ORNITHOPOD NECKS

[Tetanurae@aol.com]

Andy Farke wrote:
<<I've been reading with great interest the debate on hadro neck 
 musculature. Great to see non-theropod debate!>>

HA!!  No joke, I was about to propose we re-name the list the "non-avian
coelurosaur mailing list."  Not that there is anything particularly wrong with
them, but it may come as a shocker that there *are*other dinosaurs besides
non-avian coelurosaurs... :-)
 
 <<Anyhow, I think that the big-necked hadros are a good idea. I've seen 
 one argument that animals with small, light skulls didn't need big 
 necks. Most of the hadro skulls I've seen are quite big and robust--more 
 heavily built than many theropods.>>

I am not arguing against thick-necked hadrosauroids at all.  In fact, I rather
think the idea that hadrosauroids (and most larger ornithopods) had thick
necks is correct because the heads were rather large.  However, comparitively,
their heads were quite a bit smaller and lighter than those in animals that
have withers (bison).

What I am arguing against are the recent suggestions and restorations that the
necks of hadrosaurs were composed of gigantic bands of muscle, one of which,
the splenialis, ran from the top of the arch of the back, in a straight line,
to the back of the head.  Take a look at GSP's restorations in Mike Brett-
Surman's chapter in "The Complete Dinosaur" to see what we are all talking
about.

Let me repeat, that there is no evidence to support this that I see, either
from arguments about rigor mortis in the mummies, or from the osteology, or
from biomechanics...

Peter Buchholz
Tetanurae@aol.com

Just tel me how many pills, so I don't call the ambulances too soon.