Re: Hadrosaur defense

[Robert.J.Meyerson@uwrf.edu (Rob Meyerson)]

Jonathon Woolf writes;

>Which IMVHO raises the possibility that [zebra] stripes aren't camouflage. 
>Domestic horses appear to have an underlying striping or spotting coat
>color pattern in much the same way that all cat colors except solid and
>bicolor are reflections of an underlying tabby pattern interacting with
>some other gene(s).

It may be worthwhile to point out that the idea behind zebra camoflage is not 
to blend in with the background, but to blend in with each other (making it 
difficult to see one individual animal during a stampede).

However, even with this confusing visual display, lions take down zebras all 
the time.  It appears to me that there would have to be more to hadrosaur 
defense than simply blending into the background (especially if they were as 
abundant as has been reported).  So, here's the $10,000 question: how could a 
reportedly slow, fully-terrestrial, hornless/clawless herbivore protect itself 
from a theropod who was all teeth (or all claw if you prefer)?

I have a hunch that we are missing something crutial here.


Rob Meyerson
Orphan Vertebrate Paleontologist

***
The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new 
discoveries, is not "Eureka!" (I found it!) but "That's 
funny ..." 
-- Isaac Asimov