Insectivorous

[Casey <TUCKERCJ@muohio.edu>]

> 
> Talking about insectivorous habits, I think Perle proposed the theory 
> that Therizinosaurs made a living of termites; the huge claws being 
> used to rip open termite hills.
>
*******Perhaps a better group of insectivores would be the Alvarezsaurids,
like Mononykus, who had the enlarged allular digit with the digging
(mole-like) claw for ripping open termite mounds.  
 
> As Jonathan stated, these animals all were large to  huge; 
> present day insectivores tend to be small (except of the armadillo's 
> and anteaters which are medium sized, but nothing compared with 
> large mammalian herbivores), instead of ponderous and barrel-shaped 
> like ankylosaurs were.
> 
*******Another reason for Alvarezsaurids perhaps being more suitable for an
insectivorous lifestyle.  There small size would have been advantageous for
getting onto the mounds, without destroying the whole mound (could use it
later for shelter, etc.).  The small size also would allow them to subsist
and obtain enough nutrients on a primarily insect diet.  The beak allowed
it to possibly get into some of the small spaces it could dig in the
mounds. 

Just a thought.

Casey T.
TUCKERCJ@MUohio.edu
Miami Univ.
Oxford, Ohio