Re: Brontosaurus/Apatosaurus

[Stanley Friesen <sarima@ix.netcom.com>]

At 11:49 AM 6/12/98 -0700, Betty Cunningham wrote:
>Does this actually mean what I think it means? That a juvenile 
>sauropod has a different number of vertebrae than an adult?

Almost.  It has a different number of *sacral* vertebrae (that is, the ones
that are fused with the pelvis).  The total count may well be the same.

>  How do you figure?

What often happens is that posterior dorsals and/or anterior caudals get
recruited into the sacrum as the animal grows.  This is more or less a case
of development recapitulating phylogeny.

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May the peace of God be with you.         sarima@ix.netcom.com
                                          sfriesen@netlock.com