Re: The Wild and Wacky *Carnotaurus*

["Bruce E Shillinglaw" <SHILLINGLAWB@prodigy.net>]

Hi, All!
    Having watched male boa constrictors aggressively use their vestigial
hindlimbs (spurs) to arouse the lady of their desire, I've long thought the
same was more than possible for short-limbed theropods. Some boids spur
strongly enough to leave noticable scratches - and some herpetologists have
reported arousal of female boids when sratched (by humans) dorsal to the
vent area. (I never tried it, so don't ask!)
            B.

        Jammie Headden wrote:
>>  Both tyrannosaurines and carnotaurs have arms that cannot touch each
other, much less themselves, but they do project beyond the chest far enough
so that if the animal were to rest its chest down on something, they could
effectively contact it. Maybe not manipulate it, but we're looking at some
really strong forelimbs here. Given the probably strong adductive ability of
the humeri, the forearms have a mechanical ability that belies their brevity
and apparent stubbiness; this, in a typcial Holmesian fashion means that
they must have done something, even if we don't know what. If they seem
undersized for prey manipulattion, then we can suggest sexual manipulation.
Some animals (let's use cats) grip their mates during coitus; in cats this
is to [dobuly] prevent the female from bolting and to incite aestrus; such
may be the case in carnotaurines, who would be able to use the "spur" to
impale the scruff of the female's neck or shoulder and "stimulate" her.
Either spreading extension of the digits of the hand to ice-pick--style
gripping (and tiny, curved claws) or a spur on the hand can be considered
sexual
adaptations.

  I would not be adverse to criticism....

=====
Jaime A. Headden