Question; on what criteria are they judging when the dinosaurs were
"adults"?
"Adults" in this context was the ending of the rapid phase of growth,
which can be seen in histological sections by a shift to extremely closely
spaced growth rings (the External Fundamental System) rather than typical
LAGS.
Modern dinosaurs are capable of laying eggs that hatch into young when
they
are adolescents, just as humans are. It isn't particularly good for
them,
nor for the babies. If some of the larger ancient dinosaurs kept
growing
throughout life, how would one judge when they were full grown?
See above. Dinosaurs do seem to reach a point when they are barely growing
larger each year: the end of their rapid phase of growth.
Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
Senior Lecturer, Vertebrate Paleontology
Department of Geology Director, Earth, Life & Time Program
University of Maryland College Park Scholars
Mailing Address:
Building 237, Room 1117
College Park, MD 20742
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~tholtz/
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~jmerck/eltsite
Phone: 301-405-4084 Email: tholtz@geol.umd.edu
Fax (Geol): 301-314-9661 Fax (CPS-ELT): 301-405-0796