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1 July 2012 Squamosal Ontogeny and Variation in the Pachycephalosaurian Dinosaur Stegoceras validum Lambe, 1902, from the Dinosaur Park Formation, Alberta
Ryan K. Schott, David C. Evans
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Abstract

The pachycephalosaurian squamosal is one of the most diagnostic bones in this enigmatic group of dinosaurs, but little is known about variation in its morphology. Despite this, features of squamosal morphology are often used in diagnoses and phylogenetic studies. The recently proposed hypothesis of an ontogenetic transition from Dracorex to Pachycephalosaurus implies a large amount of ontogenetic variation in squamosal ornamentation that has not been well documented due to the small number of squamosals for these taxa. Stegoceras validum provides an important model for examining variation in squamosal morphology due to the large number of squamosals available. Here we examine the morphology of 14 S. validum squamosals both qualitatively and quantitatively. We find that although both node number and shape vary considerably, there is no clear ontogenetic pattern, which suggests a high degree of individual variation. The ornamental pattern, however, is maintained throughout the sample. Increase in node size is isometric for the enlarged medial node and normal posterior nodes, but negatively allometric for the vertex node. The squamosal bar is taller laterally than medially in nearly all specimens and increases in height with positive allometry at the same rate medially and laterally. We found no correlation between the width of the supratemporal fenestra on the squamosal and the size of the squamosal itself. Rather, this feature appears to exhibit a large degree of individual variation. Overall, these findings have implications for previous hypotheses of ontogenetic growth and function of the ornamentation, as well as the construction of phylogenetic characters.

© 2012 by the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology
Ryan K. Schott and David C. Evans "Squamosal Ontogeny and Variation in the Pachycephalosaurian Dinosaur Stegoceras validum Lambe, 1902, from the Dinosaur Park Formation, Alberta," Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 32(4), 903-913, (1 July 2012). https://doi.org/10.1080/02724634.2012.679878
Received: 7 September 2011; Accepted: 1 February 2012; Published: 1 July 2012
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