SAT OwlQuestion bank / Command of Evidence
Paleontologist Ines Moreau has proposed that Aquilavenator, a small feathered dinosaur, used its unusually long middle toe to pin down prey, much as modern hawks use their talons. Critics counter that the toe was too weakly built for gripping and instead helped the animal keep its balance on soft, muddy ground.
Which finding, if true, would most directly support Moreau's claim over the critics' view?
Fossilized footprints show that Aquilavenator often walked across muddy riverbanks.
The toe bone of Aquilavenator has attachment sites for strong gripping muscles similar to those in the toes of modern birds of prey.
Aquilavenator had small, sharply pointed teeth.
Other dinosaurs from the same period had shorter middle toes than Aquilavenator did.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B
The disagreement is about whether the toe was strong enough to grip. Choice B shows anatomical evidence of strong gripping muscles like those of hawks, which answers the critics' objection and supports Moreau directly.
Choice A fits the critics' view, since walking on muddy ground is the use they propose for the toe.
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