RE: Warm-Blooded debate

[brucet@mindspring.com (bruce thompson)]

>>I agree that the function of sails would be warming and cooling.  I was lead
>>to believe (maybe I'm wrong) that this would be a 'great' advantage to an
>>ectothermic animal.  If it were such a great advantage, I would think that
>>sails would be in the majority, not the minority, i.e. sail backed animals
>>would quickly fill all niches by out-competing and eating all the non-sailed
>>animals.  Are we witnessing evidence that sails are not a 'real' advantage?
>>  Your opinion?
>>
>>Steve
>
        Well, maybe the advantages of thermal regulation that sails
afforded were offset by what a pain it might have been to schlep the things
around on the animals' backs.  No rolling or tumbling, etc.  The sails
would certainly be an atavism by the time more developed means of
thermoregulation evolved.


bruce



        "Dammit, Philbert; what kind of a lepidopterist are you?  For god's 
sake,
man; stand up to them!"