2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Diet evolution of theropods dinosaurs and its implication to the origin of birds
| Project/Area Number |
24540494
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Stratigraphy/Paleontology
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| Research Institution | Hokkaido University |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Project Period (FY) |
2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
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| Keywords | 化石 / 進化 |
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
This study focuses on the diet evolution of theropods dinosaurs and its implication to the origin of birds. The evolution of herbivory in theropod dinosaurs is a key to understand the shift from non-avian to avian dinosaurs. My study suggests that the diversity of herbivory in theropods is greater than previously thought, and the extremities are therizinosaurs and ornithomimosaurs. Therizinosaurs developed more efficient oral and gastrointestinal digestion, whereas ornithomimosaurs had gastroliths and muscular stomach to become herbivory. This diversity in digestion may have had led to the diversity in species and ecology, which may a driving force to the bird origin.
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| Free Research Field |
古生物学
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