Re: How small is small?

[John Schneiderman <dino@revelation.unomaha.edu>]

On Fri, 19 Jan 1996, King, Norm wrote:

> 
> Occasionally I see references to "small" dinosaurs, or even to "large" 
> dinosaurs, as well as everything in-between (for example, recent postings 
> relating to phylogeny of Herrerasaurus).
> 
> Are there generally understood limits for the size terms small, medium, 
> large, moderately large, etc., as applied to dinosaurs? 
> 

I have found that small to large categories fit better when referring to 
a group of dinosaurs...

example: theropods

small -- Compsognathus
medium -- Deinonychus
large -- Allosaurus (although there are huge representatives)
huge -- Tyrannosaurus

example: Sauropods

small -- (not used)
medium -- Shunosaurus
large -- Apatosaurus
huge -- Argentinosaurus

example: Ornithopods

small -- Fabrosaurus
medium -- Camptosaurus
large -- Iguanodon
huge -- Lambeosaurus

---John Schneiderman (dino@revelation.unomaha.edu)