RE: Long Horizontal Necks Re: Vertebrae of Early Sauropods

["Richard W. Travsky" <rtravsky@uwyo.edu>]

On Tue, 30 Mar 2004, Eric Martichuski wrote:
> >From: "Richard W. Travsky" <rtravsky@uwyo.edu>
> >Question - what would the effects be on sauropod head and brain if it
> >quickly sung its neck around? Kinda like a centrifuge, with blood pooling?
> 
> Why would it need to swing the neck quickly? (admittedly, the 'cudgel' idea 
> probably needs to be nixed)  You eat the patch of foliage on the extreme 
> right, swing a foot to the left and continue.  When you reach the extreme 
> left, take one step, eat and then swing a foot tot he right.  All very slow 
> and deliberate and less stressful than continued walking.

You are omitting a rather obvious need, immortalized by Monty Python: Run
Away! Run Away!

Cudgeling is one thing, but if it chooses to flee, then, yes, rapid neck
swings as a result of a change in direction would result.

> [...]