RE: Archaeopteryx bone physiology

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

On Sat, Oct 10th, 2009 at 5:38 AM, Erik Boehm <erikboehm07@yahoo.com> wrote:

> All the growth curves I've seen for things like T.rexs imply a period of very 
> rapid growth...

For Tyrannosaurus, that rapid growth spurt seems to occur in their teenage 
years. Up until then 
their growth rates are fairly steady.

Modern birds seem to have their growth spurt very early on. They reach adult 
sizes very quickly, 
then their growth tapers off considerably. This is probably to reach a state of 
volancy as soon as 
possible.

If Archaeopteryx was as comfortable (or more so) on the ground as in the air, 
then there may not 
have been such a rush to reach maturity. If it followed a tyrannosaur-like 
growth curve, and the 
only specimens that we have are all sub-adult, then there's the chance that 
they might not show 
that sudden growth spurt later in life.

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