Dinosaurian survivorship schedules revisited: new insights from an age‐structured population model

Little is known of dinosaur population biology due to insufficient information on age-dependent fecundities and mortalities. So far, survivorship curves (SC) only six dinosaurs (four tyrannosaurs, one ceratopsian, hadrosaur) have been erected from bone assemblages aged specimens. They indicate high survival throughout most their life with presumably higher mortalities after hatching increasing towards its end. However, none these studies recognized that infer a reliable SC for taxon, the assemblage must preserve stationary age distribution (i.e. which stable, constant size over time as overall match mortalities, hereafter SAD population). To assess SCs dinosaurs, I built simple model rates. Its three input parameters are maximum longevity, at sexual maturation annual offspring number, exists dinosaurs. As histological scaling relationships provide estimates parameters, my also applicable other extinct taxa. Modelling suggests did not populations. determined populations Albertosaurus sarcophagus, Gorgosaurus libratus, Dasplatosaurus torosus Tyrannosaurus rex indicated low followed in early or mortality rates were rather life. In Psittacosaurus lujiatuensis, modelling increase Due simplicity, was unable render composite SCs, specifically sigmoidal shape previously predicted Maiasaura peeblesorum.