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

["TRUETT GARNER" <DINOBOY@worldnet.att.net>]

> Not much.  Just what seems physically possible, and what might work from
> the viewpoint of evolutionary theory.  
> Chris
 

I'm inclined to agree with Chris , that predation by a social group of
dreomaeosaurs is well within the realm of possibilities . I am but a humble
(and struggling) paleo-artist , but a damned well-read one ! So , that
being said , and for what it's worth , I've been keeping up with this
thread for what seems like ages( I'm sure some of the others on the list
have too !) , and ... It's getting old . 
1.) Evidence of social groups of Deinonychus in association with
Tenontosaurus have been found , indicating that the former fed on the
latter . If Deinonychus fed socially , why could it not have hunted in a
social group ?
2.) The Deinonychus remains were from sub-adults , associated with the
partial remains of a single Tenontosaurus . Is it possible that the adult
animals (which possibly did kill the Tenontosaurus ) had brought the
left-overs to a nest site ?
3.) Something else  killed the 5 sub-adult Deinonychus, but not a partially
devoured Tenontosaurus . 
4.)I have a hard time envisioning Deinonychus  as a small-game hunter and
worse yet , a scavenger content to feast on putrid Tenontosaurus and
picking it's teeth with it's built-in retractable toe-toothpick .
5.) No one that I know of knows how thick the skin of Tenontosaurus was ,
but put enough muscle behind even a dull knife and it will make a very
nasty wound .
6.) Dinosaurs were probably very good at being Dinosaurs .
So why couldn't Deinonychus (or any number of gregarious theropods ) hunt
in a pack on occasion ?

Not fire-proof , but not afraid of the flames !
Regards , Truett Garner