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Science 22 January 1999:
Vol. 283. no. 5401, pp. 514 - 516
DOI: 10.1126/science.283.5401.514
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Reports

Pulmonary Function and Metabolic Physiology of Theropod Dinosaurs

John A. Ruben, * Cristiano Dal Sasso, dagger Nicholas R. Geist, dagger Willem J. Hillenius, dagger Terry D. Jones, dagger Marco Signore dagger

Ultraviolet light analysis of a fossil of the theropod dinosaur Scipionyx samniticus revealed that the liver subdivided the visceral cavity into distinct anterior pleuropericardial and posterior abdominal regions. In addition, Scipionyx apparently had diaphragmatic musculature and a dorsally attached posterior colon. These features provide evidence that diaphragm-assisted lung ventilation was present in theropods and that these dinosaurs may have used a pattern of exercise physiology unlike that in any group of living tetrapods.

J. A. Ruben, N. R. Geist, T. D. Jones, Zoology Department, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA. C. Dal Sasso, Museo Civico di Storia Naturale, Corso Venezia 55, Milano 20121, Italy. W. J. Hillenius, Department of Biology, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC 29424, USA. M. Signore, Department of Geology, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK.
*   To whom correspondence should be addressed.

dagger    Secondary authors are listed alphabetically.

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