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Science 30 August 1996:
Vol. 273. no. 5279, pp. 1204 - 1207
DOI: 10.1126/science.273.5279.1204
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Reports

The Metabolic Status of Some Late Cretaceous Dinosaurs

John A. Ruben, * Willem J. Hillenius, Nicholas R. Geist, Andrew Leitch, Terry D. Jones, Philip J. Currie, John R. Horner, George Espe III

Analysis of the nasal region in fossils of three theropod dinosaurs (Nanotyrannus, Ornithomimus, and Dromaeosaurus) and one ornithischian dinosaur (Hypacrosaurus) showed that their metabolic rates were significantly lower than metabolic rates in modern birds and mammals. In extant endotherms and ectotherms, the cross-sectional area of the nasal passage scales approximately with increasing body mass M at M0.72. However, the cross-sectional area of nasal passages in endotherms is approximately four times that of ectotherms. The dinosaurs studied here have narrow nasal passages that are consistent with low lung ventilation rates and the absence of respiratory turbinates.

J. A. Ruben, N. R. Geist, T. D. Jones, Department of Zoology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331-2914, USA.
W. J. Hillenius, Biology Department, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA.
A. Leitch, PaleoImage, Toronto, Ontario M8Z 5Z8, Canada.
P. J. Currie, Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology, Drumheller, Alberta T0J 0Y0, Canada.
J. R. Horner, Museum of the Rockies, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA.
G. Espe III, The Salem Hospital, Salem OR 97301, USA.
*   To whom correspondence should be addressed.


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