(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2007) Wolff, Ewan Douglas Stephens; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: David Varricchio
As a reaction to comparative paleopathology, which homologizes human and dinosaur disease, this project proposed that a broad-scale survey of oral pathology in archosaurs would reveal unique relationships in disease. The approach that was created to pursue this study was termed zoological paleopathology. The justification of this approach lies in the differences between the immune and inflammatory response in mammals and archosaurs. This response governs disease progression within the body and the morphology of many lesions. 2,443 skulls and heads were examined for abnormalities from specimens representing four major groups of archosaurs; the crocodiles, pterosaurs, dinosaurs and birds,. Skulls of iguanids, monotremes and marsupials provided outgroup comparisons for the study. Lesions were analyzed, photographed and interpreted for 123 total cases. The majority of cases related to either traumatic or inflammatory diseases. The disease patterns within the study were compared using cladograms and addition reports from the veterinary literature.
