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Press Releases

DATE2025.01.23 #Press Releases

Evolution of high-speed running in the Cretaceous dinosaurs

Temporal and evolutionary patterns in dinosaur legs shed light on the parallel evolution of cursoriality during the mid-Cretaceous interval.

Summary

Visiting Researcher Kohta Kubo, the University of Tokyo, and Professor Yoshitsugu Kobayashi, Hokkaido University Museum have revealed that the evolution of cursorial traits (suitable for high-speed running) occurred independently in five coelurosaur lineages during the mid-Cretaceous interval (approximately 120-93 million years ago).

This study analyzed the hindlimb skeletons from 104 theropod dinosaurs to compare the ratio of hindlimb lengths across theropod lineages. We also examined the evolutionary process of the cursorial trait, arctometatarsus, in which metatarsals are densely bundled. We conducted analyses of the relationship between the evolution of arctometatarsus and the hindlimb proportion, and temporal patterns of occurrences of these traits.

We found that the proportional elongation of distal hind limb segments, suitable for high-speed running, proceeded independently in six theropod lineages including noasaurids and five coelurosaurs with arctometatarsus (tyrannosauroids, ornithomimosaurs, alvarezsaurs, oviraptorosaurs, and troodontids). We also found that the evolution of arctometatarsus occurred independently among five coelurosaur lineages and was related to the proportional changes in hindlimb length. This evolutionary history further highlights the presence of a phylogenetic constraint outside Coelurosauria, as this ankle evolution was restricted to members of this group. Furthermore, the temporal pattern of this convergent evolution demonstrates these cursorial traits emerged within the mid-Cretaceous interval (approximately 120-93 million years ago). Our results suggest the selection on theropod locomotor performance throughout this interval.

The results of this study were published online in Royal Society Open Science on Wednesday, January 15, 2025.


Schematic diagram of this study: Convergent evolution in the temporal distribution and ankle skeleton of fast-running theropods

Related link: Hokkaido University

Published Journals

Journal name
Royal Society Open Science
Title of paper

Cursorial ecomorphology and temporal patterns in theropod dinosaur evolution during the mid-Cretaceous