Re: (arthritic) Sauropods vs. Gravity - all

[NJPharris@aol.com]

In a message dated 3/4/02 11:44:27 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
pcambridge@explorer.org writes:

> Let me get this straight, now. It apparently doesn't matter so much the 
size 
> of a planet as what its surface gravity is? No, wait. I'm all confused now. 
I 
> guess what I am trying to understand is why aren't there now sauropod-size 
> animals around now? 

Personally, I like the idea that a placental mammal the size of a sauropod 
could never reproduce, because the young would never fit through its mother's 
birth canal, due to scaling effects between adult and infant placental 
mammals.  Unfortunately, I don't have a ref handy--I'm pretty sure it was 
something I read on-list.

--Nick P.