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Re: Sauropods Then and Now

Thanks for the informative responses.  I wrote:

> More recently, however, there has been much talk
on this list of
> certain sauropods (diplodocids? or others as
well?) perhaps being
> designed for a semi-aquatic environment after all.


Mike Taylor wrote:

I've never heard of this. Reference, please! 

Denver Fowler <df9465@yahoo.co.uk> responded:

You might be referring to Don Henderson's work on
floating sauropods. Certainly sauropods got about a
bit: Alamosaurus had to swim a little to make it
across from South America (assuming it didn't come
from asia / hidden endemic), but swimming ability
doesn't mean aquatic. Elephants are great swimmers.

This was one of the things of I was thinking of. But I was also thinking of the opinion occasionally expressed on the list, based (maybe) on new discoveries concerning sauropod neck mechanics, that dipoldocid necks might be used to slurp up aquatic vegetation while the animal stood on shore.

I was also thinking of some of the discussion that occured several years aro concerning Paralititan, which apparently lived in proximity to mangrove swamps (although the neck thing may not apply here). A brief paper on the latter can be found at:
http://www.drexel.edu/academics/engineering/files/uploadcenter/paralititan.pdf

Cheers,

M.J.Murphy