Two Predators, a Tenontosaur, and some Evil Ceratopsians

["Jaime Headden" <jaemei@hotmail.com>]

DEINONYCHUS ET TENONTOSAURUS

  In regards to the recent posts on whether *Deinonychus* would have 
pack-hunted *Tenontosaurus*, I have this to say:

  It was not neccesary for all the dromies to have died while attacking 
the tenontosaur; they all died at the same time, or pretty close, we 
assume, and here's why: deinonychus feed on tenontosaur, having 
succesfully killed the big creature [not the issue on _how_] then a 
flood comes along and wipes the dromies out, and carries one and all and 
that large one-ton carcass downriver.
  I posted similar to this a while ago.

  Second hypothesis: tenonto and one dromie (or two, even three if you 
prefer) duke it out, one gets killed [again, the issue is not _how_] and 
manages to slay the tenontosaur. Two survivors feed on the carcass, or 
perhaps more, then flood comes along. Being injured perhaps from the 
titanic battle of the century, the other two dromies (or perhaps all 
three, all surviving the battle but injured) get caught in the flood, 
knock their heads on a branch or something, pass out, or whatever, and 
... Cloverly history. The other pack members, of course, managed to 
survive.

  The point is, the tenonto/deinonychus find does not neccesarily 
preclude death _during_ predation, but may have occured afterward.

----------------

VELOCIRAPTOR VERSUS PROTOCERATOPS FEROX

  Why does the Fighting Dinosaurs neccesarily mean Veloci was hunting 
the Proto? Yes, we all have in our minds the vision of gentle (Luis Rey 
did say otherwise, and I'm just about to show you why I believe him) 
*Protoceratops* _baaaaing_ across the Djadochta dunes, covered with 
white pebble-like hide and for all the life in them, munching on what 
little vegetation there was. No wonder why Andrews (?) called them 
sheep.

  <Ahem> But this sounds sort of sheepish [forgive the pun] of creatures 
built to higher standards than small-minded ovines: speedier, with well 
developed legs that _could_ enable him to run over ten miles an hour 
[this is an estimate] a counterbalancing, signpost tail, giant skull 
when compared to the body, enormous beak ill-suited for grazing 
(cropping, yes, I know) and sharp banks of teeth with two little sets of 
conical prong-like teeth pointing forward; large eyes, probably great 
sense of smell, and some of the strongest jaws for its size in all 
dino-dom.

  Now, explain how Proto has been found associated with many Oviraptor 
nests, and a few Veloci nests? The sparse vegetation, though more lush 
than your typical modern desert like the Kalahari, was still not good 
for a large population of herbivores. It has been suggested on the list 
that he was an omnivore, but I'll jump a little here, and I think some 
of you have already gotten to where I'm going. Eggs do provide a lot of 
nutrition and ready source of liquid (it's a desert we're talking about, 
here), and how difficult is it to imagine a pair of Protos sneaking up 
to a theropod nest while papa's gone (or mama, or both) and lunching on 
a few eggs before papa hears the sounds of his eggs being raided, and 
returns to chase off those intruders. Now imagine that papa coming back 
to his nest, and just imagine he's a *Velociraptor*.

  Stage is set for one of the most terrific fossil finds this century.

  This may also be the reason why the *Oviraptor* didn't leave her nest 
during a sandalanche (and many extant birds would, to save themselves 
and live on to lay more eggs---it doesn't require great intelligence, or 
lack thereof, or even being related to birds {however remotely!} to do 
this) because she was being threatened by a Proto when the wall of sand 
flooded down on her; in fact, it may have been the Proto who caused the 
sandalanche that immortalized one of the other great fossil finds of the 
century.

Thanks for bearing with me, and as before, comments are welcome,
Jaime A. Headden

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