Re: therizinosaurs - how did it happen?

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

On Thu, Aug 6th, 2009 at 4:53 AM, Roberto Takata <rmtakata@gmail.com> wrote:

> Two instances of opposite direction:
> 
> Chick eating cow
> http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,257688,00.html
> 
> Bird bone eating deer
> http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/08/0825_030825_carnivorousdeer.html

It's amazing what animals will do when suffering from mineral deficiencies. The 
Mt Elgon elephants 
in Kenya have turned to mining to satisfy their mineral requirements.

Deer on mineral-poor Mediterranean islands are habitually carnivorous (again, 
they favour bird 
nestlings). It's not unthinkable that herbivores pushed into marginal habitats 
that are poor in 
nutrients would eventually evolve into omnivores or even carnivores. Thylacaleo 
in Australia 
(where heavily weathered soils are notoriously mineral-poor in many areas) were 
descended from 
herbivores. Their ancestors lacked canine teeth, so instead the front incisors 
took over the role.

-- 
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Dann Pigdon
GIS / Archaeologist                Australian Dinosaurs
Melbourne, Australia               http://home.alphalink.com.au/~dannj
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