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Article: Centrum growth patterns provide evidence for two small taxa of Hiodontidae in the Cretaceous Dinosaur Park Formation.(Report)
- Article from:
- Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences
- Article date:
- June 1, 2007
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2007 NRC Research Press. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Abstract: Disarticulated centra recovered from the Campanian Dinosaur Park Formation (Cretaceous) are used to describe hiodontid age, growth, and longevity. Previous studies of Cretaceous centrum morphology have shown only one morphotype. However, growth characteristics can be used to test the one-taxon hypothesis. Age and growth characteristics indicate that Cretaceous hiodontids were shorter-lived (i.e., 7 years) and significantly smaller than extant Hiodon. The fossil centra also exhibit two significantly different growth patterns. Initially it was predicted that two factors could explain the presence of the two growth patterns: (1) sexual size dimorphism, and (2) ...