Re: Wilson and Sereno

[Danvarner@aol.com]

In a message dated 98-06-27 17:07:35 EDT, you write:

<< Perhaps the key to the differences in skeletal drawings lies in the 
 question of just how closely does Camarasaurus resemble Apatosaurus...
 Jack McIntosh has always said that the two are quite similar in several 
 areas; particularly in the robust nature of the hind legs . The mid and 
 posterior caudal verts are almost identical as well. >>
     Unfortunately those weren't the areas I was talking about. In my post I
wasn't talking about the robust nature of the hind legs or the caudal verts.
My question had to do with the articulation of the skull to the anterior
cervicals and the flexation shown in the limbs as well as the orientation of
the ungual on the first manal digit.
     Wilson and Sereno make a significant departure in their Camarasaurus
reconstruction in THESE areas. Even the famous juvenile camarasaur from
Dinosaur Nat'l Monument exibits a much sharper angle between skull and
anterior cervicals than Wilson and Sereno's reconstruction. And this is even
in spite of the fact that the fossil shows substantial dorsal flexation due to
post-mortem drying of ligaments and other soft tissue.
      I've noticed that Greg Paul seems to be relaxing the flexation at least
in Brachiosaurus necks. A revised restoration appeared in _Prehistoric Times_
recently in conjunction with a new resin model project. But the adjustment was
still nowhere as extreme as the drawing in the memior for JVP by W&S. I'm
still looking for an explanation in the fine print though. I might have missed
it. Dan Varner.