BITING CERATOP{S}IANS

["D.W.Naish" <dwn194@soton.ac.uk>]

Sorry - I FORGOT the 'S' in ceratopian.. oops, there I go again, must have read
too many David Norman books.

Regarding biting ceratopsians.

In 'Restoration: A How To Guide' by my mentor, the mighty Greg Paul, it's
suggested that the short-horned chasmosaurines bit at predators. Surely they
would have lunged with the nose horn also. But then Javan rhinos, which also
have nose horns and vicious biting apparatus (but not nearly as vicious as
chasmosaurines), bite if cornered. 

On a further thread, threatened ceratopsians would have fled into the forests
they inhabited. I don't think any ceratopsians are known from plains, pampas,
grasslands or savannahs, can anyone prove otherwise? 

CERATOPSIANS DID NOT FORM DEFENSIVE RINGS 

If the 'fighting' Protoceratops is male, then does it imply that males hung
around nests to help their mates? Are the 'fighting' fossils near a nest? Well,
even if they are (are they? Hallett's painting in Czerkas and Czerkas shows
nests) they can't be much to do with the Protoceratops given that all
Protoceratops eggs/nests are now known to be oviraptorid. So even if the
fighting Protoceratops  IS male, it still tells us nothing about parenting and
care of eggs/nestlings in these dinosaurs.

Note that the fighting Velociraptor (a juvenile, therefore possibly
inexperienced) displays unambiguously UNCINATE PROCESSES. Mike Howgate thinks
that the fighting V.- P. pair are good evidence that Velociraptor was a 
solitary hunter, but that's another story...             who will rise to the
challenge?

Tom, why are you in exile?

"You may dispense with the pleasentaries Commander, I am here to see that the
construction of this battle station is put back on schedule....."

(65 % ? Mick?)

DARREN NAISH
dwn194@soton.ac.uk   (I'll stop mailing in a minute..)