Ceratopian defense (was..ah its to long to write).

[tlford@ix.netcom.com (Tracy Ford)]

You wrote: 
>
>
>I've always been skeptical of the idea of using the horns for
>intraspecific competition for two main reasons: first, those horns are
>long and sharp. 

Some are indeed long, but sharp? I don't think so, a more rounded tip I'd bet.

 Aside from the obvious problems of breakage due to
>direct contact with the frill, the risk of injury in such exchanges
>would be quite high. 

The horn is thicker and wouldn't break if it hit the thinner frill.

 Look at modern ungulates who exhibit head-butting
>behavior; all of them have either antlers or recurved horns of some
>type.  

and NONE have frills like a ceratopian.

>The second reason I'm skeptical is the fact that many ceratopsians had
>holes in their frills; even covered with skin or cartilage these would
>make the frill rather dubious protection against horns.

True.

Tracy