Paranasal air sinuses of predatory and armored dinosaurs, pt. 1

Witmer, L. M., & Ridgely, R. C. (2008). The paranasal air sinuses of predatory and armored dinosaurs (Archosauria: Theropoda and Ankylosauria) and their contribution to cephalic structure. The Anatomical Record: Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology: Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology, 291(11), 1362-1388.

Summary: Examines and compares archosaur nasal passages and sinuses of extinct and extant archosaurs. Focuses on 2 predatory theropods and 2 ankylosaurs, using the living taxa (alligator, ostrich, etc.) to infer soft tissues and compare.

Notes: 

++Used Amira software for segmentation

++In alligators, the antorbital fenestra are lost and their sinuses are enclosed with bone -- like mammals. Compares the antorbital sinus with the mammalian maxillary sinus. Nasal airway is long bc of their second palate.

++This antorbital sinus is the only paranasal sinus shared across Archosauria.  Ostriches, the other living taxa compared, also has one similar to a crocodile. Suborbital sinus is the largest in ostriches.

Terms: 

An ostium (plural ostia) in anatomy is a small opening or orifice. (wikipedia)

Abelisaurids - theropod ceratosaurian dinosaurs, mostly found in the Cretaceous. eg. Carnotaurus. note: Smaller arms than t. rex.