RE: BRONTOSAURUS FOREVER!

["Williams, Tim" <TiJaWi@agron.iastate.edu>]

Dann Pigdon wrote:

> And I doubt that a sauropod would have treaded heavily enough to 
> create "thunder" (at least, not more than once in its lifetime). 

Apparently the notion that _Brontosaurus_ made a noise like thunder when it
walked wasn't what Marsh had in mind when he named this beastie*.  I believe
Marsh was after something more evocative than literal with the
"bronto/bronte" root.  In the same way, I don't think Marsh had in mind a
beast that made a thunderous noise with its face when he named _Brontops_.


*Ben Creisler has a note on this at www.dinosauria.com



Tim


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Timothy J. Williams, Ph.D. 

USDA-ARS Researcher 
Agronomy Hall 
Iowa State University 
Ames IA 50014 

Phone: 515 294 9233 
Fax:   515 294 9359