Re: solnhofen

["David Marjanovic" <david.marjanovic@gmx.at>]

I'm sending this to the list to see if people agree... rather, why they
won't :-) ...

> - what kind of plants?

Bushy bennettitaleans, succulent conifers, apparently ginkgos.

> Size?

All, except perhaps the ginkgos, not higher than 3 m or so.

> Solitairy or in groups?

No idea, anyway not many. The islands are supposed to have been desert, with
the next forest occuring 200 km away in and near the Czech Republic
(geologically speaking on the Bohemian Mass, which was dry land).

> - sunny atmosphere with lots of moisture or just damn hot?

Just damn hot. And dry.

> - what kind of animals?

Most in the sea. On land *Compsognathus*, lizards (*Bavarisaurus*), tuataras
(*Homoeosaurus* [sp?] ), and pterosaurs.

> Size?

Pterosaurs up to IIRC 2.5 m wingspan. Everything else on land small.

> - lot's of insects around or not?

Definitely insects (superbly preserved fossils are found), but just how many
I don't know.

> - what kind of rocks: sandstone/granite/etc?

Hardly any, AFAIK. Probably coral limestone (the whole area is composed of
coral reefs). Granite far away composing the Bohemian Mass.

> - would there be lots of small lakes/ponds or do you envision more little
streams? Is the water stagnant or does it flow fast? Are these waters deep?
Is this water            murky or clear?

Desert and sea.

Archie may have found most of its food at sea. Its teeth look rather like
fish eaters' teeth (unserrated...), and apparently there wasn't much to eat
on land, but plenty of fish in all sizes in the lagoons.