Gigantism and comparative life-history parameters of tyrannosaurid dinosaurs
Gigantism and comparative life-history parameters of tyrannosaurid dinosaurs
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DOI：
10.1038/nature02699
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发表时间：
2004-08-12
期刊：
影响因子：
64.8
通讯作者：
Brochu, CA
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Erickson, GM;Makovicky, PJ;Brochu, CA
身体大小的进化变化是如何由发育时间和/或生长速率的变化（也称为异时性）引起的，这是进化生物学中相当感兴趣的话题（1）。特别是，极端的尺寸变化导致了恐龙体内多次发生的脊椎畸形（2）。这种变化是由加速增长、延迟成熟还是两个过程的结合带来的尚不清楚。更好地理解非鸟类恐龙群体之间的关系以及重建其生长曲线的新发现能力，使定量解决这些问题成为可能（3）。在这里，我们研究了霸王龙科（Tyrannosauridae）的生长模式，霸王龙是最著名的大型食肉恐龙，并确定了霸王龙雷克斯（Tyrannosaurus rex）的发育方式，重达5,000公斤以上，是有史以来最巨大的陆生食肉动物之一。T.雷克斯的最大生长速率为2.1 kg d（-1），在20年内达到骨骼成熟，寿命长达28年。T.雷克斯的巨大成就主要是因为它的生长速度超过了它的近亲。
How evolutionary changes in body size are brought about by variance in developmental timing and/or growth rates ( also known as heterochrony) is a topic of considerable interest in evolutionary biology(1). In particular, extreme size change leading to gigantism occurred within the dinosaurs on multiple occasions(2). Whether this change was brought about by accelerated growth, delayed maturity or a combination of both processes is unknown. A better understanding of relationships between non-avian dinosaur groups and the newfound capacity to reconstruct their growth curves make it possible to address these questions quantitatively(3). Here we study growth patterns within the Tyrannosauridae, the best known group of large carnivorous dinosaurs, and determine the developmental means by which Tyrannosaurus rex, weighing 5,000 kg and more, grew to be one of the most enormous terrestrial carnivorous animals ever. T. rex had a maximal growth rate of 2.1 kg d(-1), reached skeletal maturity in two decades and lived for up to 28 years. T. rex's great stature was primarily attained by accelerating growth rates beyond that of its closest relatives.