Moving monoliths: analyzing the stance and locomotion of sauropod dinosaurs

移动巨石：分析蜥脚类恐龙的姿态和运动

• 批准号: 470751746
• 负责人: Dr. Verónica Díez Díaz, Ph.D.
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Museum für Naturkunde - Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions- und Biodiversitätsforschung (MfN)
• 依托单位国家: 德国
• 项目类别: Research Grants
• 资助国家: 德国
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/470751746?language=en
• 关键词: Moving; monoliths; analyzing; stance; locomotion

Vertebrate palaeontology is a research field in which a classical approach was used most of the times. However, in the last decades new techniques and methodologies are increasingly often employed to assess previous hypotheses and improving our knowledge about the biology of extinct animals. This project will take advantage of some of these techniques, such as 3D digitisation and biomechanical simulation tools, for developing detailed 3D musculoskeletal models of the hindlimb and tail of four well-known sauropod dinosaurs. Different gauge stances have been hypothesized for these taxa, as well as tail anatomy and related biological functions. This project will be the first one to assess the validity of these assumptions creating realistic and detailed anatomical and biomechanical models. Within sauropod dinosaurs we can find the largest animals that roamed the Earth. Besides the general thought that sauropods were huge quadrupedal animals with long tails and necks and small heads, they truly achieved an impressive diversity. Numerous muscular evidences on their bones permit to assess this diversity. But one step further is to recreate how these animals behaved and moved.Our methodology comprises the digitisation of sauropod remains by photogrammetry and structured light scanner, depending on the physical features of the bone. With the obtained 3D models we will create detailed 3D musculoskeletal models, and calculate ranges of motion with the Computer Aided Design software Maya and Rhinoceros. With this information we will be able to develop complex biomechanical analyses and create virtual trackways with specific animal locomotor simulation software (GaitSym2019). Two hypotheses will be tested, that can be resumed on how gauge stance is related with the anatomy of the hindlimb and the biological role of the tail. In addition, complex analyses will be developed for comparing for the first time the locomotor patterns of these gauge stances with fossilized trackways. The completion and final outcomes of this project will be greatly helpful for our understanding on the locomotion and biology of sauropod dinosaurs. In addition, the protocols and methodology used can be applied to the study of other extinct and extant animals. But one of the most important prospects is related with the comparison between virtual and fossilized trackways that will be done for the first time. Modelling in detail the complete musculoskeletal system of sauropods and studying its biomechanics could help to better understand the locomotive patterns of these big animals, but would also improve our knowledge on ichnology and how trackways are made.

古脊椎动物学是一个大多数时候使用经典方法的研究领域。然而，在过去的几十年里，新技术和方法越来越多地被用来评估以前的假设并提高我们对灭绝动物生物学的了解。该项目将利用其中一些技术（例如 3D 数字化和生物力学模拟工具）来开发四种著名蜥脚类恐龙后肢和尾巴的详细 3D 肌肉骨骼模型。人们对这些类群以及尾部解剖结构和相关生物功能提出了不同的假设。该项目将是第一个评估这些假设的有效性的项目，创建真实且详细的解剖和生物力学模型。在蜥脚类恐龙中，我们可以找到地球上最大的动物。人们普遍认为蜥脚类恐龙是巨大的四足动物，尾巴和脖子很长，头部很小，但它们确实实现了令人印象深刻的多样性。它们骨骼上的大量肌肉证据可以评估这种多样性。但更进一步的是重现这些动物的行为和移动方式。我们的方法包括根据骨骼的物理特征，通过摄影测量和结构光扫描仪对蜥脚类恐龙遗骸进行数字化。利用获得的 3D 模型，我们将创建详细的 3D 肌肉骨骼模型，并使用计算机辅助设计软件 Maya 和 Rhinoceros 计算运动范围。有了这些信息，我们将能够开发复杂的生物力学分析，并使用特定的动物运动模拟软件 (GaitSym2019) 创建虚拟轨道。将测试两个假设，可以恢复标准姿势与后肢解剖结构和尾巴的生物学作用之间的关系。此外，还将开发复杂的分析，以便首次将这些轨距姿态的运动模式与化石轨道进行比较。该项目的完成和最终成果将对我们了解蜥脚类恐龙的运动和生物学有很大帮助。此外，所使用的方案和方法可应用于其他灭绝和现存动物的研究。但最重要的前景之一与将首次进行的虚拟轨道和化石轨道之间的比较有关。对蜥脚类动物完整的肌肉骨骼系统进行详细建模并研究其生物力学可以帮助我们更好地了解这些大型动物的运动模式，同时也可以提高我们对技术和轨道制造方式的了解。