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Re: rearing sauropods



This is the
precise opposite of what you see in Diplodocus according to Stevens
et al. where vertical flexibility is considerable but there is
relatively little horizontal flexibility. It fits a little better
what you see in Apatosaurus, but Apatosaurus has a proportionately
shorter neck than Diplodocus. This suggests that whatever the purpose
of the really freakin' long neck seen in some sauropods was, at least
in the diplodocids it wasn't to forage on the ground.

What exactly is the flexibility of Diplodocus neck in both the lateral and vertical directions? Has there been any studies or computer simulations done to discover this? How exactly did these animal necks articulate anyway? Are we considering a very traditional bendy-necked view of these animals here to reach foliage or are we looking at a compromise between the say, WWD-style articulation and the very traditional view? Is there any truth what some say that the animal could not articulate its neck vertically above thirty degrees? (or at least from what I recall, if my memory does not fail me)


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