Dynamic Duos: Why Examining More Bones is (Mechanically) Better Than One
A common question raised in research by morphologists and functional anatomists is, “How do we better understand the movement of this creature?” From the work of earliest naturalists, descriptions of the shape and size of bones were key aspects to this research endeavor. Further, because of the fragmentary nature of the fossils of many ancient organisms, scientists learned to draw conclusions from isolated or a few skeletal elements. Perhaps because of decades of using this approach, we have grown accustomed to examining certain single bones over others, even when we have completely intact skeletons to consider. Yet, examining one element may be ignoring subtle but important contributions that better explain variation in the morphology of multiple bones.
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