Re: The absurdity, the absurdity (was: Cooperating theropods?)

[Chris Campbell <sankarah@ou.edu>]

Jack wrote:
> 
> On Sat, 4 Apr 1998, Larry Dunn wrote:  = one >
> 
> > From: Chris Campbell <sankarah@ou.edu>  = two > >
> >
> > You've glossed over some very real differences here, even assuming that
> > we look only at large mammalian predators as you've done.  Wild dogs
> > chase down their prey in a pack, catch them from behind, stop them, and
> > kill them.  Wolves encircle their prey in a pack.  Different strategies,
> > both requiring speed and endurance, requiring  forelimbs for sustained
> > running.  Lions are built for a quick burst of speed and generally take
> > on their prey individually, allowing AND requiring them to develop their
> > forelimbs to assist in dispatching their prey.  And so on and so on.
> > Surely you're not saying that cheetahs and wolves are basically the same
> > animals because they both suffocate their prey?
> 
> I am going to step in here, if you don't mind.  There is a little glossing
> over here as well.  Of course cheetahs and wolves don't employ the same
> broad strategies, cheetahs rarely hunt in groups at all!  Even when they
> hunt as more than individuals, they do so in pairs or, even more rarely,
> groups of three.  Several lions or hunting dogs or wolves will attack
> large prey at once.  I believe that that is closer to the original
> analogy.

Uh, if you're meaning my analogy, it was pretty simple: they all run,
they all strangle/suffocate their prey.  End of story.  Dromies, in a
word, didn't.

BTW, pairs of cheetahs are common (not the majority, but common), trios
are uncommon but not unheard of, and groups of up to 6 are rare but
within the realm of possibility.  
 
> > off.  And exactly what would just one such gash accomplish?  Probably
> > draw the attention of the tenontosaur so it could turn around and squash
> > the pipsquak who had such nerve as it fell off.
> 
> One gash wouldn't do much.  However, we are discussing group behavior.
> The prey animal's attention would be diverted to many attacking animals
> (who would, incidentally be attacking) and the numerous animals would
> create numerous wounds.

That's the idea.  The coordination required for such a tactic is about
nil.  Kinda like ants, really.

Chris