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Functional Morphology of Spinosaurus aegyptiacus' Sail: Thermoregulation, Display or Hydrodynamic?
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Version 1
: Received: 22 July 2024 / Approved: 22 July 2024 / Online: 22 July 2024 (09:57:53 CEST)
How to cite: Hu, T. Functional Morphology of Spinosaurus aegyptiacus' Sail: Thermoregulation, Display or Hydrodynamic?. Preprints 2024, 2024071688. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.1688.v1 Hu, T. Functional Morphology of Spinosaurus aegyptiacus' Sail: Thermoregulation, Display or Hydrodynamic?. Preprints 2024, 2024071688. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.1688.v1
Abstract
This literature review aims to gain a deeper understanding of Spinosaurus aegyptiacus’s dorsal sail regarding its function as thermoregulation, display, or hydrodynamic. The function of S. aegyptiacus’s dorsal sail has been widely debated for many years. The three most popular hypotheses are that it was used as a biological mechanism of thermoregulation, display, or hydrodynamic. The display hypothesis includes attracting mates, intimidating rivals, and social communication with other members. This literature review delves into each of the three hypotheses using past studies and excavation sites to analyze their validity. For the hydrodynamic aspect, the lifestyle of S. aegyptiacus must first be established. Based on existing research, we cannot conclude that there is a definitive primary function of Spinosaurus aegyptiacus’s dorsal sail. However, it is likely that its sail served the crucial function of display, since it would have a large surface area and could thus be a distinguishable characteristic of S. aegyptiacus that could determine mating success. Additionally, it is probable that the sail had supplementary roles in thermoregulation and hydrodynamics.
Keywords
Spinosaurus aegyptiacus; dorsal sail; thermoregulation; display hypothesis; hydrodynamics; dinosaur morphology; functional analysis; paleobiology; thermoregulatory mechanisms; sexual display; social communication; aquatic adaptation; paleontological evidence; hypothesis evaluation; evolutionary biology
Subject
Biology and Life Sciences, Life Sciences
Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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