Re: hadrosaur predation: a thought

[Scendan@aol.com]

In a message dated 97-05-31 21:20:40 EDT, dunn1@IDT.NET writes:

<< Eye spots on ceratopsian frills are common features in paleo-art.  A 
 Lambeosaur with an eye spot on it's crest isn't such an absurd idea 
 (although on Parasaurolophus it probably wouldn't be too effective). 
 It would  make the head appear larger, like, for instance,  . . .  >>

True.  True.  I admit I WAS mainly envisioning Parasaurolophus.  I hope my
comment wasn't taken as sarcasm.  I was just having fun with the idea and
meant no offense.  

Actually, while we're talking about color and pattern as a distraction rather
than a camoflauge...perhaps a brightly colored tail?  Something to distract a
predator to a part of the body that could be damaged or lost with less
immediately terminal results than the head?  I realize that unlike lizards',
it's pretty darn unlikely that a lost lambeosaur tail could regenerate, but
even so any distraction from the head or throat (or viscera for that matter)
might be desireable.

Hey!  While we're at it...how about an eyespot on the south end of a
sauropod!  There IS the running joke that you practically can't tell the neck
from the tail anyway!  Why not further confuse the matter?

:)  Again, I admit this is far out, but as a budding science illustrator I
love the idea of color speculation!!