Week 9 Sauropods

Question 1

Describe the evolution of sauropods from theropods - what characters changed and what dinosaurs were between these groups?

Answer 1

Sauropods remained with their saurischian pelvis but derived away from their bipedal ancestry with quadrupedal, herbivores, small heads long tail & neck.
Prosauropods were in between theropods and sauropods

Question 2

When did sauropods evolve?

Answer 2

Around the early Jurassic

Question 3

What are some shared characters of all sauropods?

Answer 3

Herbivores, long tail and small head

Question 4

How did Sauropods adapt to eating the tough vegetation of the Mesozoic?

Answer 4

Developed squared, flat, durable for wear teeth to grind tough vegetation.

Question 5

What anatomical adaptations did sauropods develop to support having such large bodies?

Answer 5

Skulls were small, pneumatic bones, air sacs in respiratory system, rapid growth rates

Question 6

Explain what sauropod’s skull tells us about how and what it was eating

Answer 6

Skulls were small w/ large holes (lightweight to hold head up for long periods of time while feasting). Skull tends to be long snout, and pointed (for far reach on vegetation). Wear on teeth meant tough vegetation was eat. No wear on teeth meant soft vegetation was eaten.

Question 7

What were some of the ways sauropods defended themselves?

Answer 7

By using their tail as a whip, use their claws, their size as an advantage and travel in packs to outnumber

Question 8

Explain sauropod’s reproductive strategy? Did they take care of their young? What fossil evidence suppports this?

Answer 8

Sauropods would lay 15-30 eggs and only few survived (like turtles). Had layered colonies meaning they would return to the same spot to reproduce.
Sauropods would ditch their babies right when they’re born and the babies would fend for themselves.
Fossil evidence of eggs found in clusters inside the ground w/ no trace of parents taking care of their babies