Cranial Growth and Variation in Edmontosaurs: Implications for Latest Cretaceous Megaherbivore Diversity
Author Information
Author(s): Nicolás E. Campione, David C. Evans
Primary Institution: University of Toronto
Hypothesis
What is the diversity of edmontosaur species leading up to the end Cretaceous extinction event?
Conclusion
The study suggests that only two valid species of Edmontosaurus existed, indicating a decline in hadrosaurid diversity before the extinction event.
Supporting Evidence
- Only two valid species of Edmontosaurus were identified.
- Hadrosaurid diversity decreased from the early to late Maastrichtian.
- Previous interpretations of edmontosaur diversity were based on flawed taxonomic schemes.
Takeaway
Scientists studied dinosaur skulls to find out how many types of Edmontosaurus there were, and they discovered there were only two kinds, not as many as thought.
Methodology
The study used morphometric analyses of complete edmontosaur skulls to assess species diversity and biostratigraphy.
Potential Biases
Potential biases may arise from the subjective nature of taxonomic assessments.
Limitations
The study could not test for fine-scale stratigraphic segregation of morphological variation due to lack of precise locality data.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.01
Statistical Significance
p<0.01
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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