Re: Oviraptor

[SL Nyveen <lawrence@dsuper.net>]

At 18:42 -0500 16/3/98, John V Jackson wrote:

>I?m sure I?ve seen a mystery implement on ?Antiques Roadshow? which looked
>just like the business parts of an Oviraptor beak (complete with rocking
>motion) and was designed in the 19th Century for opening eggs.
>
>As for their arms, I still can?t  get over the fact that of all the birdlike
>theropods etc, Oviraptor still looks to have the strongest arms and
>shoulders of all, even more than Archy!  The hand claws are huge, larger
>relative to the body than Velociraptor?s (and I think Oviraptors tended to
>be bigger than V?s especially in Mongolia).  The O?s claws looked more
>strongly built than V?s which had a longer pointed bit.  However, since most
>people think V. could hold it?s own weight by its hand claws - O. must have
>been doing some really heavyweight tugging with them.  I would guess not
>just hanging but ripping.
>
>Hand claws can be used for running on (but not in O?s case), climbing (not
>O - few trees there), digging (wrong design) or food processing.  They look
>just like predator?s claws - I can?t think of a herbivore that used/uses
>claws like that on it?s food.  Given that the beak had some specialised
>purpose, and the feet incidentally are faster and  less vicious than a V?s -
>the only rough meat processor available was the hands (as in humans).  The
>only technique available for killing and dismembering would be ?stand on and
>rip up? - like modern raptors but with the hands instead of the beak (though
>of course modern raptors stab with their feet too).  I haven?t imagined the
>?telephone directory tearing?/?chest expander? method(s) being used much
>(though maybe they/it deserve/s some consideration).

What about using the speed and strong arms to rip/snatch bones from
carcasses and subsisting primarily on marrow and whatever other nutritious
scraps cling to the booty?

These strong arms and nutcracker head could co-operate to fracture bones.
If that's the case, bet on a long narrow tongue - there's a testable
hypothesis for ya.  ;)


Laurie Nyveen                                  lawrence@dsuper.net
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