A Study of the Thermal Physiology of the Dinosauria Through the Use of Oxygen Isotopes in Bone Phosphate

恐龙是否缺乏有效温度的问题 对照（是异温动物）或吸热恒温动物， 引起了很大的争议。 它们的爬行动物特征表明 异温性;相反，它们在早期 哺乳动物种群表明高生理效率- 恒温 尽管有很多争论，但被认为是 日期并没有给出令人信服的答案。 这样的答案可以从氧同位素比中得到， 恐龙骨头。 一个基本的前提是， 骨的同位素组成反映了两个变量： 它是从沉积的体液的组成，和 发生沉积的温度。 第二个前提，也 体液中的同位素比率 在任何时候都是一致的。 这意味着 在一个特定的个体中， 会反映出温度的差异。 迄今为止的观察表明，在哺乳动物中， 四肢和身体核心之间的温度变化很小， 而异温爬行动物（如 科摩多龙（Komodo dragon） 将比较肢体和体核的同位素值 从有关节或部分有关节的恐龙中挑选的骨骼 骷髅 这些结果将首次直接证明 恐龙热生理学

The question of whether dinosaurs lacked effective temperature control (were heterotherms) or were endothermic homeotherms has given rise to much controversy. Their reptilian character suggests heterothermy; in contrast, their rise to dominance over early mammalian stocks suggests high physiological efficiency - homeothermy. Despite much argument, the criteria considered to date do not yield a convincing answer. Such an answer may be obtained from oxygen isotope ratios in dinosaur bone. A basic premise, well substantiated, is that the isotopic composition of bone reflects two variables: the composition of the body fluids from which it was deposited, and the temperature at which deposition occurred. A second premise, also well established, is that the isotopic ratios in the body fluids of an individual are uniform at any one time. This implies that any isotopic differences in bone deposited in a given individual at any time will reflect differences in temperature. Observations to date suggest that in mammals, body temperatures vary only slightly between extremities and body core, whereas notable differences exist in heterothermic reptiles (such as the Komodo dragon). Isotopic values will be compared from extremital and body core bones selected from articulated or partially articulated dinosaur skeletons. The results will give the first direct evidence of dinosaur thermal physiology.