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Re: footprints, stegos, triceratops
>I got confirmation of the finding of dinosaur tracks in Bolivia (Sucre).
>It is a brand new discovery. Don't expect it to be published at all.
> As I received from a network, they found tracks of Triceratops,
>Hallosaurious and Tyranosaurus. Judging by the description it seems to be
>a very clear record.
>Jesus Rivas
I remember reading in (Bakker's?) book about the discussion of how fast T.rex
could move, that his footprints had never been found. This then becomes a very
important find. Did rex's territory really extend to Bolivia? Why will this
find not be published?
Re: Triceratops horns. There are better ways of distinguishing species or sex
than by different horns. Making different sounds (such as hadrosaurs did) or
different scents or colorations would be a better way. I think you guys have it
backwards. The _PRIMARY_ function of the horns seems to be defensive. Certainly
they would be used for protection from predators (small or large, individuals or
packs). They MAY also have been used for mating battles, although the horns seem
to come too close to eyes for my comfort. The horns would not interlock like
they do on modern species of deer, etc. I wonder how well a bunch of one-eyed
or no-eyed Triceratops would have fared in the competition for survival. A
_SECONDARY_ function may be for differential recognition of species/sexes.
I suppose you guys also advocate that the armor on ankylosaurs and some
sauropods also did not have a primary function of defense from carnivores?! I
can't see what use they would be in mating contests. And I can't accept that all
these animals had no predators (today I think only the elephant is without
natural predators, except for some desperately hungry tiger). The conclusion
seems obvious to me: herbivorous dinosaurs needed protection from the (small or
large) theropods of the day.
Re: the defensive posture of stegosaurs. _IF_ stegosaurs browsed in herds,
there is, by necessity, some individuals on the outer rim of the herd. They
would be vulnerable to sneak attack from nearby bushes or trees or ruts. Good
hearing would be no help, as I assume that the munching and moving around of
the herd would mask the sounds of any stealthy approaching predator.
Scott Horton
Geophysicist/Computer Programmer