Re: sauropod quantity

[Danvarner@aol.com]

In a message dated 9/17/99 7:45:44 AM Pacific Daylight Time, 
jdaniel@aristotle.net writes:

<< Is it possible that the fossil record is over-represented by
 sauropods and other very large animals (I mean in relation to other smaller
 animals)? The thought came to me that the very large bones might improve
 fossilization by taking longer to dispose of and will thus have more of a 
chance
 to fossilize, at least a piece of them anyway, than smaller animals.
 Does this make any sense at all or should I toss it on the huge pile of
 interesting but wrong possibilities? >>

  You are correct, sir! There are many little theropod teeth in the Morrison 
with very little in the way of skeletal material, if any, to go with them. 
Another factor is the acidity of the paleosoils, and bugs. There are many 
sauropod bones with traces of beetle infestation that would have destroyed a 
smaller skeleton. Dan Varner.