Re: DINOSAUR BEHAVIOR

[dis@gj.net]

Brian Franczak wrote:
> 

> No bird or crocodilian species alive today - the groups that
> phylogenetically bracket dinosaurs -- hunts cooperatively. Only mammals do.

Varanid lizards do what may be called pseudo-cooperative behavior. Water 
moniters run outand start digging on a nile croc nest. Mama croc. chases 
them away. From the other side come other of the nest, other monitors 
run out and start digging. Moma comes back. Back and forth, back and 
forth until they hit eggs. All have equal opportunities to eat. Is this 
planned no but it is a regularly observed behavior pattern.

        Lots of birds co-opperate, ravens, gulls, and many birds of 
prey. This is seen mainly in family groups. Of course birds are a lot 
smarter than dinosaurs, but varanids proove to me that some interesting 
behaviors can be hard wired into an animal. 

        Dinosaurs were a marvelously diverse group that probably 
displayed a remarkable diversity of behaviors. Tough to test however.

Jim Kirkland