Re: Amargasaurus...

["Marcel Bertolucci" <mbertol@zaz.com.br>]

    I think just like you: if it was for protection, why it didn't evolved
like _Saltasaurus sp._ or others Titanosaurids? It's better to be protected
by an amrour, then by spinal spikes.
    The theories of the spinal prolongments to be sexually dimorphics are
well accepted, or even that he may have had a sail between the prolongments.
But I can't see his size to be particularly important, in comparison to
_Argentinosaurus sp._ and the other huge predators, like _Giganotosaurus
carolinii_ and the new one, that may be even bigger. I only can see that the
Patagonian dinosaurs are not even close to be simply dinosaurs, but real
mysteries of evolution, behavior and morphology.
    Regards,

        Marcel Bertolucci
    ( mbertol@zaz.com.br )
DINOWEB BRASIL:
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"Dinosaurs are the most interesting and amazing mystery of nature!"

----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Brusatte" <dinoland@lycos.com>
To: <rob_redwing@hotmail.com>; <dinosaur@usc.edu>
Sent: Thursday, April 26, 2001 10:05 PM
Subject: Re: Amargasaurus...


> On Thu, 26 Apr 2001 22:57:04
>  Rob Gay wrote:
> >>Do you really think that Amargasaurus would need spikes like these to
> >>defend itself from predators?  Based on my readings and studies and
> >>discussions, I believe that the large size of Amargasaurus would be a
more
> >>than adequate defense.  Of course, it was up against some large
predators.<
> >>From the partial skeleton I saw at the LACM, _Amargasaurus_ didn't seem
too
> >big, as far as sauropods go. Especially against animals like
> >_Giganotasaurus_. But, I still don't think the spines were defensive.
They
> >would seem to be too gracile to inflict much damage on an attacking
> >predator.
>
> Oh, you're absolutely right.  Amargasaurus was something like 11-12 meters
long-very small as far as sauropods go...especially considering that
predators such as Giganotosaurus and the new Argentine guy (when is it going
to be named) likely targeted it.
>
> However, I still believe that 12 meters long is big!  And, I do agree that
the spines do seem gracile.  There is a really good photo on the
Dinosauricon at http://dinosauricon.com/images/amargasaurus-bs.html  Even if
these spikes were more robust and could inflict damage, the predator could
simply bite the side or underside of the neck and get right past them.  If
Amargasaurus was to truly evolve a protective mechanism for its neck, I
would think that a nice, thick set of armor would be much better and much
more protective.  These spines seem very ostentatious...and rarely are
"showy" objects used for defense purposes (at least exclusively).
>
> Steve
>
> ---
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