Growth strategies inferred from the paleohistological study of ribs of ornithopod dinosaurs from the Maestrazgo basin (Teruel, Spain)
Keywords:
Ornithopoda, Osteohistology, Ribs, Ontogeny, GrowthAbstract
A paleohistological comparison has been made between the dorsal ribs
of two iguanodontid ornithopod specimens from the Azud Aliaga (Aliaga)
and Pepe (Ladruñán) sites, both from the Barremian (Lower Cretaceous) of
the Maestrazgo Basin (Teruel, Spain). Both specimens share a similar histological
development in early stages of ontogeny, while in more advanced
stages they elaborate different growth strategies. The specimen from Pepe
shows homogeneous growth over time, while the one from Azud Aliaga
modifies its development in more advanced ontogenetic stages. In relation
to the paleobiology of the ornithopods from the Maestrazgo, these results
may reflect different physiological requirements and/or a variable susceptibility
to extrinsic paleoecological factors.
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