Re: Diplodocid duck-and-cover techniques

[Dann Pigdon <dannj@alphalink.com.au>]

philidor11 wrote:
> 
> Question, are you assuming your diplodocid was standing still?  Moving,
> nothing's going to slow down, let alone stop something that big.  Why not
> run and lash your tail behind you?

It's all well and good for something as agile as a horse to kick out
while it is running, but would sauropods have been able to walk safely
while flailing their tail? That's an awful lot of mass swinging about on
your hind end, sort of like trying to tow a heavy and out-of-control
trailer behind your car. I'd have thought that sauropods would have had
to have been careful about each step they took. One stumble and they'd
do more damage to themselves than anything pursuing them might have.

-- 
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Dann Pigdon                   Australian Dinosaurs:
GIS Archaeologist           http://dannsdinosaurs.terrashare.com
Melbourne, Australia        http://home.alphalink.com.au/~dannj/
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