Re: Albino Dino

[David Krentz <ddkrentz@charter.net>]

  I've been doing some research on albino animals and people today  
and it seems that there are many forms of albinos.  A lot of it  
depends on what the normal animal is supposed to be colored.  For  
instance some animals can be lacking red pigments or yellow pigments.   
Albino people do not have red eyes, but when photographed they appear  
to look that way.  It looks as if there are lots of albino birds and  
reptiles ( perhaps albino boas have been inbred for sale?)
I may be influenced a little too much by Elric ( the Moorcock  
character with the vampiric sword named "Stormbringer" who need to  
kill to fight off his lethargy) but I wonder if it is a myth that the  
energy levels of albinos is fairly low.
  If the alleged albino dino was at the top of its food chain and  
relied on social behavior, than at least the danger of being easy prey  
could be ruled out...well, of course that depends on if other of its  
species would accept it and not eat it.
Also, I wonder if something the size of a large theropod with the gene  
for albinoism would be a huge magnet for ultraviolet rays.  Would the  
size of it and the white color act more like a reflector?  Could it  
hunt by night?  If its eyesight was poor than would it make a great  
scavenger and rely on its great sense of smell?

David Krentz
On May 14, 2008, at 5:21 PM, Dann Pigdon wrote:

> PLDT FOA- Edmundo S. Ancog writes:
> > This is an imperfect analogy, but if white tigers (a genetic  
> > abnormality prized by zoos but dreaded by conservationists because  
> > of in-breeding) can't ambush prey as easily because they stick up  
> > in the grass like a sore thumb, then a albino theropod would  
> > similarly be hindered. Not to mention the sensitivity to sunlight.
>
> Although if the theropod lived in polar regions, being white might  
> be advantageous. Of course there's a big difference between just  
> having white colouration and albinism.
> ___________________________________________________________________
> Dann Pigdon
> GIS / Archaeologist              http://geo_cities.com/dannsdinosaurs
> Melbourne, Australia             http://heretichides.soffiles.com
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