Despite the various measurements used in the study, the 3D model of ichthyosaur uranosurosis Langaristaris, belonging to the Museum National de -Histore Natural (Paris, France). Credit: University D Legend / Evolution and Diversification Lab
How can we evaluate the size of an animal when we are all scattered bones? A research conducted by researchers in OLIG now provides an answer to this question. Using hundreds of measurements applied math methods, they have set rules that can now be used to calculate the total length of marine creeping animals that lived 100 million years ago.
Work has appeared in the journal The letters of biology.
“For decades, experts have been struggling with this difficulty,” said Professor Valentine Fisher, a drug specialist in evolution and diversity. “Most of the major marine crawling animals are incomplete to skeleton such as ichthyosaurs, mausosaris, and maritime crocodiles. In these situations, it is difficult to accurately estimate the size of animals that dominate the oceans of the Mesozhic era.”
The research team decided to set and analyze hundreds of famous samples from full skeleton. He then tested 23 measurements – the length of the link, the dimensions of the art, the proportion of art, etc. – to indicate which the total size of the total size.
He then managed to guess that some elements of the skeleton, such as the length of the trunk or the dimensions, are, in fact, the best predictor of an animal’s total length, but that each group has equality that is different from others. This long -term project has made it possible for the first time, making it possible to propose equality, which can be made available to the scientific community to evaluate the size of the marine creeping animals from fossil pieces.
This progress opens up new possibilities. Fisher explains, “The size of an animal is an important element of its environment.” With these equations, we will be able to create a wide database on the evolution of marine hunter in past environmental crises. “
In other words, we will be able to understand how these marine monsters grow, shrink or disappear as soon as they change in their environment.
More information:
Valentine Fisher Et El, predicting body length and evaluating the shape of tail -powered Mesozoxy marine creeping animals, The letters of biology (2025) DOI: 10.1098/RSBL.2025.0374
Provided by the University D Legend
Reference: Mathematics rules provide tape measurements for the ancient marine creeping animal -sized estimates from partial fossils (2025, September 24).
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