Re: When Dinosaurs Etc.

[Dinogeorge@aol.com]

In a message dated 8/25/99 11:06:36 PM EST, martin.barnett3@virgin.net writes:

<< While we're on the subject of Carnotaurus - on what grounds did Bonaparte
 reconstruct the fore-limbs of this animal with the thumbs upside-down?
 Doesn't this seem a little unlikely since ALL other known vertebrates with
 thumbs exist with their thumbs up (including carnotaurus' presumed ancesters
 AND the ancestors of the dinosauria)  Plus, aren't it's arms cramped too
 close together at the front of the body? - it certainly looks that way
 particularly since the trailing edge of the shoulder-blade hovers a good
 foot out from the curve of the ribs.  One would have thought to reconstruct
 the entire girdle where they fit on the body. >>

You may be mistaking the unusually modified fourth digit of the hand for the 
thumb. As I recall, the first manual digit is "normal."