Skip Nav Destination
Close Modal
![First thumbnail for: The <span class="search-highlight">opisthotonic</s...]()
![Second thumbnail for: The <span class="search-highlight">opisthotonic</s...]()
![Third thumbnail for: The <span class="search-highlight">opisthotonic</s...]()
![Figure 1. The opisthotonic posture in saurischian dinosaurs. A, The basal bird Archaeopteryx (plumage not figured); Humboldt Museum, Berlin; skull length 145 mm. Note classic features of opisthotonus: dorsally reflexed neck and back vertebrae, accompanied by commonly seen flexion of elbows, wrists, knees, and ankles (arrows). According to our interpretation of opisthotonic causes, this individual assumed the posture before death, not after, likely as a result of disease of the CNS (for explanation see text). On this view, the individual would have expired in this position on a soft substrate, to which the feathers would have adhered; the carcass was buried relatively quickly in this position, without disturbance by currents or scavengers (see Bickart 1984; Krauss et al. 2005). B, The basal tetanuran theropod Compsognathus (after Ostrom 1978); Bayerisches Staatssammlung für Paläontologie BSP 1563; skull length 8.3 cm. C, The ornithomimid Struthiomimus; American Museum of Natural History AMNH 5339; skull length approximately 30 cm. D, The basal ornithopod Jeholosaurus, drawn from a photograph of a specimen in the Dalian Natural History Museum (2005); specimen number and size unrecorded. E, The feathered manirap]()
![Figure 3. The opisthotonic posture in pterosaurs. Typically, in addition to the opisthotonic hyperextension of the spinal column, the hindlimbs are drawn up toward the body; the metacarpo-phalangeal joints of the wings are strongly flexed, as are the joints between the forearm bones and wrist (which allow very little motion). A, Pterodactylus (after Wellnhofer 1970: Plate 8, Fig. 3); Paleontological Institute and Museum of the University of Zurich A/III 100, skull length 39 mm. B, Rhamphorhynchus (after Wellnhofer 1975: Plate 20, Fig. 1); E. Schöpfel collection; skull length 98.5 mm. C, Rhamphorhynchus (after Wellnhofer 1975: Plate 21, Fig. 1); Carnegie Museum of Natural History CM 11427; skull length 99 mm. D, Pterodactylus (after Wellnhofer 1970: Plate 1, Fig. 1); Bayerisches Staatssammlung für Paläontologie BSP AS I 739; the preservation in anterodorsal view is unusual, but most of the typical flexions are present. A–D are from the Late Jurassic Solnhofen limestones of Bavaria, Germany. E, In contrast, the Dorygnathus, from the Early Jurassic of Holzmaden, Germany, shows ambiguous evidence at best of opisthotonic flexure. Rather, the disposition of the wing-fingers and tail and particularly the partial disarticulation of the hindlimbs suggest current flow, possibly toward the upper right. Institute and Museum of the University of Uppsala R 156; skull length 128 mm]()
![Figure 5. The opisthotonic posture in fossil placental mammals. A, The Eocene perissodactyl Palaeotherium, from the Paris Basin of France, after a sketch by Weigelt (1927); specimen mounted in the National Museum of Natural History, Paris; skull length approximately 68 cm. B, The Oligocene notoungulate Scarrittia, after a photograph in Chaffee (1952); AMNH 29571; skull length 48 cm. C, Detail of the Stenomylus Quarry map (Oligocene), from Peterson (1911); grid squares are 30 cm on a side]()
![]()
![]()
![Figure 4. Cladogram showing distribution of the living and fossil amniote groups in which the opisthotonic posture has been identified (bold type). Opisthotonus appears to have evolved as a syndrome twice: once in mammals and once in ornithodiran archosaurs]()
![First thumbnail for: RARE IN SITU PRESERVATION OF ADULT CROCODYLIAN WIT...]()
![Second thumbnail for: RARE IN SITU PRESERVATION OF ADULT CROCODYLIAN WIT...]()
![Third thumbnail for: RARE IN SITU PRESERVATION OF ADULT CROCODYLIAN WIT...]()
![First thumbnail for: A history of Albertosaurus discoveries in Alberta,...]()
![Second thumbnail for: A history of Albertosaurus discoveries in Alberta,...]()
![Third thumbnail for: A history of Albertosaurus discoveries in Alberta,...]()
![First thumbnail for: DINOSAUR DEATH PITS FROM THE JURASSIC OF CHINA]()
![Second thumbnail for: DINOSAUR DEATH PITS FROM THE JURASSIC OF CHINA]()
![Third thumbnail for: DINOSAUR DEATH PITS FROM THE JURASSIC OF CHINA]()
![First thumbnail for: Probable Gut Contents Within A Specimen Of Brachyl...]()
![Second thumbnail for: Probable Gut Contents Within A Specimen Of Brachyl...]()
![Third thumbnail for: Probable Gut Contents Within A Specimen Of Brachyl...]()
![First thumbnail for: A comprehensive anatomical and phylogenetic evalua...]()
![Second thumbnail for: A comprehensive anatomical and phylogenetic evalua...]()
![Third thumbnail for: A comprehensive anatomical and phylogenetic evalua...]()
1-12 OF 12 RESULTS FOR
opisthotonic posture
Results shown limited to content with bounding coordinates.
Follow your search
Access your saved searches in your account
Would you like to receive an alert when new items match your search?
Journal Article
The opisthotonic posture of vertebrate skeletons: postmortem contraction or death throes? Available to Purchase
Journal: Paleobiology
Publisher: Paleontological Society
Published: 01 May 2007
Paleobiology (2007) 33 (2): 201–226.
... dinosaurs, pterosaurs, and at least placental mammals). Postmortem water transport may explain some cases of spinal curvature in fossil tetrapods, but we show how these can be distinguished from causes of the opisthotonic posture, which is a biotic syndrome. Traditional biotic explanations nearly all...
FIGURES
Image
Figure 1. The opisthotonic posture in saurischian dinosaurs. A, The basal ... Available to Purchase
in The opisthotonic posture of vertebrate skeletons: postmortem contraction or death throes?
> Paleobiology
Published: 01 May 2007
Figure 1. The opisthotonic posture in saurischian dinosaurs. A, The basal bird Archaeopteryx (plumage not figured); Humboldt Museum, Berlin; skull length 145 mm. Note classic features of opisthotonus: dorsally reflexed neck and back vertebrae, accompanied by commonly seen flexion of elbows
Image
Figure 3. The opisthotonic posture in pterosaurs. Typically, in addition t... Available to Purchase
in The opisthotonic posture of vertebrate skeletons: postmortem contraction or death throes?
> Paleobiology
Published: 01 May 2007
Figure 3. The opisthotonic posture in pterosaurs. Typically, in addition to the opisthotonic hyperextension of the spinal column, the hindlimbs are drawn up toward the body; the metacarpo-phalangeal joints of the wings are strongly flexed, as are the joints between the forearm bones and wrist
Image
Figure 5. The opisthotonic posture in fossil placental mammals. A, The Eoc... Available to Purchase
in The opisthotonic posture of vertebrate skeletons: postmortem contraction or death throes?
> Paleobiology
Published: 01 May 2007
Figure 5. The opisthotonic posture in fossil placental mammals. A, The Eocene perissodactyl Palaeotherium , from the Paris Basin of France, after a sketch by Weigelt (1927) ; specimen mounted in the National Museum of Natural History, Paris; skull length approximately 68 cm. B, The Oligocene
Image
Table 3. Jehol Biota tetrapod specimens illustrated in Chang et al. 2003, ... Available to Purchase
in The opisthotonic posture of vertebrate skeletons: postmortem contraction or death throes?
> Paleobiology
Published: 01 May 2007
Table 3. Jehol Biota tetrapod specimens illustrated in Chang et al. 2003, with taxonomic distribution of specimens showing opisthotonic and non-opisthotonic posture. Identifications as in catalog. Specimen numbers (when more than 1) in parentheses; disarticulated or poorly preserved specimens
Image
Table 2. Jehol Biota tetrapod specimens illustrated in a CD-image catalog ... Available to Purchase
in The opisthotonic posture of vertebrate skeletons: postmortem contraction or death throes?
> Paleobiology
Published: 01 May 2007
Table 2. Jehol Biota tetrapod specimens illustrated in a CD-image catalog of the Dalian Natural History Museum (2005), with taxonomic distribution of specimens showing opisthotonic and non-opisthotonic posture. Identifica tions as in catalog. Specimen numbers (when more than 1) in parentheses
Image
Figure 4. Cladogram showing distribution of the living and fossil amniote ... Available to Purchase
in The opisthotonic posture of vertebrate skeletons: postmortem contraction or death throes?
> Paleobiology
Published: 01 May 2007
Figure 4. Cladogram showing distribution of the living and fossil amniote groups in which the opisthotonic posture has been identified (bold type). Opisthotonus appears to have evolved as a syndrome twice: once in mammals and once in ornithodiran archosaurs
Journal Article
RARE IN SITU PRESERVATION OF ADULT CROCODYLIAN WITH EGGS FROM THE MIDDLE EOCENE OF GEISELTAL, GERMANY Available to Purchase
Journal: PALAIOS
Publisher: SEPM Society for Sedimentary Geology
Published: 01 June 2015
PALAIOS (2015) 30 (6): 446–461.
... in the adult’s position ( Fig. 7 ). The curled position is not related to opisthotonic perimortem contraction, which is dorsally directed (not medially) and much more typical of long-necked vertebrates ( Reisdorf and Wuttke 2012 ). The curled posture likewise is inconsistent with decay associated with rapid...
FIGURES
Journal Article
A history of Albertosaurus discoveries in Alberta, Canada This article is one of a series of papers published in this Special Issue on the theme Albertosaurus . Available to Purchase
Journal: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences
Publisher: Canadian Science Publishing
Published: 07 September 2010
Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences (2010) 47 (9): 1197–1211.
... Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 47 this issue Faux C.M. Padian K. 2007 The opisthotonic posture of vertebrate skeletons: postmortem contraction or death throes? Paleobiology 33 2 201 226 10.1666/06015.1 Grady, W. 1993. The Dinosaur Project, the story of the greatest dinosaur...
FIGURES
Journal Article
DINOSAUR DEATH PITS FROM THE JURASSIC OF CHINA Available to Purchase
Journal: PALAIOS
Publisher: SEPM Society for Sedimentary Geology
Published: 01 January 2010
PALAIOS (2010) 25 (2): 112–125.
... , C. M. , and Padian , K. , 2007 , The opisthotonic posture of vertebrate skeletons: Postmortem contraction or death throes? : Paleobiology , 33 . 201 – 226 . Fisher , R. V. , and Schmincke , H.-U. , 1984 , Pyroclastic rocks , Springer-Verlag Berlin . 472...
FIGURES
Journal Article
Probable Gut Contents Within A Specimen Of Brachylophosaurus Canadensis (Dinosauria: Hadrosauridae) From the Upper Cretaceous Judith River Formation Of Montana Available to Purchase
Journal: PALAIOS
Publisher: SEPM Society for Sedimentary Geology
Published: 01 September 2008
PALAIOS (2008) 23 (9): 624–635.
... , K. , 2007 , The opisthotonic posture of vertebrate skeletons: Postmortem contraction or death throes? : Paleobiology , 33 . 201 – 226 . Galton , P.M. , 1973 , The cheeks of ornithischian dinosaurs : Lethaia , 6 . 67 – 89 . Guthrie , R.D. , 1990 , Frozen Fauna...
FIGURES
Journal Article
A comprehensive anatomical and phylogenetic evaluation of Dilophosaurus wetherilli (Dinosauria, Theropoda) with descriptions of new specimens from the Kayenta Formation of northern Arizona Available to Purchase
Journal: Journal of Paleontology
Publisher: Paleontological Society
Published: 01 July 2020
Journal of Paleontology (2020) 94 (S78): 1–103.
...). Langston supervised a student, Philip Goerl, in completing the preparation of the rest of the hypodigm, including the holotype trunk, manus, and pedes. According to Langston, the in-situ opisthotonic position of the skeleton was verbally communicated by Welles (Wann Langston undated, Wann Langston Papers...
FIGURES
