Tanystropheus

[sj@io.com (Steve Jackson)]

(Thanks for all the good feedback, both posted and mailed. This is coming
together.)

My problem beast of the day is Tanystropheus. I've got one personal
communication and one (old) reference, and they disagree wildly on length
(20' vs. 35') and vertebrae in neck (10 vs. 29). One also stated that it
was a probable ancestor of modern lizards. Pointers or references would be
appreciated!

For those who aren't familiar with this creature: very interesting!
Triassic archosaur, found in Switzerland, with sprawling body, long tail,
and INSANELY long neck. Elasmosaurus was a piker. Obviously a long-distance
ambush grabber. Looks like it could have hidden in the water and struck at
things on land, or vice versa, as suited its fancy. I wonder at the
musculature that could have operated such a very long slender neck.

(I wonder why the very-long-necked-predator body plan does not appear more
often? Of course, one could argue that a snake is a predator whose body is
ALL neck, and snakes have preempted all niches appropriate for a
long-necked predator.)

 Steve Jackson - yes, of SJ Games - yes, we won the Secret Service case
Learn Web or die - http://www.io.com/sjgames/ - dinosaurs, Lego, Kahlua!
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