Re: Size of *Neoceratodus africanus* and/or *N. tuberculatus*

[Tim Williams <tijawi@yahoo.com>]

Raptorial Talon <raptorialtalon@gmail.com> wrote:


>, and I guess the larger noasaurs as well.
> 
> All are generally medium to large (20-50 ft) predators with
> no such profound specializations as spinosaurs, indicating - again,
> obviously - that something weird was going on with the latter.


It's interesting you should mention the "larger noasaurs", because the very 
large _Deltadromeus_ (which has been regarded as a noasaur) might also have 
been somewhat "weird" - although this would be a different kind of "weirdness" 
to spinosaurids.  


It all depends on how similar _Deltadromeus_'s skull and teeth were to smaller 
noasaurs like the highly specialized _Masiakasaurus_.  Based on the shape and 
orientation of the anterior dentary teeth, _Masiakasaurus_ has been suggested 
to have fed on small tetrapods, fish, or even invertebates.  We'll need to find 
more material for _Deltadromeus_ (including good cranial material) before we 
can make assessments of its possible dietary habits.  But until then, I don't 
think we can assume that _Deltadromeus_ habitually attacked large prey.



Cheers

Tim