Re: Rearing up on hind legs (was Re: Parrish's neck work ...)

[Dinogeorge@aol.com]

In a message dated 5/1/99 2:07:09 AM EST, Edels@email.msn.com writes:

<< Something to remember, is that only _Apatosaurus_ and _Diplodocus_ were
 modeled in the study.  _Braichosaurus_ and other sauropods were not
 examined. >>

Yes, indeed. The neck architecture of brachiosaurids, camarasaurids, and 
euhelopodids and mamenchisaurids is quite different from that of diplodocids. 
Their necks, with their elongated cervical ribs, weren't particularly 
dorsoventrally flexible either, but I suspect they could reach relatively 
higher from a four-footed posture than could the diplodocids because of the 
angle the necks make with the bodies and because the forequarters were 
elevated on relatively tall forelimbs. In diplodocids like Apatosaurus and 
Diplodocus, the forelimbs were markedly shorter than the hind limbs, which 
doesn't help the head reach high from a four-footed posture (but, coupled 
with the relatively short back, it makes attaining a tripodal rearing posture 
easier).