Re: alvarezsaurid arms

["Ken Kinman" <kinman@hotmail.com>]

    I agree.  The claws most important
function was probably chipping and prying away at hard stuff (wood, termite 
mounds, or whatever).  Once the hard stuff is breached, much of the "softer" 
excavation could mainly be done with the other digging tools (let's not 
forget the beak and especially the feet).
            ------  Ken Kinman

*****************************************
> From: "David Marjanovic" <david.marjanovic@gmx.at>
> Reply-To: david.marjanovic@gmx.at
> To: "The Dinosaur Mailing List" <dinosaur@usc.edu>
> Subject: Re: alvarezsaurid arms
> Date: Thu, 13 Dec 2001 15:57:43 +0100
>
> > Which means that they could send dirt back between their legs just
> > by flexing that muscle with their arms held normally under their body.
> Know what I mean?
>
> They would at best have sent said dirt against their pubes, if it didn't 
> get
> stuck in the belly feathers. I rather think they stood next to termite
> mounds and broke chunks off with their claws which point towards each 
> other.
> Was mediolateral movement or rotation of the humeri possible?



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