Fred Ruhe
Well-known member
Savannah Elizabeth Cobb, 2018
Using X-ray images to analyse the relationship between avian claw curvature and behaviour
Progressive Palaeontology 2018 Abstracts Book
Free pdf: https://www.palass.org/sites/default...act book.pdf
Abstract: https://www.palass.org/sites/default...act book.pdf
Previous studies have sought to measure the relationship between avian, squamate, and avialan claw curvature and behavior using angles measured via a method that approximates pedal claws of digit III to the arc of a circle (Feduccia, 1993; Pike & Maitland, 2004; Glen & Bennett, 2007; Birn-Jeffery et al., 2012). The ranges of claw angles found with this method are correlated with behavioural categories perching, climbing, ground-dwelling, and/or predation. The determined correlations are often used to infer behaviours of extinct avialans. Issues with methodologies of past studies include reliance on homologous points located on soft tissue, limited sample size, failure to account for confounding effects related to body size and phylogeny, and reconstruction of soft tissue in fossil claws using untested or unquantifiable methods. This study seeks to resolve conflicting results of past studies using the Nomad Pro Radiography Unit to study the relationship between inner ungual bone and outer keratinous sheath of digit III pedal claws of a large, phylogenetically diverse sample of modern birds of weights .2kg to 2kg from behavioural categories perching, ground-dwelling, climbing, and predatory using digital X-ray images, a custom-made program DinoLino.exe, and statistical analysis in R. Intended results are to provide a reliable method of reconstructing incomplete fossil claws and give an accurate relationship between behavior and claw angle in avians for purposes of inferring behaviours in extinct avialans through comparative analyses of claw curvature.
Enjoy,
Fred
Using X-ray images to analyse the relationship between avian claw curvature and behaviour
Progressive Palaeontology 2018 Abstracts Book
Free pdf: https://www.palass.org/sites/default...act book.pdf
Abstract: https://www.palass.org/sites/default...act book.pdf
Previous studies have sought to measure the relationship between avian, squamate, and avialan claw curvature and behavior using angles measured via a method that approximates pedal claws of digit III to the arc of a circle (Feduccia, 1993; Pike & Maitland, 2004; Glen & Bennett, 2007; Birn-Jeffery et al., 2012). The ranges of claw angles found with this method are correlated with behavioural categories perching, climbing, ground-dwelling, and/or predation. The determined correlations are often used to infer behaviours of extinct avialans. Issues with methodologies of past studies include reliance on homologous points located on soft tissue, limited sample size, failure to account for confounding effects related to body size and phylogeny, and reconstruction of soft tissue in fossil claws using untested or unquantifiable methods. This study seeks to resolve conflicting results of past studies using the Nomad Pro Radiography Unit to study the relationship between inner ungual bone and outer keratinous sheath of digit III pedal claws of a large, phylogenetically diverse sample of modern birds of weights .2kg to 2kg from behavioural categories perching, ground-dwelling, climbing, and predatory using digital X-ray images, a custom-made program DinoLino.exe, and statistical analysis in R. Intended results are to provide a reliable method of reconstructing incomplete fossil claws and give an accurate relationship between behavior and claw angle in avians for purposes of inferring behaviours in extinct avialans through comparative analyses of claw curvature.
Enjoy,
Fred
