Re: Finally some non-theropod questions (actual question enclosed)

["Ralph Miller III" <gbabcock@best.com>]

Archosaur J  archosaur@usa.net writes:
> Are there any baby and juvenile sauropod skulls that show any marked
difference between adults in tooth arrangments?
> 
> Do baby sauropods have more robust teeth for chewing on tougher plant
matter? 

Anthony R. Fiorillo of the Dallas Museum of Natural History presented a
talk at the 1998 Dinofest Symposium entitled _Dental microwear in the
sauropod dinosaurs *Camarasaurus* and *Diplodocus* and the role of eating
in determining social behavior_.  Quoting the symposium abstract volume:

"Resource partitioning can be demonstrated for the two most common
sympatric sauropod dinosaurs, _Camarasaurus_ and _Diplodocus_, from the
Upper Jurasssic Morrison Formation.  The patterns of occurrence of pits,
course scratches, and fine scratches on the surfaces of the teeth of these
taxa show that, in general, _Camarasaurus_ ate coarser food items than did
_Diplodocus_.  In contrast with the majority of _Camarasaurus_ teeth
belonging to adults which show evidence of ingestion of coarser food items,
the teeth of juveniles show a pattern of wear similar to that observed on
_Diplodocus_.  This suggests that there was dietary overlap between the
young of _Camarasaurus_ and the adults of _Diplodocus_, and that dietary
divergence occurred when individuals of _Camarasaurus_ achieved adult
size."   

So the above study suggests that, in contrast to the adult camarasaurs, the
camarasaur chicks were not consuming rough plant material.  On the other
hand, the diplodocids cited apparently ate softer plants throughout their
lives.

-- Ralph Miller III     gbabcock@best.com

> Getting it in now before pack hunting dromaeosaurs take over the list
again.
 
Now the dromaeosaurs have your e-mail address!  Run!