Re: dino-lice

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

On Tue, Apr 19th, 2011 at 8:37 AM, Vivian Allen <mrvivianallen@googlemail.com> 
wrote:

> On 18 April 2011 23:23, Dann Pigdon <dannj@alphalink.com.au> wrote:
> 
> > On Tue, Apr 19th, 2011 at 4:01 AM, Augusto Haro <augustoharo@gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > It may be, although I suspect that dinosaurs with great olfactory
> > > acuity as tyrannosaurids and dromaeosaurids may reach it before and
> > > open the carcasses then. I would also expect more laterally compressed
> > > unguals, dromaeosaur-style, if expecting carcass hide-cutting.
> > > Besides, I do not see in the shout of alvarezsaurs much indication of
> > > carrion-eating, such as recurved beak or teeth...
> >
> > Who needs to pierce hide when you've got a narrow head and long neck, and
> > nature has provided
> > a ready-made access chute for reaching the intestines? Some of the smaller
> > vulture species that
> > lack the strength to pierce hide opt for the sphincter option.

> Sorry to trot out the obvious argument, but how would a non-flying obligate
> scavenger find meals quickly enough to compete with opportunistic
> scavengers? (i.e. every carniverous species withing detection range of a
> carcass). Anyways, my vote would also be for atrophied, unless there is
> compelling evidence otherwise.

You could ask the same of jackals. They compete against flying scavengers 
(vultures, storks)  and 
larger scavenging carnivores (lions, hyaenas). Being small and agile can allow 
a scavenger to dart 
in, grab a piece, and dart out again if the carcass already has an 'owner' (or 
several).

-- 
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Dann Pigdon
Spatial Data Analyst               Australian Dinosaurs
Melbourne, Australia               http://home.alphalink.com.au/~dannj
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