How big could Dickinsonia get?

[crankydinosaur]

I've read that D. Rex could reach a (maybe) over a meter..

But do think they could have gotten larger? I mean if they are thought to have absorbed nutrients wouldn't larger mean more area for absorption...

and apparently there are very large (like over 2 Meters) fossils of Charnia and if they have the same feeding strategy...


I ask because I want to see if my Yowie Dickinsonia is feasible in my diorama (scale is basically 1" = 3') and the figure measures just shy of 2 and half inches (using one of those flexible sewing measuring tapes)

[Halichoeres]

This paper (http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03115510701484705?scroll=top&needAccess=true) says it gets up to 1.4 m. That's not too far off. Most were much smaller, of course, but this paper also shows evidence of indeterminate growth, so they theoretically could have gotten even larger if conditions were good.

[Newt]

I read Halichoeres' answer and thought, "I've seen Dickinsonia way bigger than that!" But then I realized you were asking about the Ediacaran thingazoid, not the extant tree-fern. It's not the first time the non-mutual-exclusion of botanical and zoological genus names has caused me trouble...

[Halichoeres]

I read Halichoeres' answer and thought, "I've seen Dickinsonia way bigger than that!" But then I realized you were asking about the Ediacaran thingazoid, not the extant tree-fern. It's not the first time the non-mutual-exclusion of botanical and zoological genus names has caused me trouble...

I have occasionally found that irritating as well. In this case, though, I think the tree fern is Dicksonia!

[Newt]

Curses!

[Fossilized-Rubber]

I mean if they are thought to have absorbed nutrients wouldn't larger mean more area for absorption...

Also important to note is that growth is not linear but exponential. As you increase surface area so too do you increase the biomass that needs to be fed. I believe this is the limiting factor for insect growth: mass vs passive breathing.

That isn't to say that a flatworm-like creature with wrinkles wouldn't be able to support itself in terms of surface area to biomass, but it's not as simple as bigger==better.