K-State grad student researching function of braachial plexus in T-Rex

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Source: John Myers, 785-532-2227, jmmyers@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Keener A. Tippin II, 785-532-6415, media@k-state.edu

Monday, December 4, 2006

K-STATE GRAD STUDENT RESEARCHING FUNCTION OF BRACHIAL PLEXUS IN T-REX

MANHATTAN -- Imagine pulling pieces of a puzzle out of a box and attempting to put the puzzle back together. Only in this instance, the pieces of this puzzle are between 65 to 70 million years old and you must be very careful because of their fragile state.

That's what a research project that a Kansas State University graduate student has undertaken involves.

John Myers, a graduate student in geology, New Orleans, La., is studying a Tyrannosaurid, possibly a species of Tyrannosaurus rex. Myers' research relates to the functionality of the species' forearms by comparing its anatomy to that of its modern relatives, such as lizards and birds. He is working under the supervision of Matt Totten, associate professor of geology at K-State.

Myers is looking specifically at the neural anatomy or the brachial plexus.

"The brachial plexus is the nerves that come off the spinal column and innervate the forearms; they allow you to move your forearms and feel things in your forearms," Myers said. "Those nerves should be reduced in an animal that was losing its forearms. Tyrannosaurus rex appeared that it was losing its forearms because it was a massive creature -- 40 feet long -- but it had small forearms, about the size of a human's.

"Because the T-rex is 40 feet long, you would think that its arms would really be big, but they were not; they were really small," he said. "If you look at other animals like emus and ostriches, they have a greatly reduced brachial plexus, which would indicate that they have limited use of their forearms. That's why I am going to look at several different animals, some which have fully functional forearms like a chicken, a flying bird or a reptile like an iguana that has full use of its forearms."

Myers is conducting his research with skeletal remains discovered by Kraig Derstler, a noted paleontologist, and some of his students from the University of New Orleans on a Wyoming ranch in 1997. The specimen, which includes approximately 12 percent to 15 percent of the skeleton still intact, is on loan to K-State from the University of New Orleans.

Myers was a student of Derstler's at the New Orleans school before transferring to K-State in fall 2005 because of Hurricane Katrina. When university programs were put on hold because of hurricane recovery efforts, Derstler allowed a portion of the T-Rex to be temporarily housed at K-State so that Myers could continue his research.

Myers's research also ties into an even bigger mission. K-State's department of geology has developed a paleontology preparation laboratory and an accompanying curriculum to be used as a focal point for a K-12 outreach geoscience education program. The lab was modeled after a successful recruiting program at the University of New Orleans.

The preparation lab will sponsor activities for undergraduates who want to earn extra credit and learn more about paleontology. It also is used as a field trip destination by K-12 students as a way to learn about Earth history. These activities both inform the general public about paleontology and serve as recruitment tool.

Myers, Matt Totten and Iris Totten, a K-State assistant professor of geology, recently presented a paper they co-authored at the annual meeting of the Geological Society of America about K-State's new paleontology preparation lab.

"Fossils initiate excitement and interest in the geosciences," Iris Totten said. "Dinosaurs have the highest profile from the public perspective. A preparation lab possesses a clear advantage over virtually every other medium in communicating with the general public with its hands-on specimens."