Vertebral ribs in living birds have bony prongs called uncinate processes, which aid the muscles used to move air through their immobile lung and pneumatic air sacs in their bones.
Cartilaginous uncinate processes are also present in living crocodylians, and likely served the same ventilatory function. The scientists have now inferred the presence of uncinate processes in at least 19 fossil archosaur taxa and dinosaurs, including T. rex.
They suggest that cartilaginous uncinate processes were present in all dinosaurs, as well as their early archosaur relatives. This indicates that modern bird-like breathing has a deep evolutionary history extending back well beyond the origin of birds.
Congrats to my colleagues, Yan-yin Wang, Leon Claessens and Corwin Sullivan! Art by Henry Sharpe @henry.sharpe.art
Read the paper: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-022-04301-z
Read lead author Yan-yin Wang’s blog article for Nature: https://ecoevocommunity.nature.com/posts/uncinate-processes-lever-like-structures-attached-to-the-ribs-may-have-helped-many-dinosaurs-breathe-a-little-easier
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