RE: Dinosaur EQ

[Michael Mortimer <mickey_mortimer111@msn.com>]

Vladimír  Socha wrote-

> 1.) Did anyone calculated the EQ values for _Bambiraptor feinbergorum_, 
> _Scipionyx samniticus_ and/or "feathered" theropods from Liaoning?

Bambiraptor has a Bird EQ of 1.2-1.4 (Burnham, 2004).  Scipionyx's 
endocranial volume hasn't been estimated (a CT scan would be necessary for 
an accurate estimate), and missing lateral and ventral braincase elements 
would make estimation difficult for most Yixian theropods.

> 3.) Is the value assigned to Troodon formosus (6.28 or even 6.48) a 
> "record" for any nonavian dinosaur? Is there any contender among recently 
> (i.e. in the past few years) discovered theropods (Bambiraptor, other 
> troodontids, oviraptorosaurs etc?). Also, which dinosaur would be on the 
> other end of the table with lowest EQ value?

Bambiraptor's is the highest I know about.  But it's not like Bambiraptor 
and Troodon had the largest nonavian theropod EQ's.  They just have the 
largest of the fifteen or so which we've been able to measure.  I wouldn't 
be surprised if other microraptorians or basal troodontids had higher EQ's.  
In particular, the Ukhaa Tolgod basal troodontid (whose skull was called 
Shuvuuia on the AMNH website) has a huge cerebrum though its total mass 
hasn't been estimated.  Another contender is the tiny, huge-skulled 
Epidendrosaurus/Scansoriopteryx.  But ontogeny no doubt artificially 
increases its EQ, as it probably does for Bambiraptor's holotype.

> 4.) Did anything new happen in this matter over the past few years (new 
> approaches, methods used, etc?). Will any other calculations of the newly 
> discovered or recalculations of the old ones took place? Is there any kind 
> of database with these values on the web?

Well, there's been the creation of EQ equations for non-avian reptiles, 
birds and mammals.  For instance, Bambiraptor has a Bird EQ of 1.2-1.4, and 
a Reptile EQ of 12.5-13.8.

Here's the info I have for use in my coelurosaur analysis (Bird EQ's) -

        Allosaurus (Franzosa, 2004) ~.27-.42
        Acrocanthosaurus (Franzosa, 2004; pers. mass est.) .415
        Carcharodontosaurus (Franzosa, 2004; pers. mass est.) .206
        Tyrannosaurus (Franzosa, 2004; pers. mass est.) .468
        Dromiceiomimus (Franzosa, 2004; pers. mass est.) .568
        Citipati (Franzosa, 2004) .317
        Saurornithoides junior (Franzosa, 2004; pers. mass est.) .550
        Troodon (Franzosa, 2004) .691
        Bambiraptor (Burnham, 2004) ~1.2-1.4
        Archaeopteryx (Alonso et al., 2004; pers. mass est.) .418

Carcharodontosaurus' may be unnaturally low due to missing olfactory lobes.

Mickey Mortimer