Re: Addendum to Trex vision as support for scavenging...

[Dann Pigdon <dannj@alphalink.com.au>]

Quoting don ohmes <d_ohmes@yahoo.com>:

> If my figures are correct--
>
> Taking a Trex stride as 1.76m, assuming a stride frequency of 2   
> seconds (I believe 2 sec is conservative), and using Stevens' far   
> point of 6 km, Trex could walk to his limiting far point in ~1.9   
> hrs. This means that, assuming visual cues in the form of volant   
> scavengers were available, Trex could monitor, from a stationary   
> position, ~113 sq km (11340 hectares) with a two hour arrival time...


Of course, this assumes that T.rex is striding about in a completely  
flat, treeless desert. :)

It would seem to me that especially acute eyesight would only be of  
any use to a purely scavenging animal if it could fly. If like most of  
us you're stuck crawling about on terra firma (with all it's hills,  
trees, etc), then eyesight is probably not the best way to spot  
carcasses - at least not directly. Watching for carrion birds (or  
pterosaurs) congregating might be an exception.

If T.rex was an obligate scavenger (and that's a pretty bit 'if'),  
then no doubt it's enormous nasal cavity played a larger part in  
tracking down carcasses. The nose knows...

--
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Dann Pigdon
GIS / Archaeologist         http://heretichides.soffiles.com
Melbourne, Australia        http://www.geocities.com/dannsdinosaurs
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