Re: Armadillos at the K/T?

["Jaime A. Headden" <qilongia@yahoo.com>]

First, in general:

  It is unlikely that armadillos would even remotely affect the exteinction of 
dinosaurs, as they
are local New World animals, and even the generalist primitive anteaters and 
sloths were not spred
out to all corners of the globes. If these animals were at all to have in 
impact upon the global
K/T event, they would have to have been a lot more prevalent than they were.

Second, specifically in address of Ken Kinman, who reported on generality in 
armadillo egg-eating:

  There are only two animals that possess specific anatomy to deal with the 
cracking of shells,
the egg-eating snakes (mostly *Dasypeltis*) and oviraptorid theropods. Eggs 
represent only a
seasonal supplement to the egg-eating snakes' diet. All other egg-feeders are 
generalist eaters.
All of them. Eggs are an opportunistic diet. In the New World, we have 
armadillos, coatimundis,
and racoons, along with peccaries. In the Old World, there are some primates 
and snakes that will
feed on eggs as well.

Generally, now:

  Egg-eating is not a tenable solution to the K/T. It is unviable ecologically, 
and untestable.
Egg-eating must be a global event, and this has not been at all supported by 
the present data.


=====
Jaime A. Headden

  Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhr-gen-ti-na
  Where the Wind Comes Sweeping Down the Pampas!!!!

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