Re: sauropods: homotherm,heterotherm or gigantotherm?

[David Marjanovic <david.marjanovic@gmx.at>]

> > GAH!
> >
> > That proves it. They must have broken the secret on how to evolve 
> > cellulase.
>
> The microbes in their tum-tums probably broke the secret for them.

Hm. The microbes in ruminant stomachs do have cellulase, but they use the 
resulting glucose for themselves. They ferment it, producing stuff like 
acetic, propionic and butyric acid. This is what ruminants mainly live off. 
I'm sure it would be more efficient for them if they had all the glucose 
directly for themselves.

(Living off propionic acid and other compounds with an odd number of carbon 
atoms requires an extra energy investment.)