Re: Theropod eating and attacking

[Tompaleo@aol.com]

I

> However, the relationship between the dietary preferences of extant
>  reptiles and dinosaurs is not necessarily strong.  Remember that there is
>  a complex interplay between ecological niche, metabolism, enviroment and
>  lifestyle.  All of these affect, and are affected by, diet.  We can
>  probably say that female dinosaurs needed more calcium during egg
>  development and deposition-there is no known egg-laying animal which
>  doesn't.  That's about all.
>  -zenlizard


Actually while I did use snakes as part of my example, I really wanted to
draw attention to the surviving Archosaurs,  the crocs et al. Their digestive
systems absorb everything and they have survived since dino times virtually
unchanged. It would seem to me that croc and their kin can at least give us
some clue based on their own anatomy and ecological interplay. Similarly,
many members of the other group of close relatives of the dinos, birds
especially the picivorous  ones also completely digest the bone and hard
tissues of their prey. My thanks to Gautam Majumdar  for providing that avian
example!

Cheers,

Thomas R. Lipka
Paleontological/Geological Studies
http://members.aol.com/Tompaleo/Maryland.Dinosaurs.html