A universal scaling relationship between body mass and proximal limb bone dimensions in quadrupedal terrestrial tetrapods

• Published in: BMC biology Vol. 10; no. 1; p. 60
• Main Authors: Campione, Nicolás E, Evans, David C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 10.07.2012; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Analysis; Animals; Biologi med inriktning mot evolutionär organismbiologi; Biology with specialization in Evolutionary Organismal Biology; Birds; Body Size; Bone and Bones - anatomy & histology; Bones; Extremities - anatomy & histology; Gait - physiology; Least-Squares Analysis; Mammals - anatomy & histology; Paleontology; Phylogeny; Physiological aspects; Posture - physiology; Reptiles - anatomy & histology; Vertebrates; Canada

Body size is intimately related to the physiology and ecology of an organism. Therefore, accurate and consistent body mass estimates are essential for inferring numerous aspects of paleobiology in extinct taxa, and investigating large-scale evolutionary and ecological patterns in the history of life...