What specialized anatomical feature, besides bone density, would the Patagotitan require to handle the load during its stance phase?

Answer

Bones that were incredibly dense and structured internally to withstand compression and shear forces

The sheer weight of the animal, estimated at 70 tonnes, placed extraordinary demands on its supporting anatomy, particularly the limb bones. When the animal was moving, the load was not evenly distributed; during the stance phase, a single leg would bear significantly more weight than the calculated average of 17.5 tonnes per limb. To counteract this dynamic stress, the bones needed exceptional resilience. This resilience was achieved through being incredibly dense and having a specific internal structure engineered to withstand immense compression forces as well as shear forces, representing a powerful evolutionary response to supporting colossal mass.

What specialized anatomical feature, besides bone density, would the Patagotitan require to handle the load during its stance phase?

Related Questions

In which geographical location were the initial fossil remains of Patagotitan mayorum unearthed?What specific skeletal measurement of Patagotitan surpassed 2.4 meters in length?Which paleontologist provided an estimate of roughly 69 tonnes for a 35-meter-long Patagotitan individual?What structural feature, besides dense bone, was necessary in the vertebral column of Patagotitan to manage its weight?How is the estimated mass of Patagotitan generally compared to fully grown African elephants for perspective?When did the formal description and scientific confirmation of the species Patagotitan mayorum occur?What potential outcome might occur if current density models used for Patagotitan are deemed too conservative?Which North American sauropod is noted as being extremely long but typically estimated to be lighter than Patagotitan?What specialized anatomical feature, besides bone density, would the Patagotitan require to handle the load during its stance phase?What general range of mass, in metric tons, is the consensus estimate for Patagotitan mayorum?
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