Re: Spinosaurus sail

["Mickey Mortimer" <Mickey_Mortimer11@msn.com>]

Oberon wrote-

> Actually, my calculation for the length of the holotype is 12-13 meters;
my "conservative" estimate for the adult animal is 16-17 meters; while the
extreme size might have been over 20 meters (to be precise: about 21,5
meters, with the skull 250 cm).

And what is your estimate based on?  Keep in mind the largest known dorsal
of Spinosaurus is over 190% as large as the largest dorsal of 9.1 meter long
Baryonyx.  Nothing's better to estimate total length with than vertebral
length.  Would be odd if such large vertebra came from an animal only 45%
longer than Baryonyx, as you suggest.
http://www.cmnh.org/fun/dinosaur-archive/2001Jul/msg00619.html

Mickey Mortimer