Re: possible FAQs

[Stan Friesen <swf@ElSegundoCA.NCR.COM>]

From: tholtz@geochange.er.usgs.gov

 > >The smallest certain dinosaur known is Compsognathus, at less than
 > >2 feet in length, and less than 1 kilogram in weight.  If Protoavis
 > >is a dinosaur it is even smaller.
 > 
 > Actually, that specimen of Compsognathus is a juvenile.  The adult specimen
 > from France is about 1.1 meters long.

That is, about 3.5 ft.

 > > > * How big were Deinonychus and Velociraptor?
 > >
 > >I do not have the figures at hand for this.
 > 
 > Velociraptor massed about the same as a jackal (about 20 kg) and was around
 > 2 to 2.5 meters long. 

Around 7 to 8 feet long.

 > Deinonychus massed about the same as a grey wolf
 > (big individuals around 70 kg) and got up to 3.5 to 4 meters long.

That is 10 to 14 feet.

 > >
 > > > * Did Dilophosaurs have frills and spit poison?
 > >
 > >No.  And it was about 10 feet long as well.
 > 
 > Actually, more like 20 to 25 feet long.  Dilophosaurus and its relatives
 > were the first large theropods.

Hmm, perhaps I misjudged size of the the specimen (?plaster cast?)
at UCLA.  I could have sworn it was only about 10-12 feet long!
 > 
 > > > * Have we really extracted DNA, blood,... from Dinosaur remains?
 > >
 > >Not yet, but there are people working on extracting DNA from
 > >dinosaur bones.
 > >
 > 
 > Actually, what looks for all the world like dessicated red blood cells have
 > been reported from the marrow cavity of the femur of a VERY well preserved
 > Tyrannosaurus.

But no DNA has yet been extracted from them.  That is currently in
process.

swf@elsegundoca.ncr.com         sarima@netcom.com

The peace of God be with you.