Re: Salmon-eating wolves and predicting dino diets

[Dann Pigdon <dannj@alphalink.com.au>]

Roberto Takata writes: 

> On 10/4/07, Guy Leahy <xrciseguy@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> > extinct taxa.  One would not be likely to predict
> > fish-eating habits of fossil wolves based on their
> > dentition... :-D
>
> Well, wolves are *not* specialized in eating fish. Dentition tends to
> reflect the overall feeding habits. Bear and humans eat fishes too,
> but they eat many other things. So wolves - though wolves eat almost
> exclusively meat.

For all we know, this could have been true of Baryonyx as well. 

If those wolves were fossilised soon after eating fish, fish remains might 
eventually be found in the fossils' stomaches. Forever after, future 
palaeoartists might then depict wolves wading in water with fish in their 
jaws (despite other stomach contents that suggested predation on terrestrial 
animals as well). :) 

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Dann Pigdon
GIS / Archaeologist              geo cities.com/dannsdinosaurs
Melbourne, Australia             heretichides.soffiles.com
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