Re: Sauropods and those little heads

["Michael" <tons@ccs.netside.com>]

> Date:          Wed, 25 Jun 1997 20:49:20 -0400 (EDT)
> Reply-to:      WOwen15778@aol.com
> From:          WOwen15778@aol.com
> To:            dinosaur@usc.edu
> Subject:       Re: Sauropods and those little heads

> In a message dated 97-06-25 09:51:48 EDT, you write:
> 
> <<<<<< 
>  The way I've always looked at those the reasons for those "little" heads
>  is is to turn the question around."Why should sauropods have heads that
>  were any larger? >>
> >>>>>
> 
> Robert Bakker once presented his answer at a science teacher's symposium I
> attended.  According to him, Small brains = small skulls.  sauropods have
> small brains simply due to the fact that they raise up on the rear legs to
> get food from time to time, and also must lover their heads to drink.  The
> blood pressure needed to pump blood up to a large brain would be high enough
> to blow the critters head off when it lowered its head to drink.  
> 
> Therefore, small brain = lower blood pressure.  Giraffes dealt with the same
> problem by evolving a network of capillaries called the rete (Is that right?)
> to compensate for the blood pressure changes.
> 
> Any other opinions?
> 
> Walt
> 
Yes, they had small heads because they had small brains because they 
had not evolved larger ones with neocortex. Period. This applys to 
all dinosaurs, not just those with long necks.   

Those animals lived.  Where their heads were some of the time is a 
guess. They were built to do what they did. 

As always, this is only an opinion, subject to
retraction and recall without notice, and with 
due respect to others opinions.

Thanks,

Michael Teuton MD