Abstract
Dysbaric bone necrosis demonstrated in ichthyosaurs may be the result of prolonged deep diving rather than rapid ascent to escape predators. The bone lesions show structural and anatomical similarity to those that may occur in human divers and in the deep diving sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus.
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Communicated by: Sven Thatje
This is a comment on BM Rothschild, Z Xiaoting and LD Martin (2012) Adaptations for marine habitat and the effect of Triassic and Jurassic predator pressure on development of decompression syndrome in ichthyosaurs. Naturwissenschaften, 99: doi:10.1007/s00114-012-0918-0.
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Hayman, J. Deep-diving dinosaurs. Naturwissenschaften 99, 671–672 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-012-0937-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-012-0937-x