Re: filter-feeding dinosaur

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

Jeff Hecht wrote:
> 
> New Scientist also has a report on Gallimimus as a filter feeder at
> 
> http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991216
> 

Of course calling anseriforms "filter feeders" is a bit of a misnomer.
They CAN filter feed, but they're also capable of taking all sorts of
other food types (plants, insects, bits of bread...). This doesn't in
any way mean that Gallimimus spent all of its time in or around water,
or was a specialist filter feeder. Ducks and geese are an extremely
diverse and successful group of birds. I'm betting some of them never
even filter feed at all (Cape Baron geese come to mind - do they even
like water?)


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