RE: So Just How Much Could They Bend Their Tail?

["Tracy L. Ford" <dino.hunter@home.com>]

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-dinosaur@usc.edu [mailto:owner-dinosaur@usc.edu]On Behalf Of
Øyvind M. Padron
Sent: Wednesday, December 19, 2001 1:08 AM
To: dinosaur@usc.edu
Subject: Re: So Just How Much Could They Bend Their Tail?

>Actually, the tail of Velociraptor appears to have been rather flexible, at
>least in lateral direction, despite the elongated prezygapophyses. The tail
>of specimen IGM 100/986 has been preserved in an S-shaped curve.

does this necesarily mean it was flexible? The prezygapophyses were still
bone, wouldn't the tail simply be is S-shaped curve, and still be
uncurvable?

-DinosØMP

You'd think (American slang) but the fossil definitely has a curve to it.
Apparently the 'bone' was more pliable than is normally thought. It couldn't
whip the tail around like in Jurassic park, but it could still bend. If you
think of it like a long thin piece of bamboo you can slightly 'bend' it.

Tracy L. Ford
P. O. Box 1171
Poway Ca  92074