Review
Version 1
This version is not peer-reviewed
The Influence of Habitat on the Hunting Strategies of Baryonyx walkeri
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Version 1
: Received: 26 July 2024 / Approved: 26 July 2024 / Online: 29 July 2024 (10:29:45 CEST)
How to cite: Hu, T. The Influence of Habitat on the Hunting Strategies of Baryonyx walkeri. Preprints 2024, 2024072205. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.2205.v1 Hu, T. The Influence of Habitat on the Hunting Strategies of Baryonyx walkeri. Preprints 2024, 2024072205. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.2205.v1
Abstract
This literature review investigates how the diverse habitats of Baryonyx walkeri influenced its hunting strategies, with a focus on adaptations for piscivory and generalist predation. The spinosaurid theropod Baryonyx walkeri, known for its distinctive elongated snout and conical teeth, inhabited a variety of environments during the Early Cretaceous period. Fossil evidence suggests that Baryonyx frequented fluvial and lacustrine environments, leading to the hypothesis that its primary diet consisted of fish and other aquatic organisms. Detailed analysis of its cranial morphology reveals a suite of adaptations, including robust forelimbs with a large, sickle-shaped claw, ideal for catching slippery prey. Isotopic analysis of oxygen in Baryonyx indicates a significant reliance on fish and other similar organisms. Comparisons with modern analogs, such as crocodilians, provide further insight into the behavioral ecology of Baryonyx. This review integrates paleontological data with modern ecological analogs to reconstruct the hunting strategies of Baryonyx walkeri. The findings underscore the importance of habitat diversity in shaping the evolutionary pathways of predatory dinosaurs and contribute to a broader understanding of spinosaurid ecology and behavior.
Keywords
Baryonyx walkeri; habitats; hunting strategies; piscivory; generalist predation; spinosaurid theropod; Early Cretaceous period; elongated snout; conical teeth; fluvial environments; lacustrine environments; diet; fish; aquatic organisms; cranial morphology; robust forelimbs; sickle-shaped claw; isotopic analysis; oxygen; crocodilians; behavioral ecology; paleontological data; ecological analogs; evolutionary pathways; predatory dinosaurs; spinosaurid ecology; behavior
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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