[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index][Subject Index][Author Index]

Re: Long-necked stegosaur coming out in Proceedings B



Is it just me or does the press release picture of this steg look incomplete? The steg is well realized but the background elelments are blocked in and unfinished. They must've told the artist that it was "good enough, the steg is done...we need this now!" Poor guy. Why not just turn it into a spot illustration?

  D
On Feb 25, 2009, at 1:57 PM, Dann Pigdon wrote:

Quoting MICHAEL MURPHY <4mjmu@rogers.com>:

Cool Picture here:

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2009/02/25/dinosaur-zoom.html

To quote the above article:

"... two scenarios are possible."

"The first is that the long neck might have permitted it to browse for foliage at a height not
frequented by other prehistoric animals. The second is that males and females might have found
the trait appealing, so it evolved due to sexual selection. "


There's a third possibility, and it's been suggested for sauropods as well. If the tail was the main
means of defense, then a longer tail may have given it a greater 'arc of thagomization'. The
elongation of the neck may have just come along for the ride as a counter-balancing measure.


--
___________________________________________________________________

Dann Pigdon
GIS / Archaeologist              http://geo_cities.com/dannsdinosaurs
Melbourne, Australia             http://heretichides.soffiles.com
___________________________________________________________________