Re: "Red Queen" Extinction theory

[Stan Friesen <swf@ElSegundoCA.ATTGIS.COM>]

>From: Dave Hardenbrook <DAVEH47@delphi.com>
 > So is the theory, then, that the plant-eating dinos stopped "running"
 > (evolving) fast enough to "out-pace" the carnivores' armory and all
 > got eaten to extinction, after which the carnivores starved to death???

To be honest, I have never heard the RQ Hypothesis applied to mass
extinctions.  It is usually used to explain the evolution of armor
and teeth and toxic chemicals and the like - and then the evolution
of predators that can handle the defenses.

For instance, the otherwise extremely toxic milkweed has three species
of insect that eat it - all of them co-opting the toxins to protect
themselves, and all of them bright orange and black (the monarch, the
milkweed beetle, and the milkweed bug).

swf@elsegundoca.attgis.com              sarima@netcom.com

The peace of God be with you.