RE: Sauropod-eating snakes

["Choo, Brian" <bchoo@museum.vic.gov.au>]

>Alas, it appears that madtsoiids like _Sanajeh_ lacked a large enough gape to 
>swallow a big titanosaur whole.  So they were stuck with targeting hatchlings 
>and eggs (after crushing them first).

Wasn't too disappointed as the accompanying William Service narration describes 
the engagement as an unsuccesful attack that seems plausible:  the serpent 
instinctively strikes the young sauropod and coils around it.  It constricts 
but fails to suffocate the prey item, then finally relinquishes its grip and 
retreats.

Cheers
Brian
________________________________________
From: Tim Williams [tijawi@yahoo.com]
Sent: Wednesday, 3 March 2010 10:14 AM
To: dinosaur@usc.edu
Cc: Choo, Brian
Subject: RE: Sauropod-eating snakes

Brian Choo <bchoo@museum.vic.gov.au> wrote:


> Immediately brought to mind William Stout's 1981 madstoiid
> vs  titanosaur battle in "The New Dinosaurs".


Damn, me too!!!  The illustration Brian is referring to is here:


http://cafe.naver.com/rhflseh.cafe?iframe_url=/ArticleRead.nhn%3Farticleid=24


Alas, it appears that madtsoiids like _Sanajeh_ lacked a large enough gape to 
swallow a big titanosaur whole.  So they were stuck with targeting hatchlings 
and eggs (after crushing them first).


Cheers

Tim

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