Re: Segnosaurs (again)

["Tim Williams" <T.Williams@cclru.randwick.unsw.edu.au>]

> Surely it is the number of termites ingested rather than the size of each
> individual termite that matters!  Anyway, if segnosaurs were termite-eaters
> their hyoid apparatus (is it known?) might show evidence of an elongate
>tongue.

I guess I was being a bit flippant when I made that comment.  A good
therizinosaurid skull would help resolve the issue of their eating
habits.  Which brings me back to a previous question - is any skull
material known for _Therizinosaurus_ or _Alxasaurus_?

I don't know if mound-building termites existed in the Mesozoic (are
there any palaeoentomologists out there? :-)).  In my opinion, ant-
eating therizinosaurids are certainly feasible.  But I like the
chalicothere analogy better - that therizinosaurids used their claws
to hook branches down to within reach of the mouth.