References
Reference
Massare, Judy A and Sperber, Stephen T (2001) Vertebral morphology and swimming styles in Cretaceous plesiosaurs (Reptilia, Sauroptervgia); Paludicola, 3(3), pp.95-103
Vertebral morphology and swimming styles in Cretaceous plesiosaurs (Reptilia, Sauroptervgia)
Principal Author
Judy A Massare
Other Authors
Stephen T Sperber
Header
Academic paper
Journal
Paludicola
Volume
3
Issue
3
Pages
95-103
Abstract
Recent work has demonstrated that the variation in vertebral morphology within an individual provides new data for the analysis of swimming in extant and extinct tetrapods. Plesiosaurs are the most enigmatic of marine tetrapods in that they are the only taxa to employ two pairs of wing�shaped limbs for swimming At least three distinct patterns of centrum shape change exist among the five species of Cretaceous plesiosaurs examined. Centrum shape can be related to movement of the vertebral column during locomotion. This, in turn, may be related to how the limbs weres used during swimming. Plesiosaurs,therefore, may have employed at least three different swimming styles, thus showing a greater diversity in swimming capabilities than had been assumed previously
Language
English