RE: Theropod respiration questions

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

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-dinosaur@usc.edu [mailto:owner-dinosaur@usc.edu]On Behalf Of Guy
Leahy
Sent: Monday, September 24, 2001 7:17 PM
To: gigi.babcock@alumni.usc.edu
Cc: dinosaur@usc.edu
Subject: Re: Theropod respiration questions

        I can't comment on Tracy Ford's article, since I haven't seen it.
In birds, the long posterior thoracic and abdominal ribs ventilate the
airsacs, not the lungs.

I can comment on the article by Tracy Ford :)

I basically was stating what Leon Classens said (The function of gastralia
in theropod lung ventilation at the A. Watson Armour III Symposium, The
Paleobiology and Phylogenetic of Large Theropods, also held at the Field
Museum).

According to Leon, the ribs slid against each other during breathing. They
would slide out during inhalation, and in for exhalation, but not to a great
degree (Figure 3).

Any more and I'll have to charge you a cost of my book :)

Just kidding.

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