Re: Sky Monsters (w/spoilers)

[jrc <jrccea@bellsouth.net>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michael Habib" <mhabib5@jhmi.edu>
To: <dinosaur@usc.edu>
Sent: Monday, January 30, 2006 10:33 AM
Subject: Re: Sky Monsters (w/spoilers)


> I've hardly made up my mind on feeding biology in Quetzalcoatlus. 
> However, I would like to note that it is not actually all that stork or 
> heron like with regards to feeding-related anatomy (though there are 
> enough superficial similarities in the face for it to be a tempting 
> thought).

The shape of the tip of the snout is very different from storks and 
herons -- and very unlike at least one of the  azhdarchids in Sky Monsters.

> Most importantly, rapid-striking in the heron or stork style requires a 
> fairly flexible neck.  They have lots of short cervicals that anchor a 
> large number of short muscles in the neck.  Such a setup is, in fact, 
> quite the opposite of the azhdarchid arrangement (where you get a few 
> short cervicals likely anchoring small numbers of long muscles).

The hard stops in the quetz cerivicals don't allow a striking type of 
motion.  Their mobility is quite limited.
> Now, not all storks use rapid striking, but those that don't are largely 
> ground-feeding scavengers.

That has been proposed for quetz.  Again, the tip of the snout doesn't 
appear to me to be designed for that.

Jim