Re: Triceratops running speed

["Matthew Bonnan" <mbonnan@hotmail.com>]

Matthew Savistsky asks:

"What's a good estimate for Triceratops' top running speed?"

Unfortunately, I have packed my books away for now as I move into my new 
office at Western Illinois University.  However, some of the estimates would 
depend on whether or not ceratopsians had erect or semi-sprawled limbs.  New 
evidence from computer models by Ralph Chapman and others, and "older" 
studies by Rohlf Johnson and John Ostrom suggest that the limbs cannot be 
completely erect in these dinosaurs.  Greg Paul, Robert T. Bakker, and 
others have argued against this interpretation, suggesting that the 
forelimbs were indeed erect.

Of the few ceratopsian skeletons I have personally examined, it does indeed 
appear that the ceratopsian forelimbs were semi-sprawled.  If they were, 
this would effect estimates of speed for this big dinosaurs.  Why the 
forelimbs might have been semi-sprawled has been debated numerous times in 
the literature and on the list.  There should be some info on this in the 
dino-list archives.

Sorry I can't be of more help right now,

Matt Bonnan


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