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May 9, 2011
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4664×2858
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:iconpaleopastori:
Apatosaurus ajax - running babies

acrylics by brush on cardboard
size 39.5 x 24.5 cm (15.5 x 9.6 inches)

Scientific supervision and text by
Matthew Mossbrucker

"Description of Fabio’s Apatosaurus ajax painting

This painting depicts a historic Morrison Formation site, Quarry 5 in Morrison, Colorado. Discovered by Arthur Lakes in the spring of 1877, this site is most significant because it produced the type of Stegosaurus armatus, Yale Peabody Museum specimen 1850. Sauropod remains have been documented at this site as well.

Recent investigations at Quarry 5 yielded trace fossils on the top of the beds that contain the body fossils, including tracks likely made by juvenile and adult Apatosaurus ajax. On a single ex situ boulder, juvenile sauropod trackways demonstrate two distinct footfall cadences – a near heel-toe hind track pattern, and a trackway that shows twice the amount of space (as compared to the aforementioned tracks) between footfalls in tracks the same size. This indicates that the two trackways represent distinct locomotion pattern: the closer footfalls a walking speed with the wider footfalls representing a low-speed ‘run.’

While the trackway of close footfalls does demonstrate relatively shallow, lunate manual tracks, the wider footfalls have no features representing manual tracks (either overstepped or not). This suggests the possibility that young Apatosaurus had the capability of moving short distances bipedally.


Patient work at Quarry 5 is ongoing - hampered by very hard, silicic sandstone."


Matthew T. Mossbrucker
Director and Chief Curator
____________________________
Morrison Natural History Museum
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:iconhellraptor:
~hellraptor Apr 18, 2013
Thats cool, you learn something new everyday, could be a trait from their ancestors like Plateosaurus and Anchisaurus
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:iconmctalon:
~McTalon Feb 4, 2013  Hobbyist General Artist
I remember seeing this painting in the Paloenews section of Prehistoric Times. Heck, I think I used the article that it went with as reference for an Earth Science report. Beautiful painting, by the way, certainly shows why you're considered one of the best Paleoartists around.
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:iconpaleous:
~Paleous Nov 3, 2011  Student Interface Designer
lovley dinosaur
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:iconponchofirewalker01:
~PonchoFirewalker01 Jun 8, 2011
Like the basilisk lizard
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:iconpaleopastori:
~PaleoPastori Jun 9, 2011
Absolutely different ; )
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:iconponchofirewalker01:
~PonchoFirewalker01 Jun 9, 2011
Well, a normally four-legged animal that runs on it's hindlegs reminds me of a basilisk lizard. Also, it was unexpected from a animal that will be one of the biggest animals around.
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:iconpaleopastori:
~PaleoPastori Jun 14, 2011
The skeletal structure was different so the range of motion totally different. Basilisk have cartilagineous joints, is a lizard.
Let's try to compare this dinos to birds ; )
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:iconponchofirewalker01:
~PonchoFirewalker01 Jun 14, 2011
I know, I was just saying that what it reminds me of.
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:iconsameerprehistorica:
~SameerPrehistorica May 18, 2011  Hobbyist
Very nice..
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