Re: RBrachiosaurus : high nostrils or trunk?

["Paul Cambridge" <pcambridge@explorer.org>]

=?iso-8859-1?Q?Jo=E3o_Sim=F5es_Lopes_Filho?= <jodan99@uol.com.br> wrote:

"This post reminded me a question: is there any consensus about Brachiosaurids' 
high nostrils? Could be a trunk? The old water-living, hippopotamus-like theory 
seems to be wrong, doesnt it?"

...well the thing that really bothers me about the "trunk" theory is that it 
doesn't seem to take into account the dividing central nasal ridge which 
displays that familiar brachiosaur nose arch we all know and love. Elephants 
have a very large singular nasal opening for their trunk. The brachios, 
all-be-it their openings are large, have TWO openings. Which leads me to 
believe that a trunk would not be practical. What would be the point of an 
obstuction like the central nasal ridge in the middle of a trunk? Among other 
things, trunks are massive airways. I just don't see it happening.

However, I could see something like a graduated duo-nare system of 
cartilaginous structure protruding out (to a very short-length) like little 
blow holes or something. The reason being possibly to enhance breathing ability 
while drinking at the local watering hole. God knows it must have been a 
challenge to drink for ol' brach. with his large forelegs and all. I'm not 
saying "trunk", but I am saying maybe a few inches of directional apparatus. 
Perhaps some MAY call that "two mini-trunks"! Highly speculative, in any case.

I really think the high (and relatively thin) nasal brow causes too many 
complications for the trunk theory. All in all, I think the brachios needed an 
exagerated nare to deal with breathing while drinking, mostly due to the 
condition (position) of their neck. I think the popular theories exclude them 
as being aquatic, at their size. 

Paul