Body mass estimations for Plateosaurus engelhardti using laser scanning and 3D reconstruction methods

摘要: Both body mass and surface area are factors determining the essence of any living organism. This should also hold true for an extinct organism such as a dinosaur. The present report discusses use new 3D laser scanner method to establish masses areas Asian elephant (Zoological Museum Copenhagen, Denmark) Plateosaurus engelhardti, prosauropod from Upper Triassic, exhibited at Paleontological in Tubingen (Germany). was used study effect that slight changes shape had on P. engelhardti. It established volumes varied between 0.79 m3 (slim version) 1.14 m3 (robust version), resulting presumable 630 912 kg, respectively. total ranged 8.8 10.2 m2, which, both reconstructions ∼33% account thorax alone. main difference two models is tail hind limb reconstruction. slim version has 1.98 m2, whereas robust 2.73 m2. calculated were follows: head 0.006 m3, neck 0.016 m3, fore limbs 0.020 m3, 0.08 m3, thoracic cavity 0.533 m3, 0.136 m3. For model, following established: 0.01 m3 head, 0.026 m3, 0.025 m3, 0.18 m3, 0.616 m3, finally, 0.28 m3. Based these volumes, scaling equations assess size organs this dinosaur have.