Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton, European Way, Southampton, SO13 3ZH, UK.
Faculty of Engineering and the Environment, University of Southampton, SO17 1BJ, Southampton, UK.
Sci Rep. 2017 Jun 16;7(1):3749. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-03671-3.
The discovery of large, complex, internal canals within the rostra of fossil reptiles has been linked with an enhanced tactile function utilised in an aquatic context, so far in pliosaurids, the Cretaceous theropod Spinosaurus, and the related spinosaurid Baryonyx. Here, we report the presence of a complex network of large, laterally situated, anastomosing channels, discovered via micro-focus computed tomography (μCT), in the premaxilla and maxilla of Neovenator, a mid-sized allosauroid theropod from the Early Cretaceous of the UK. We identify these channels as neurovascular canals, that include parts of the trigeminal nerve; many branches of this complex terminate on the external surfaces of the premaxilla and maxilla where they are associated with foramina. Neovenator is universally regarded as a 'typical' terrestrial, predatory theropod, and there are no indications that it was aquatic, amphibious, or unusual with respect to the ecology or behaviour predicted for allosauroids. Accordingly, we propose that enlarged neurovascular facial canals shouldn't be used to exclusively support a model of aquatic foraging in theropods and argue instead that an enhanced degree of facial sensitivity may have been linked with any number of alternative behavioural adaptations, among them defleshing behaviour, nest selection/maintenance or social interaction.
在化石爬行动物的口鼻部中发现大型、复杂、内部的运河与增强的触觉功能有关，这些功能在水生环境中得到了利用，迄今为止，已经在上龙类、白垩纪兽脚亚目恐龙棘龙以及相关的棘龙科恐龙中得到了证实。在这里，我们报告了一种复杂的大型、侧向吻合的通道网络的存在，这些通道是通过微焦点计算机断层扫描（μCT）在英国早白垩世的中体型兽脚亚目恐龙新猎龙的前上颌骨和上颌骨中发现的。我们将这些通道鉴定为神经血管通道，其中包括三叉神经的一部分；该复杂结构的许多分支终止于前上颌骨和上颌骨的外部表面，与孔相关联。新猎龙通常被认为是一种“典型”的陆地、捕食性兽脚亚目恐龙，没有迹象表明它是水生的、两栖的或在生态或行为方面与其他兽脚亚目恐龙不同。因此，我们提出，扩大的神经血管面部通道不应该被用来专门支持兽脚亚目动物的水生觅食模型，而是认为面部敏感性的增强可能与任何数量的替代行为适应有关，其中包括去肉行为、巢穴选择/维护或社交互动。
