Re: Spare ribs?

[Marilyn Wegweiser <mdwegweiser@bsuvc.bsu.edu>]

At 8:49 PM -0800 2/13/01, Mickey_Mortimer wrote:
> Rob Gay wrote-
>
> >  Just a quick question: How far down do theropod ribs proceed down the
> >  vertebral column? I can't remember what I've seen off the top of my head,
> so
> >  I was wondering if anyone else knew if they went all the way to the sacrum
> >  or stopped before the pelvic region.
>
> Theropods had two dorsal ribs for every dorsal vertebra, all the way to the
> sacrum.  Here's what I would like to know- what are sacral and caudal ribs?
> I hear about caudal ribs in relation to diplodocids and some other
> sauropods.  Are these just transverse processes?  Are sacral ribs transverse
> processes or actual ribs.

I have an excellent jpg of the rib cage of Giganatosaurus, taken from 
directly underneath the mounted skeleton, looking up. If there is 
interest, and you don't mind me answering later on (like Later On) I 
could forward it to interested parties.

Cheers,
Marilyn W.
--
                        =00=  =00=  =00=  =00=
                        Marilyn D. Wegweiser, Ph.D.
                Adjunct Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology
                     Cincinnati Natural History Museum

Assistant Professor of Geology
Department of Geology                   mdwegweiser@bsu.edu
Ball State University                   Office: 765-285-8268;765-285-8270
Muncie, Indiana                         FAX:    765-285-8265