[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index][Subject Index][Author Index]
Re: could raptors climb trees
Mickey Rowe wrote:
>Yes, in fact (and I'm saying these things only to see if Stan will
>shoot them down :-) couldn't it be possible that a) the semi-lunate
>bone in the wrist of _Deinonychus_ would allow it more mobility in the
>hand in order to allow it to grab onto branches at odd angles and b)
>the "terrible claw" on the toe of _Deinonycchus_ and other theropods
>could have been used to grab onto tree trunks like the spikes in a
>telephone repairman's boots? How difficult would it be to reconcile
>such a scenario with the orientation of the back-bone and tail as the
>animal(s) attempted to climb?
I think that's a great idea, especially the repair man's boots analogy.
A good friend of mine works for the power company and I have tried
those boots. While talking to John Fischner in front of his full-
sized velociraptor sculpture in Tucson, we concluded that a raptor
could have gone right up a tree and probably get up as fast as just
about anything. The problem would arise when trying to maneuver in
the branches with a broomstick sticking out the butt :-)
(ossified tendons- stiff tail)