Re: Dinosauria vocalizations

[Dino Guy and Computer Gal <gbabcock@best.com>]

Giraffes do vocalize, but because their vocalizations are at 14 Hz, and
humans cannot hear such low pitches (referred to as infrasound), people
often assume that giraffes are mute.  See
<www.animalvoice.com/about%20bioacoustics.htm>.  I have also read this
elsewhere; there are probably legitimate references on this topic
somewhere.

I see no reason to assume muteness in sauropods either.  Robert Bakker
has illustrated sauropod cranial air passages in an effort to consider
their vocal abilities (see _The Dinosaur Heresies_) and has reportedly
spoken on the subject of "brontosaur" vocalization, but I don't know if
any in-depth studies have been done.  Of course, Witmer's recent
reconstructions of anterior nostril position in dinosaurs (reported in
_Science_ last year) might modify dinosaur vocal output.

--
----------
Ralph W. Miller III   ralph.miller@alumni.usc.edu