Re: Dino sex?

["Larry Dunn" <larrydunn@hotmail.com>]

randyk@ims.com queried:

>Some time back dinosaur sex was discussed.  I've always wondered how 
many
>of them could have had sex without maiming each other. 

I've been asked that question about myself as well.

>Has the possibility of external fertilization of the eggs been 
explored?
>I don't think I've ever read anything on the possibility.

Although I am not a scientist, not even in fact that lowliest of 
creatures, the science grad student (hee hee), I'll venture to say that 
all eggs of vertebrates that are fertilized externally are soft and most 
are laid in the water. Dinosaur eggs, we know, were hard (a key feature 
of reptile "conquest" of the land was the independence of reproduction 
from the water via a hard shelled-egg). 

So dinosaurs, difficult (and rather silly) though it may be to imagine, 
did indeed have intercourse.  Many big, prickly, and/or toothily-endowed 
animals living today have little trouble getting it on, as they say in 
science, so let's stretch our imaginations 
a bit -- shall we?  -- and see the Tyrannosaurs prudently refraining 
from administering love nibbles during The Act.

Speaking of which, I've always wondered about the hypothesis that female 
Tyrannosaurs were larger than males.  Due to their unique physiognomy, 
wouldn't that make things . . . ackward?  Either that or the males had a 
lot to be proud of.

Larry

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