Re: Triceratops Stance

[Paul P <turtlecroc@yahoo.com>]

Only a very masochistic Triceratops would (or could) 
hold its forelimbs vertically. 

Check out this short quicktime video:
http://www.nmnh.si.edu/paleo/3dmov/tric10.mov

It shows the forelimbs moderately splayed and the hind-
limbs, although more columnar, still with some bowing 
to them. Triceratops (as most ceratopsids) couldn't 
bring its limbs--especially the upper forelimb--any 
closer to the body than this without causing itself 
some serious pain.

Trackways actually corroborate this. Even with forelegs 
pretty widely splayed, they are flexed ~90 deg at the 
elbow, and the manus plants almost directly ahead of 
the pes. This matches the referred trackways. Take a 
closer look at the video. Notice that the manus in the 
video is actually planting a bit *medial* to the pes. 
I don't think this is exactly right. If anything, it 
indicates that the elbows were even more widely spread 
than in the video.

As for some newer mounts having their limbs positioned 
vertically, well, it could be that some people used 
Tarzan Goes to Mars as their guide.

Cheers,
Paul P.

--- Dann Pigdon <dannj@alphalink.com.au> wrote:

> Dinosaur George writes: 
> 
> > I've been asked to create a short video for a museum
> about the leg 
> > position of Triceratops. Older skeletons have the legs
> mounted more 
> > reptilian like (splayed out to the side), while the
> newer mounts are more 
> > mammal-like in stance with legs almost directly
> underneath the body. 
> > 
> > Is there any consensus among those of you who study the
> Ceratopsians as to 
> > the correct placement of the legs? What evidence
> supports this new leg 
> > positioning?
> 
> I believe more recent studies suggest the forelimbs were
> bowed slightly 
> outwards, while the hindlimbs were directly beneath the
> body. If so, it 
> turns out everyone was at least 50% correct. 
> 
>
___________________________________________________________________
> 
> 
> Dann Pigdon
> GIS / Archaeologist        
> http://www.geocities.com/dannsdinosaurs
> Melbourne, Australia       
> http://heretichides.soffiles.com
>
___________________________________________________________________
> 



 
____________________________________________________________________________________
Any questions? Get answers on any topic at www.Answers.yahoo.com.  Try it now.