Re: dinosaur humps

["Larry Febo" <larryf@capital.net>]

-----Original Message-----
From: T. Mike Keesey <tmk@dinosauricon.com>
To: Larry Febo <larryf@capital.net>
Cc: -Dinosaur Mailing List- <dinosaur@usc.edu>
Date: Friday, March 10, 2000 1:08 PM
Subject: Re: dinosaur humps


>On Fri, 10 Mar 2000, Larry Febo wrote:
>
>> I find it interesting in comparison to look at Megalancosaurus (check
>> out Dave Peter`s website at:
>> http://home.stlnet.com/~azero/Megalancosaurid.html ). It has tall
>> neural spines, and it`s feet seem well adapted for grasping narrow
>> branches. I can`t shake the thought that perhaps Ornithishians had
>> evolved from this type of Prolacertiform.
>
>Unfortunately for your hypothesis, primitive ornithischians did not have
>tall neural spines:


True,....but neither did most prolacertilians. Perhaps it was just an early
expression of certain genes due to enviornmental conditions. If not heat
regulation, then perhaps an early form of protection of the spinal column
from bites of predators.Perhaps some ornithischians were faster and more
agile than others, and didn`t need this type of protection, hence it`s loss
by evolutionary process, and the three you mention just happen to be of the
latter type?? (maybe?)