Re: "running" elephants

[MariusRomanus@aol.com]

John said

>IF elephants use a bouncing (biomechanically running) gait, such as Groucho 
>running (a bouncing gait with more flexed limbs), the principle  applicable to 
>dinosaurs would be that even large dinosaurs might have been able to extend 
>their range of locomotor performance by using a similar mechanism.<

Mickey said

>Now I am using elephants as a model for dinosaur locomotion... but considering 
>the permanently flexed legs of even *Tyrannosaurus*, wouldn't it automatically 
>have used such a bouncing gait above normal walking speed?<

John said

>We were a little surprised to find hints that elephants bounce, as  we did not 
>think that was a mechanism open to huge animals,<

Mickey said

>Looks like elephants simply aren't huge in absolute terms. :^) <

Kris says

Word!