Dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures

Started by DoomRulz, Jul 10, 2008, 12:17:08 AM

Author
Dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures (Read 280,234 times)

Vertigo

A large number of pterosaurs have been indicated to have extravagant fleshy headcrests which barely ever fossilise at all, it wouldn't surprise me if many more dinosaurs had them than we realise. Seems to run in the family.

DoomRulz

I'm surprised this wasn't discovered sooner. Hadrosaurs are known for having crests as it's part of what makes them so distinctive. You'd think that previous Edmontosaur discoveries would have had small nooks or something like that on the skull indicating a crest would fit in.


DoomRulz

A biochemist commenting on dinosaur evolution is about as credible as a Tumblr feminist talking about rape.

Leave this one for the paleontologists, please and thank you.

Gilfryd

I would totally buy one


Spoiler
AND EAT IT
[close]

Ratchetcomand

Ratchetcomand

#860
Dinosaurs can't live in this world these days. Africa would be the closet thing that they could live in, but other people will just hunt them down.

Vertigo

I've often wondered if sauropods would thrive in today's northern Asia, where there's virtually endless uninhabited pine forest. They had the stomach to cope with the very toughest foods, so I guess it's a matter of thermoregulation; the infants would need massive amounts of insulation. There are sauropods known from polar regions, so it's not implausible.

Xenodog

Quote from: Vertigo on Dec 29, 2013, 07:21:24 PM
I've often wondered if sauropods would thrive in today's northern Asia, where there's virtually endless uninhabited pine forest. They had the stomach to cope with the very toughest foods, so I guess it's a matter of thermoregulation; the infants would need massive amounts of insulation. There are sauropods known from polar regions, so it's not implausible.

Though, bear in mind a Mesozoic polar region would be very different from today's ones!

Predator Queen



I contributed.

Vertigo

Quote from: Xenodog on Dec 29, 2013, 07:44:49 PM
Quote from: Vertigo on Dec 29, 2013, 07:21:24 PM
I've often wondered if sauropods would thrive in today's northern Asia, where there's virtually endless uninhabited pine forest. They had the stomach to cope with the very toughest foods, so I guess it's a matter of thermoregulation; the infants would need massive amounts of insulation. There are sauropods known from polar regions, so it's not implausible.

Though, bear in mind a Mesozoic polar region would be very different from today's ones!

Yup, but they had permafrost even at that point. Average temperature in the Cretaceous Antarctic is estimated between 0 and 10 degrees centigrade (probably sticking around the low end given the existence of permafrost) which is also the rough annual average for most parts of today's Russia.

King Rathalos


OmegaZilla

OmegaZilla

#866
So that's where Tatopoulos got the idea for the flying things in Pitch Black.

DoomRulz

Quote from: Vertigo on Dec 29, 2013, 07:21:24 PM
I've often wondered if sauropods would thrive in today's northern Asia, where there's virtually endless uninhabited pine forest. They had the stomach to cope with the very toughest foods, so I guess it's a matter of thermoregulation; the infants would need massive amounts of insulation. There are sauropods known from polar regions, so it's not implausible.

I doubt it. Part of the reason sauropods grew so large was because there was a higher amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. They'd likely asphyxiate before they realized what they were eating. There's also the issue of actually eating the food. Were their teeth designed to consume pine needles? How much nutrition would they get from it? Is there enough forestry to support a large herd of giant animals?

Vertigo

Sigh. I'll address that in a few days when I'm back home. You just love disagreeing with me, don't you. :P

DoomRulz

I love you darling ;)

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