Re: Dinosaur weights

[Dann Pigdon <dannj@alphalink.com.au>]

This just an idea that occured to me. Does anyone publish standard
deviations with their weight estimates? It seems to me that the larger
the animal in question, the greater the margin of error. Estimating
an extinct creatures density would be just that, and estimation.
Hollows in the vertebrae, air sacs and lung size, the number of
gastroliths (if applicable), factors like these must be difficult
to estimate. Just a small error in a density calculation, while not
having such a great effect on smaller creatures, could increase
quite significantly with a several tonne creature. Dating methods are
always (or at least should be) accompanied by standard deviation
values. I can't seem to recall size/weight statistics with error ranges.


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        Dann Pigdon
        Melbourne, Australia
        http://www.geocities.com/capecanaveral/4459/

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