RE: Brooding rex? (was Feathers for T. rex)

["Williams, Tim" <TiJaWi@agron.iastate.edu>]

Randall Irmis wrote:

><<Cattle, sheep and horses usually have less offspring than dogs, cats
>and rats.>>
>
>This is most likely due to the fact that cattle, sheep, and horses are
>larger than dogs, cats and rats, not whether they are herbivorous or
>not.

Agreed - but my point was to torpedo the "rule" that meat-eaters generally
have few offspring, and plant-eaters have many off-spring.


K. Wicks wrote:

>Also, with feathers, the animal would have to be able to preen daily, >and
be able be flexible enough to clean, delouse and keep there feathers >oiled
on a daily basis.  Small birds area able to use there feet to >scratch and
are able to move there head around to clean as well. 

One of the authors in the Eichstatt _Archaeopteryx_ Conference suggested
that this is the reason behind the retention of clawed hands in
_Archaeopteryx_ - its neck was too inflexible to be used in preening, and
this function was served by the forelimbs.


Tim



------------------------------------------------------------ 

Timothy J. Williams 

USDA-ARS Researcher 
Agronomy Hall 
Iowa State University 
Ames IA 50014 

Phone: 515 294 9233 
Fax:   515 294 3163