Re: Megalosaur femora (was RE: New Megalosaurus paper)

[Tim Williams <twilliams_alpha@hotmail.com>]

In case anyone is interested, Moser (2003) concluded that the variability in 
the shape of plateosaur femora (straight vs sigmoidal shafts) at Trossingen 
was due to taphonomy/diagenesis.  Therefore, the relative straightness of 
the femoral shaft could not be used to separate different prosauropod 
species (contra Weishampel & Chapman 1990; Galton, 2000, 2001).  Moser 
refers both straight- and sigmoidal-shafted femora to _Plateosaurus 
engelhardti_.

Reference:

Moser, M. (2003). _Plateosaurus engelhardti_ Meyer, 1837 (Dinosauria: 
Sauropodomorpha) aus dem Feuerletten (Mittelkeuper; Obertrias) von Bayern. 
Zitteliana B 24: 3-186.

I wonder what impact this study might have on Day and Barrett's (2004) study 
on the Stonesfield Slate megalosaur material.  Day and Barrett sort the 
femora into "straight" and "sigmoidal" morphotypes, and therefore recognize 
two separate theropod taxa.  But maybe (and I stress MAYBE) the difference 
is likewise taphonomic, as with the Trossingen plateosaur femora.