Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 1999 Jan 22;283(5401):514-6.
doi: 10.1126/science.283.5401.514.

Pulmonary function and metabolic physiology of theropod dinosaurs

JA Ruben  1 , Dal Sasso C, NR Geist, WJ Hillenius, TD Jones, M Signore
Affiliations

Pulmonary function and metabolic physiology of theropod dinosaurs

JA Ruben et al. Science. .

Abstract

Ultraviolet light analysis of a fossil of the theropod dinosaur Scipionyx samniticus revealed that the liver subdivided the visceral cavity into distinct anterior pleuropericardial and posterior abdominal regions. In addition, Scipionyx apparently had diaphragmatic musculature and a dorsally attached posterior colon. These features provide evidence that diaphragm-assisted lung ventilation was present in theropods and that these dinosaurs may have used a pattern of exercise physiology unlike that in any group of living tetrapods.

PubMed Disclaimer

LinkOut - more resources