dimorphism

[StephanPickering@cs.com]

A query/speculation: if one measures hindfoot lengths and shoulder height of sauropods, and, if possible, determines growth curves for each size measurement, a linear relationship between foot length and shoulder height might demonstrate sexual dimorphism in both hind foot length and shoulder height. Thus: a female sauropod, whose biochemistry would undergo far more rapid changes than a male, would likely be larger (so as to manufacture the genome of an infant hatchling). Or, perhaps: male/female sauropods were of comparable size, growth variance slightly greater in females, as post-puberty female sauropod growth would be impacted by a "trade-off" between reproduction and body growth. Could similar patterns be observable among ceratopsians, ankylosaurs, hadrosaurs?