol. III. Sauropod dinosaurs (I). Shunosaurus. Chengdu: Sichuan Publishing House of Science and Technology.
77. Zhang, Y., Li, K. & Zeng, Q. (1998). [A new species of sauropod from the Late Jurassic of the Sichuan Basin (Mamenchisaurus jingyanensis sp. nov.)]. J. Chengdu Univ. Technol. 25, 61-68 (in Chinese).