Re: Taking the temperature of dinosaurs?

[Dann Pigdon <dannj@alphalink.com.au>]

On Wed, May 26th, 2010 at 11:19 AM, "Thomas R. Holtz, Jr." <tholtz@umd.edu> 
wrote:

> It is worth noting that the analysis cannot at present resolve
> endotherms
> vs. ectotherms. It is just a thermometer: it is not a thermometer
> with a
> time component.
> 
> Too many people in the press about this seem to think that
> warm-blooded
> animals actually have higher body temperatures than cold-blooded
> ones.

Indeed. Some varanids are able to regulate their body temperatures to about 35 
C, with a 
precision of +/- 1 C.
http://www.jstor.org/pss/30155835

That's higher than your average monotreme (30-32 C).

-- 
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Dann Pigdon
GIS Specialist                         Australian Dinosaurs
Melbourne, Australia               http://home.alphalink.com.au/~dannj
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