Re: Warm-blooded debate

[Dinogeorge@aol.com]

In a message dated 97-06-24 01:20:13 EDT, j-dyal@geocities.com (Joshua Dyal)
writes:

<< I definately agree, but you presented the argument that dinosaur growth
 rates slow down as evidence of ectothermy.  Rather than try and decide
 the issue, I was merely pointing out the fact that since large mammals
 grow in a similar fashion, I don't see how it can be evidence of
 anything.  Therefore, I was supporting your above mentioned conclusion
 100% that it is impossible to decide conclusively that dinosaurs were
 either ecto- or endothermic. >>

What I presented was not a suggestion that the observed slowdown in dinosaur
growth rates was due to or evidence for ectothermy, but rather the notion
that dinosaurs with some kind of intermediate metabolism between full
ectothermy and endothermy--in particular, a pattern in which endothermic
juveniles gradually became ectothermic adults--could or would exhibit the
observed growth rates.

Ectothermy and endothermy need not be mutually exclusive metabolisms.