Re: So Just How Much Could They Bend Their Tail?

["Steven Coombs" <gasperex@hotmail.com>]

> From: Gerrit Hanenburg <G.Hanenburg@inter.NL.net>
> Reply-To: G.Hanenburg@inter.NL.net
> To: dinosaur@usc.edu
> Subject: Re: So Just How Much Could They Bend Their Tail?
> Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2001 21:45:01 +0100
>
>
> > Just a quick question...how much of a curve would one expect to see in a
> > _velociraptor_ tail? A slight arch looks nice but I want to be careful not
> > to overdue it.
>
> Actually, the tail of Velociraptor appears to have been rather flexible, at
> least in lateral direction, despite the elongated prezygapophyses. The tail
> of specimen IGM 100/986 has been preserved in an S-shaped curve.
>
> Norell, M.A. & Makovicky, P.J. (1999). Important Features of the
> Dromaeosaurid Skeleton II: Information from Newly Collected Specimens of
> Velociraptor mongoliensis. American Museum Novitates 3282: 1-45.
>
> Gerrit

Its was very flexible indeed, the base of the tail was capable of bending 
ninety degrees in most directions, and it perhaps severed as balancing rod 
for changing direction quickly, just as modern cheetahs use their long 
tails. And to make the tail even more capable of doing so, they had bony 
tendons along the tail to stiffen it up.

Steven Coombs
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Steven's Dinosaurs: http://ca.geocities.com/steven16_84


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