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RE: Fw: Ceratopsian mass estimates

> From: Mike Taylor [mailto:mike@miketaylor.org.uk]
> Sent: Friday, April 22, 2005 4:00 AM
>
> > Date: Thu, 21 Apr 2005 18:14:42 -0600
> > From: Cliff Green <dinonaut@emerytelcom.net>
> > 
> > What does the Guiness book of world records say is the largest
> > modern elephant on record? I have heard that there were jumbo sized
> > ones ( pun intended ) that were in and about ten tons.  If I have
> > been misinformed, please enlighten me further.
> 
> The 2002 edition of the Guinness Book of Records says (p. 92):
> 
>       The heaviest recorded specimen was a bull shot in
>       Mucusso, Angola, on 7 Nov 1974, that had a projected
>       standing height of 3.96m (13 ft) and weighed a
>       staggering 12.24 tonnes (26,900 lb).
> 
> There are some useful references on the web-page
>       http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/sauropods/sauropods-elephants.html
> In particular, it cites
>       Gerald L. Wood.  1978.  Animal Facts and Feats.  Sterling
>       Publishing Co., New York.
> as saying of the elephant in the NMNH atrium that measurements
> indicate a mass of 10886kg.

Robert Melton sent me the following data RE: Loxodonta masses, which I pass on 
to the rest of you:
Gerald L. Wood "Animal Facts and Feats"
Sterling Publishing Co. New York 1978
also lists these:
 
    Dhululamithi       384 cm   ~=  9000 kg ~= 19,800 lbs
    1960vanderByl   383 cm   ~=  8900 kg ~= 19,600 lbs
    1875Alfred         396 cm   ~=  9800 kg ~= 21,600 lbs
    1849Oswell       371 cm   ~=  8100 kg ~= 17,800 lbs
    1839Harris        365 cm   ~=  7800 kg ~= 17,200 lbs

So with this data in hand, a 10-11 t Triceratops becomes more reasonable.

                Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
                Vertebrate Paleontologist
Department of Geology           Director, Earth, Life & Time Program
University of Maryland          College Park Scholars
        Mailing Address:
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http://www.geol.umd.edu/~tholtz/
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