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

[Jeffrey Martz <martz@holly.ColoState.EDU>]

> I just can't see a reason to think it's that remote, though.  Those
> claws couldn't have been used for anything other than slicing (they're
> too well designed for that role),

     Are they?
     
    Dave suggested that the fact the claws were curved made it easier for
them to slash, because claw could be swung down and the edge could slide
along flesh as it penetrated.
     Okay, so now what?  The dromeosaur has its claws nicely dug in, and
maybee it has made a short little owie in the side of the prey from the
little bit of slicing the claw did on the way in.  They prey is still a
long way from being disembowled; the cut needs to be continued.  How is
this accomplished?  The edge on the claw isn't that long.  
     Does the dromeosaur saw its foot back and forth? It is going to have
to rotate the claw back every time it pulls out to keep to tip from
snagging.  So it meticulosly works its way down the side of the prey like
a can opener... keep in mind that all this time the prey probably is
trying to make it stop.       
     One might make the suggestion that the dromeosaur doesn't slice at
all, but presses down using body weight and kicking force in place of
slicing to facilitate the cut. Again, I think this is underestimating the
toughness of scaley skin and muscle, and overestimating the sort of edge a
claw made of keratin could keep from even a little bit of cutting, even
assuming it was honed razor sharp to begin with.
     Try cutting through the meat fibers of steak or chicken with various
sorts of knives in various sorts of ways.  Try pressing down with the edge
of a really sharp knive without slicing, see how hard and long you have to
draw the blade to slice through a one inch thick peice of meat with one
stroke.  Try a butter knife.  Try thinking about using a recurved blade
for that purpose that is made out of keratin, not steel.  
      Dromeosaur claws are a good design for penetrating, but probably not
for slashing; or at least making a large enough cut to disembowl.     
 
LN Jeff