Re: Good mother dinos

[art@acc.com (Art Berggreen)]

>
>> 1) How can you tell from fossilized bones whether any particular
>> species of dinosaur was a "good mother" or cared for its young?
>> Dinosaurs didn't suckle their young (since I believe that dinosaurs
>> didn't have nipples but I'm open to correction here) but they may have
>> fed them, in the same way that birds feed their insatiable chicks today.
>> Or they may have buggered off and left them to fend for themselves as
>> many reptiles, fish, insects, etc. do today. What evidence from fossils
>> can allow us to make any inference one way or the other here?

I believe that the major consideration is the development of the ends
of the bones found in the nest sites.  If they are well formed and
calcified, then the animal is likely to be able to move around and
fend for itself.  Many animals that require parental nuturing are
born with less well developed bones and require care and feeding
until they develop to the point that they can fend for themselves.

Art