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Palaeontology

Why were some dinosaurs so huge ?

By T.K. Randall
February 7, 2012 · Comment icon 22 comments

Image Credit: Gerhard Boeggemann
Scientists have been investigating what lead some dinosaurs to grow to such enormous sizes.
It is thought that bird-like egg-laying and efficient respiration may have been significant contributing factors, some dinosaurs also seemed to grow in size as they evolved while others did not. "We look at the early history of archosaurs, including some early dinosaurs," said study co-author Roger Benson. "We can see that some lineages obtained gigantic body sizes, but others remained small and a few showed evolutionary size reductions."
Benson, a vertebrate paleontologist at the University of Cambridge, explained that "pterosaurs, the flying reptiles, are a good example of a lineage that remained small during our study interval. There were also many small herbivores, like the dinosaur Heterodontosaurus, and small predators like the dinosaur Coelophysis. "


Source: Discovery News | Comments (22)

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Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #13 Posted by Abramelin 13 years ago
The article also tries to explain why mammals could not grow that large. But how about this one: Paraceratherium is the largest land mammal known, larger than the largest species of mammoths (Mammuthus sungari, which may have approached it in size and weight). It is also known as the "giraffe rhinoceros". Adult Paraceratherium are estimated to have been 5.5 metres (18 ft) tall at the shoulder, 10 metres (33 ft) in length from nose to rump, a maximum raised head height of about 8 metres (26 ft), and a skull length of 1.5 metres (4.9 ft). Weight estimates vary greatly, but most realistic and rel... [More]
Comment icon #14 Posted by acute alan 13 years ago
Dinosaurs got bigger and bigger because their moms and dads made them eat their fruit & veg! No. Seriously..... They obviously grew bigger if it was advantageous to do so. Not every species of dinosaur would gain an advantage thru being larger, so not all species grew to an enormous size. Humans are going the same way. Taller people are more successful, earn more money, and have more children. Therefore, every future generation will be bigger than the one before, until it becomes a disadvantage (or no advantage) to be larger. There's no reason why we can't have 20-feet-tall ants in the fut... [More]
Comment icon #15 Posted by Abramelin 13 years ago
Dinosaurs got bigger and bigger because their moms and dads made them eat their fruit & veg! No. Seriously..... They obviously grew bigger if it was advantageous to do so. Not every species of dinosaur would gain an advantage thru being larger, so not all species grew to an enormous size. Humans are going the same way. Taller people are more successful, earn more money, and have more children. Therefore, every future generation will be bigger than the one before, until it becomes a disadvantage (or no advantage) to be larger. There's no reason why we can't have 20-feet-tall ants in the fut... [More]
Comment icon #16 Posted by Kopernicus 13 years ago
The gigantism of dinosaurs was the result of a lowering of surface gravitation on the Earth. The Gravity Theory of Mass Extinction explains this as well as flood basalt volcanism (e.g. the Deccan Traps and Siberian Traps) and many other phenomena. If interested, go to www.dinoextinct.com and click on 'The Gravity Theory of Mass Extinction' to view the pdf.
Comment icon #17 Posted by Fester John 13 years ago
Your all wrong... it was because the ozone layer was more than 200% thicker than it is now and fluctuates through time. Also there was an ice "shield" around the earth which in turn enhanced the effects of the ozone layer.. Ever think of where all that water came from that flooded the earth and killed the titans of old? Some core samples that are recovered from the poles give proof to this but would never be released to the public...
Comment icon #18 Posted by ~C.S.M~ 13 years ago
There appears to be a reason: Atmospheric oxygen level and the evolution of insect body size. Abstract Insects are small relative to vertebrates, possibly owing to limitations or costs associated with their blind-ended tracheal respiratory system. The giant insects of the late Palaeozoic occurred when atmospheric PO(2) (aPO(2)) was hyperoxic, supporting a role for oxygen in the evolution of insect body size. The paucity of the insect fossil record and the complex interactions between atmospheric oxygen level, organisms and their communities makes it impossible to definitively accept or reject ... [More]
Comment icon #19 Posted by Abramelin 13 years ago
Dinosars were in the Mesozoikum, the article by you posted talks about the Paleozoikum. Two different era's in earth history. And dinosaurs, are not insects ;-) I know. It was just a reply to a remark about insects being able to grow to 20 feet... in the future. "Nothing" could hinder them to grow that large, but no, "something" would indeed hinder their gigantic growth.
Comment icon #20 Posted by Abramelin 13 years ago
Your all wrong... it was because the ozone layer was more than 200% thicker than it is now and fluctuates through time. Also there was an ice "shield" around the earth which in turn enhanced the effects of the ozone layer.. Ever think of where all that water came from that flooded the earth and killed the titans of old? Some core samples that are recovered from the poles give proof to this but would never be released to the public... Heh, I guess you read that somewhere. Care to share that source with us?
Comment icon #21 Posted by Abramelin 13 years ago
The gigantism of dinosaurs was the result of a lowering of surface gravitation on the Earth. The Gravity Theory of Mass Extinction explains this as well as flood basalt volcanism (e.g. the Deccan Traps and Siberian Traps) and many other phenomena. If interested, go to www.dinoextinct.com and click on 'The Gravity Theory of Mass Extinction' to view the pdf. Does that theory also explain this: Look at the critter between the elephant and the T-rex. Paraceratherium is the largest land mammal known, larger than the largest species of mammoths (Mammuthus sungari, which may have approached it in siz... [More]
Comment icon #22 Posted by Kopernicus 13 years ago
Does that theory also explain this: Look at the critter between the elephant and the T-rex. Paraceratherium is the largest land mammal known, larger than the largest species of mammoths (Mammuthus sungari, which may have approached it in size and weight). It is also known as the "giraffe rhinoceros". Adult Paraceratherium are estimated to have been 5.5 metres (18 ft) tall at the shoulder, 10 metres (33 ft) in length from nose to rump, a maximum raised head height of about 8 metres (26 ft), and a skull length of 1.5 metres (4.9 ft). Weight estimates vary greatly, but most realistic and reliable... [More]
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