Re: Velociraptor v. Protoceratops?

[TomHopp@aol.com]

Larry Febo wrote:
<< I favor the slumped dune scenario. I haven`t had the pleasure of observing 
the specimen up close, but wouldn`t a windblown deposit show striations in 
the sand grains? (wheras a slump most likely wouldn`t on a small scale?). 
Also, I can`t see the two combatants in question ignoring  a sandstorm while 
fighting to the death.  >>

Windblown sand strata commonly have layering and striations, but this was 
proposed to be a dust storm deposit. Dust storms dump, like snowstorms. There 
are no stratifications within a single event. Here in Washington State, we 
have strata of dust-deposited loess that are up to hundreds of feet thick 
without any layering.
The notion of dust piling up on dead animals is much simpler than either: (1) 
gee a dune is collapsing on me while I fight this death struggle -- guess 
I'll hang on and get buried anyway. When I'm buried, I still won't let go to 
try to escape; (2) flood-washed velociraptor gets hand caught in mouth of 
passing protoceratops corpse. I'd rule the latter out anyway because the 
velociraptor's head posture is not stream-washed (hyperextended) but rather 
S-curved and retracted away from the protoceratops -- its final life-pose.


Thomas P. Hopp
Author of DINOSAUR WARS, a science fiction novel published by iUniverse
Now Humans are the Endangered Species!  http://members.aol.com/dinosaurwars