Re: Temp in Cretaceous

[Jeffrey Martz <martz@holly.ColoState.EDU>]

> We suggested that mild frosts were probably during the long, dark,
> and cool winter at these high northern latitudes.  The vegetation was all
> deciduous, in contrast to the evergreen vegetation that existed in lower,
> warmer, lighted latitudes in southern Canada and the U.S.  The upland
> forests were deciduous conifers, and the delta was covered by horsetails,
> ferns, and misc. angiosperm herbs and shrubs.  And you are right, it
> certainly does suggest that at least some of these puppies were warm-blooded.

     With regard to the idea that large dinosaurs were "interial 
homeotherms", I have a question regarding thier extremities.  Could an 
ectothermic animal, even one with a massive body capable of retaining 
heat, keep its extremities from freezing off in a extremely cold winter 
climate like Cretaceous Alaska?  My knowledge of the principles involved 
in thermoregulation is still pretty limited. 

LN Jeff