Re: Selective Extinction

["Peter Von Sholly" <vonrex@gte.net>]

Yes, pterosaurs perished (somewhere along the way anyhow).  Maybe they
weren't as adept at flying as birds.  And as somebody said, "what about the
mosasaurs and sharks?"  (as in how did my question explain their
extinctions) I must confess that I thought sharks survived!  You learn
something new all the time. I suppose a big impact (with intense heat)
would have  tremendous effects on the oceans- especially if it hit in the
water.  Maybe the surface water got super hot, devastating air breathing
aquatics, maybe gigundous waves caused havoc-  yet as I thought I said, my
question did not pretend to answer the global extinction question.  I know
dinosaurs were on the wane- I am aware of gradualist ideas on the subject. 
And it seems there may have been many impacts, perhaps over a long time.  I
merely wondered if certain sized and heighted creatures were more
vulnerable to a shock wave than creatures who could lie low, or soar above.
 In certain isolated scenarios, at least,  it seems they may have been.
----------
> From: Bettyc <Bettyc@flyinggoat.com>
> To: dinosaur@usc.edu
> Subject: Re: Selective Extinction
> Date: Monday, October 27, 1997 10:56 AM
> 
> 
> birds, of course, survived, whereas pterasauroids did not so if you can
> perhaps explain why?
> Wehn Mt. St. Helens went off, birds that flew away survived, but still
> had to deal with the ash that covered everything afterwards to search
> for food and water.
> -- 
>            Betty Cunningham  
>