As Darwin taught us success to an organism comes from success in reproduction. As a major vertebrate group dinosaurs exhibit a wide variety of specialization to improve reproductive success.
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As Darwin taught us success to an organism comes from success in
reproduction. As a major vertebrate group dinosaurs exhibit a wide variety of
specialization to improve reproductive success. INSTRUCTIONS Dinosaur Reproduction
Assignment Assignment Value = 10 marks.
Answer lengths specified are for 12 point fonts, single spacing and 1" page margins. 1. Fossil evidence over the
past 20 years has indicated that many dinosaurs had feathers. The assumption
of many people is that feathers are related to flight. However many dinosaurs
with feathers yield no indication of the ability to fly. Instead the feathers
are assumed to have been used as sexual display structures. Using the textbook, and other
resources, research one of the known feathered dinosaurs. How did its colouration assist it in courtship display? Make sure to indicate
what colour it was. An illustration of the dinosaur you selected is
strongly suggested. 2. Feathers weren't the only
way in which dinosaurs would make themselves sexually attractive. Many
evolved physical features on their skull to attract a mate. Select one of
the Ceratopsians. Explain how the arrangement of horns and the shape/size of the
frill on the back of the skull would be used as a sexual attraction device by
the species you chose. An illustration of the head of the dinosaur you
selected is strongly suggested. 3. An important aspect of
reproduction is parental care. Many dinosaurs didn't do any care but there is
clear evidence that a great number did tend to their young. One way in which
we can determine that the young were cared for is through the physical
features of the young. This became evident when a team from the Royal Ontario
Museum discovered fossilized eggs from a prosauropod called Massospondylus. Analysis of these fossils has
suggested that young Massospondylus had
to be fed by their parents. How did the fossils produce this conclusion? Research and discuss.
ASSIGNMENT DUE DATE - OCTOBER 25, 2020 Save
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Submit. TIPS/HINTS
Always proofread, profred, prufreed. Don't forget about how to treat scientific names in your
answers. RESOURCES Module
7 through 12. Additional research is expected. EVALUATION This
assignment will be marked out of 10 points according to the following scheme:
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Research suggests that not only did wings evolve in dinosaurs
earlier than previously thought, they may have evolved merely for courtship
displays.
A study in Science describes three Ornithomimosaur specimens -
distantly related to birds - from Canada.
Both juvenile and adult specimens had evidence of downy feathers,
but only an adult had wing-like structures.
That suggests that wings may have evolved not for flight, but
rather to aid in the quest to reproduce.
