Vertebrae-Based Body Length Estimation in Crocodylians and Its Implication for Sexual Maturity and the Maximum Sizes

Synopsis

Body size is fundamental to the physiology and ecology of organisms. Crocodyliforms are no exception, and several methods have been developed to estimate their absolute body sizes from bone measurements. However, species-specific sizes, such as sexually mature sizes and the maximum sizes were not taken into account due to the challenging maturity assessment of osteological specimens. Here, we provide a vertebrae-based method to estimate absolute and species-specific body lengths in crocodylians. Lengths of cervical to anterior caudal centra were measured and relations between the body lengths (snout–vent and total lengths [TLs]) and lengths of either a single centrum or a series of centra were modeled for extant species. Additionally, states of neurocentral (NC) suture closure were recorded for the maturity assessment. Comparisons of TLs and timings of NC suture closure showed that most extant crocodylians reach sexual maturity before closure of precaudal NC sutures. Centrum lengths (CLs) of the smallest individuals with closed precaudal NC sutures within species were correlated with the species maximum TLs in extant taxa; therefore, the upper or lower limit of the species maximum sizes can be determined from CLs and states of NC suture closure. The application of the current method to noncrocodylian crocodyliforms requires similar numbers of precaudal vertebrae, body proportions, and timings of NC suture closure as compared to extant crocodylians.