Re: mammal mystery

[Larry <dunn1@idt.net>]

kmh wrote:
> 
> Okay, I got email from a kidlet asking why prehistoric mammals were so
> small when so many dinosaurs were gigantic.  I'm assuming we can stick
> to Mesozoic mammals like Haramiya and Alphadon on this one.  But
> frankly, I don't have a clue why mammals remained relatively small in
> comparison to dinosaurs.  Do you?  Any suggestions as to how I should
> answer young lad?
> 
> kel

If you're talking about Mesozoic mammals (and I assume you are), the 
answer is in the question: mammals were so small because dinosaurs were 
so large.  Conditions were perfect for the dinosaurs, and they thrived (a 
sure sign of thriving is increase in size), marginalizing the mammals 
into small nocturnal critters for whom tinyness meant a chance to sccot 
away from any small therapod which would waste it's time trying to eat 
your sorry warm little hiney.  At the end of the mesozoic, with the 
Dinosaurs gone, mammals came into their own.

Cheerio,

Larry