Re: Sauropod necks

["Larry Febo" <larryf@capital.net>]

<<Date: Sat, 14 Aug 1999 01:04:06 -0700
From: Jeananda Col <jc@EnchantedLearning.com>
To: dinosaur@usc.edu
Subject: Sauropod necks
Message-ID: <37B522DF.306582C3@EnchantedLearning.com>

Has anyone ever heard of a theory explaining the lengthening of some
sauropods' necks as an adaptation for obtaining foliage within forests?

Since sauropods couldn't venture into dense conifer forests because of
their size, some may have poked their neck into forests (while standing
along the perimeter) to reach undisturbed foliage.

Alternatively, the long neck may have enabled the sauropod to eat soft
pteridophytes (horsetails, club mosses, and ferns) that lived primarily
in wet areas; they couldn't venture into the wet area, but could browse
from firm ground.

Jeananda Col
jc@EnchantedLearning.com>>



Sounds like a Good theory to me.....although I favor the horstail thing
rather than the conifers (for their nutritional value). I don`t know much
about horstails though. Were they at the proper height at that time?? Were
they dense enough to prevent a Sauropod from just pushing through?? were
they tender only at the tips to keep the Sauropods from eating the whole
stand??