Re: supersaurus tail thingy

["Scott Hartman" <scott_hartman@hotmail.com>]

> > On the same line, is it possible that the club-like tail feature found in 
> > the Chinese Omeisaurus may also be a "popper"?  The club-like feature a 
> > product of fossilization.<<<

    An interesting question.  I would have to say probably not, because the 
flexibility of the "whiplash" section of the diplodocid tail is required to 
achieve supersonic speed.  The shorter tail of omeiosaurus, combined with 
the fact that the caudal processes extend further down the tail make it less 
likely that Omeisaurs could have do  the same.  On the other hand, snapping 
a towel apparently can break the sound barrier also, so without better 
modeling of the tails of Chinese asaruopods, I can't rule it out.

Scott
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