Re: Shortisquama etc - can anyone translate Japanese?

["Tim Williams" <twilliams_alpha@hotmail.com>]

David Marjanovic wrote:

> In case he takes them serious (seems so, as other pages contains links to
> serious DML posts): [snip]
> Anyway, I wonder he apparently doesn't know Harry Potter, this has been
> translated even into Chinese...

There was no mention of Mickey's _Carnopteryx volanticus_, the flying 
allosaur from Liaoning.


> A possible explanation for the selectivity of mass extinctions (ref later)
> is that the susceptibility to pyrotoxins (originate in forest fires, and 
> the
> K-T bolide did start worldwide forest fires, apparently 10 % of all biomass
> on land burned) varies a lot between species. Rather untestable, though.

Unfortunately, forest fires are all too common in Australia (especially when 
the February Dragons roar through).  I don't believe anyone has compared the 
susceptibility of various components of the fauna to pyrotoxins.

I have heard that koalas often show greater survival rates than other 
marsupials during bushfires.  Kangaroos tend to tear-ass through the burning 
forest in a blind panic (literally), which often increases their chances of 
injury.  By contrast, koalas just stay up in the trees, petrified with fear 
and not moving a muscle.  It's a "strategy" that pays off.  Koalas are 
incredibly cute and cuddly, and I love them to death, but they're also one 
of the dumbest mammals ever to inhabit planet Earth - even dumber than sheep 
(or so I've been told).  Not sure if they're dumber than sloths.


Tim



------------------------------------------------------------

Timothy J. Williams

USDA/ARS Researcher
Agronomy Hall
Iowa State University
Ames IA 50014

Phone: 515 294 9233
Fax:   515 294 3163

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