RE: STEGO'S PLATES

["Nicholas J. Pharris" <pharrinj@PLU.edu>]

> I've seen a lot of debate as to the purpose of Stegosaurus
> plates. 
>
> S.S. Lazarus

And probably most of them have some merit--although I don't think 
stegosaurs would have needed their plates to warm up (jab, jab).  :-)

They may possibly have worked as radiators, though.  [Sorry to butt
in, but if you really mean radiators in an electromagnetic sense,
Nick, then they'd have to be good absorbers as well. -- MR]

Sure, I'll buy stego plates for camouflage, especially since they would 
break up the outline of the body, although that was probably not their 
primary function.  

My guess is  that the alternating plate arrangement in _Stegosaurus_ 
itself and close relatives evolved to fill in the gaps between the 
plates, thus (in camouflage) further breaking up the body outline and 
(in display) making the animal appear larger, thereby discouraging 
predators and encouraging potential mates.

Yes, I would agree that the coloration of the plates continued the color 
pattern on the body, at least most of the time.  It is possible, I 
suppose, that they became brightly (or at least more brightly) colored 
during the breeding season.

My $.02.

Nick Pharris
Pacific Lutheran University
Tacoma, WA 98447
(206)535-8206
PharriNJ@PLU.edu