Re: Cursorial adaptations (was T.rex and elephants)

[Dann Pigdon <dannj@alphalink.com.au>]

Ronald Orenstein 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.  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.....
> >Chris
> 
> How, then, do you explain Pachyrhinosaurus?  I can't see whatever it had on
> its snout being much use except in shoving matches.
> --
        Rhinos and elephants also have head-to-head shoving matches,
(no not rhino v's elephant, excuse my ambiguous syntax) but they manage
to avoid doing any great damage to each other from horn or tusk.
Watching such displays it is a miracle that they don't at least put
an eye out or something, but since these creatures have grown up
learning how to handle their weaponry they seem to be adequately
skilled at avoiding unnecessary injuries.

-- 
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        Dann Pigdon
        Melbourne, Australia

        http://www.geocities.com/capecanaveral/4459/
        http://www.alphalink.com.au/~dannj
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