Re: [Re: Salt?]

[Betty Cunningham <bettyc@flyinggoat.com>]

These responses all address removing EXCESS salt (though still really
interesting).

My question was rather would dinosaurs (et all) have sought out SOURCES
of salt to ingest it-such as a salt lick?

-Betty

> zenlizard@juno.com wrote:
> On Fri, 27 Aug 1999 11:37:02 -0700 Betty  writes:
> >hell, do crocodiles or monitors or birds need salt?)
> 
> Don't know about crocs, or birds specifically.  Monitors have adaptations
> for ridding themselves of excess salt.  They sneeze.

> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> Same thing for iguanas (with marine iguanas being prime examples).
> 
> As for crocs, osmoregulation is just as important for them, especially the sea
> going varieties like Indopacifics. They excrete excess salt through glands in
> the tongue along with the skin, while the cloaca plays a large part in
> regulating salt and water absorption.
> 
> Sea turtles cry out their excess salt.
> 
> As for the original question, reptiles do indeed need salt just like all other
> vertebrates, and maintain the same balance as any other vertebrate.
> 
> I'm not sure how birds deal with excess salt (are they mainly renal, like
> mammals?), but I wouldn't be surprised if a couple of them sneezed it or even
> if sea gulls had salt glands near the mouth area.
> 
> I wouldn't be surprised if deinosaurs came up with novel solutions themselves.
> Perhaps that was an alternative use for lambeosaurine crests :)
> 
> Archosaur J
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