Re: Meat eating sauropods

[jpoling@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Jeff Poling)]

>>   There was a mention on either s.b.p or the dino-list about a Bakkerian
>>claim of sauropods grabbing theropods with their mouths and tossing them
>>around.  It was only an off-hand comment, no real detail, but it piqued my
>>interest.
>>
>>   Anybody know anything more about it?
>
>You have made an erroneous, but understandable, assumption here.  The
>article (in Earth Magazine about a year ago) concerned sauropod *defense*,
>not predation!  Note the comment was "grabbing theropods with their mouths
>and tossing them around", not "grabbing theropods with their mouths and
>eating them".

   You have made an erroneous, but understandable, assumption here.  The
subject line, "meat eating sauropods", was merely a contrivance to get
people's attention.  Very Bakkerian, that.  But what I had in mind was a
defense mechanism, as you go on to below.

>Bakker's article discusses two of the possible defenses of sauropods -
>whip-tails in diplodocids, and biting in brachiosaurids and camarasaurids
>(as I recall, he forgot the defense of titanosaurids - armor).  It is true
>that brachiosaurids and camarasaurids have fairly large, strong teeth, but
>they have another line of defense, size, which may have been more useful in
>deterring becoming lunch.

   As I remember the original post correctly (I may not, which is why I
posted asking about it in the first place), Bakker discovered bite marks on
theropod vertebrae that matched sauropod tooth/jaw morphology.  He concluded
that the sauropods could toss theropods around like rag dolls.

   Of course, one wonders how they could have done that.  It also makes one
wonder if 1) the sauropods were feeding on the carcass or 2) were exhibiting
a behavior similar to that of elephants who aparently like to carry bones
around or 3) Bakker's correct.

   Now I have to see if I can find Earth Magazine, which I doubt I'll be
able to.....

** "A warp core breach is imminent?     ** "Those who trade a little freedom **
** This calls for the handyman's secret ** for a little security will soon   **
** weapon, duct tape." --- Red Green,   ** find that they have none of       **
** Chief Engineer, U.S.S. Voyager       ** either." --- Jeff Poling          **