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Associated evolution of bipedality and cursoriality among Triassic archosaurs: a phylogenetically controlled evaluation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 February 2016

Tai Kubo  and
Mugino O. Kubo
Tai Kubo
Affiliation:
The Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum, 51-11 Terao, Muroko, Katsuyama, Fukui 911-8601, Japan. E-mail: t-kubo@dinosaur.pref.fukui.jp
Mugino O. Kubo
Affiliation:
The University Museum, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
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Abstract

Bipedalism evolved more than twice among archosaurs, and it is a characteristic of basal dinosaurs and a prerequisite for avian flight. Nevertheless, the reasons for the evolution of bipedalism among archosaurs have barely been investigated. Comparative analysis using phylogenetically independent contrasts showed a significant correlation between bipedality (relative length of forelimb) and cursoriality (relative length of metatarsal III) among Triassic archosaurs. This result indicates that, among Triassic archosaurs, bipeds could run faster than quadrupeds. Bipedalism is probably an adaptation for cursoriality among archosaurs, which may explain why bipedalism evolved convergently in the crocodilian and bird lineages. This result also indicates that the means of acquiring cursoriality may differ between archosaurs and mammals.

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Articles
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Paleobiology , Volume 38 , Issue 3 , Summer 2012 , pp. 474 - 485
Copyright
Copyright © The Paleontological Society 

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