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Re: Sauropod Energetics (Peristaltic pump)

I wasn't thinking about neck length so much as I was thinking about life style. Is there any gigantic, short necked, big headed, low browsing sauropods? The biggest all seem to be more than capable of browsing from trees, even if their necks were actually quite short. So in other words, could strictly low browsing animals reach the same size as a Brachiosaur? I'm wondering if sauropod size was a direct result of their ability to reach food that was beyond the reach of smaller herbivores.


From: GSP1954@aol.com
Reply-To: GSP1954@aol.com
To: dinosaur@usc.edu
Subject: Re: Sauropod Energetics (Peristaltic pump)
Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2006 18:40:04 -0500 (EST)

I would be careful equating neck length with total mass in sauropods. Small
Euhelopus had a quite long neck, medium sized Omeisaurus a very long neck, and
the very long necked mamenchisaurs very very long necks. We do not know
entirely know the neck length in the very biggest sauropods, but it was probably not
exceptional. The super duper sauroppds were already so tall at the shoulders
that very long necks would have violated the 15 m maximum height due to
hydrostatic pressure issues.

G Paul