Re: Feathers for T-rex?

["lgot" <lgot@brfree.com.br>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ivan Kwan" <dino_rampage@hotmail.com>
To: <dinosaur@usc.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, May 14, 2003 6:00 AM
Subject: Re: Feathers for T-rex?


> It has been noted that while ostriches have bare legs, the rest of the
> paleognaths like emus, cassowaries, rheas, kiwis, tinamous do not. And it
> has been stated that even though moas were larger than ostriches, they had
> feathered legs. Just something to speculate about: Is it possible that
> ostriches have bare legs due to the climate of their habitat (dry savanna,
> scrub, semi-desert) & use the bare skin on their legs to dissipate excess
> heat? That and the fact that possibly the leg muscles would generate
plenty
> of heat when the ostrich is running, which it would have to do very often,
> whether it's chasing egg thieves, chasing a potential mate, running from
> predators etc. Therefore, the ostrich lost the feathers on its legs in
order
> to get rid of all the excess heat generated both by its environment & by
its
> highly active leg muscles.
>
> Moas, on the ther hand, lived in a more temperate climate, with no
predators
> aside from a giant eagle & possibly the odd flock of ravenous keas or two
> (anyone seen the New Zealand article in one of the recent issues of Nat
> Geo?). And maybe they needed their leg feathers to retain warmth on the
> occasional frosty night.
>
> As for the elephant bird _Aepyornis_, who knows? Hot climate, but plenty
of
> cover, and almost no need to run around that much. Anyone know of any
large
> Madagascar predator capable of bringing down an _Aepyornis_ (besides a
nile
> crocodile?)
>
> But then again, it's all speculation. It is interesting to note that,
> besides the ostrich, all the other paleognaths from the Pleistocene and
> Holocene live in more covered habitats and that these have legs with more
> feathers than an ostrich's.
>
> (Rheas? Interesting. They do live on the open treeless pampas. But the
> pampas does get pretty cold at night, as compared to african savannas.)
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> Send a fun phone greeting to your friend!
> http://www.msn.com.sg/mobile/fungreetings/
>
>