Re: ptero-"oxpeckers??"

["James E. Hower, Jr." <jimaytch@onemain.com>]

>>I wrote:>>    Ken,

Did WWD have a small pterosaur eating insects off of _Diplodocus_ on the
second episode? I am away from the book and the DVD so I cannot verify the
information.

Thanks,

Jim Hower
jimaytch@onemain.com
****************************
Sue-the "It" T-rex

----- Original Message -----
From: Ken Kinman <kinman@hotmail.com>
To: <dinosaur@usc.edu>
Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2001 3:36 PM
Subject: ptero-"oxpeckers"??


      Has anyone ever suggested the possibility of an oxpecker-like
pterosaur, eating insects off the backs of dinosaurs?
      I can easily imagine that dinosaurs would have welcomed oxpecker-like
birds cleaning their skin of parasites, but I wonder if an insectivorous
pterosaur might have ever evolved to fill a similar niche.  Wouldn't
procumbent teeth work well for feeding on skin parasites?  Just a thought.
                            -----Ken

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Ken,

I was able to get to the book of WWD and the pterosaur on _Diplodocus_
eating insects was _Anuognathus_. I doubt that there is any scientific
evidence that the pterosaur actually did that.


Thanks,

Jim Hower
jimaytch@onemain.com
****************************
Sue-the "It" T-rex