RE: why isn't Tethyshadros insularis just a juvenile?

["Thomas R. Holtz, Jr." <tholtz@umd.edu>]

> From: owner-DINOSAUR@usc.edu [mailto:owner-DINOSAUR@usc.edu] 
> On Behalf Of Fabio Dalla Vecchia
>
> > Regardless, in an alleged dwarf taxon, histological 
> sectioning of limb 
> > bones would be the most reliable way to demonstrate 
> maturity at small 
> > body size. Chop a limb, any limb, and find an EFS.
> 
> I answered this in another post. Anyway, what is a EFS?

Acronym for "External Fundamental System": the closely-packed lines of
arrested growth on the outer surface of a bone indicating that the rapid
phase of growth is over and the dinosaur (or other animal) has reached full
adult size.

Incidentally, various histological researchers are developing sampling
techniques that minimize the requirement for damage to a fossil. Sarah
Werning and Andrew Lee presented on this at the North American
Paleontological Convention this summer, and some German researchers are also
working on coring techniques to help extract a cylinder of bone without
leaving a big slice in the specimen.

Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
Email: tholtz@umd.edu   Phone: 301-405-4084
Office: Centreville 1216                        
Senior Lecturer, Vertebrate Paleontology
Dept. of Geology, University of Maryland
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~tholtz/
Fax: 301-314-9661               

Faculty Director, Earth, Life & Time Program, College Park Scholars
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~jmerck/eltsite/
Faculty Director, Science & Global Change Program, College Park Scholars
http://www.geol.umd.edu/sgc
Fax: 301-314-9843

Mailing Address:        Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
                        Department of Geology
                        Building 237, Room 1117
                        University of Maryland
                        College Park, MD 20742 USA