Re: [dinosaur] Giant sauropod sleeping postures

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

On Wed, Jul 10th, 2019 at 5:05 AM, Poekilopleuron <dinosaurtom2015@seznam.cz> 
wrote:

> Thank you again! I wonder if lying on the side was feasible for at least 
> giant theropods with mass usually not exceeding 10 tonnes? Tom

One challenge to laying on the side for any large wild animal (other than 
difficulties breathing) is how to 
get up quickly if they're surprised by a predator or rival, to either flee or 
fight. Adult elephants in captivity 
will sleep on their sides for hours at a time, but wild elephants generally 
sleep on their feet as adults, or 
only lay down for very short periods, most likely to reduce their vulnerability 
to attack (something captive 
elephants don't have to worry about).

I would expect that most large theropods would have employed their 
conspicuously large pubic boots to 
rest in a squat, a position from which they could more quickly and easily rise 
to their feet in an 
emergency. That's the most common resting posture for extant ratites. I suspect 
the only times you're 
likely to see a ratite laying on its side is if they're either dead, dying, or 
knocked unconscious.

--
Dann Pigdon