Re: "Heel to Toe"

["Ray Stanford" <dinotracker@earthlink.net>]

    In response to a question by Natasha, Allan Edels said: "Dinosaurs have
what is called a 'digitigrade' stance.  This means that they stand (and
walk) on their toes.  So the answer to your question: 'No, they did not walk
like humans do'."

    Actually, that is only true of BIPEDAL dinosaurs, and even these
sometimes progressed (walked slowly) with the metatarsals touching the
ground (plantigrade progression).

    In quadrapedal dinosaurs, I recall no trackway evidence of the back feet
ever progressing in digitigrade fashion.  It might happen with some such
dinosaurs moving at exceptionally high speeds, but I doubt it.  Of course
the front feet in quadrapedal dinosaurs normally had the metacarpals
elevated above the ground, except, perhaps when lying down.

    Ray Stanford



-----Original Message-----
From: owner-dinosaur@usc.edu [mailto:owner-dinosaur@usc.edu]On Behalf Of
Natasha Ramsey
Sent: Monday, January 31, 2000 8:21 PM
To: dinosaur@usc.edu
Subject: "Heel to Toe"


A question came up in my Invertebrate Paleo class today that we did not
know the answer to.  I was wondering if anyone out there knew.  The
question is "Did dinosaurs walk from heel to toe like humans do?"
Thank you in advance.

--
Natasha Ramsey

Student of Geological Sciences
University of Memphis

Event Coordinator
West Tennessee F-Body Association