Diplos Teeth

[Martin Human <martin@hpentccl.grenoble.hp.com>]

> Hmm.  Perhaps the diplodocids were stripping whole branches (or multiple 
> branches at a time) while the camarasaurs, etc., nipped individual leaves 
> or needle clumps or whatever.  I am not the first to suggest this.

Could large peglike teeth be used for stripping pine cones from trees, but 
leaving the needles on the branches? I sort of imagine a garden rake type 
arrangement skimming the length of a branch. Are there sizeable spaces between  
diplocid's teeth to allow twigs to pass (mind you this could be difficult if a 
branch was too thick)? Are pine cones nutritional enough? Does any known animal 
apart from squirrels (and some birds) eat them? Were mammoths around in pine 
forested areas as well as tundra, (maybe in "winter" hah!) to eat cones? Unripe 
ones seem a better candidate than ripe "open" cones. Sort of resiny pineappley 
chewy thingy.....

martin