RE: Qilongia & omnivory

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

Stephan Pickering wrote:

>I have also observed
>an adult giraffe, with its 18 inch tongue, clean out a nest and eat the
>chicks and eggs. 

Giraffes have also been observed gnawing on bones (left behind by predators
and scavengers).  The reason for this behavior is thought to be giraffe's
need for calcium - perhaps also the reason for the ovivory described above.
However, neither behavior qaulifies the giraffe as omnivorous, IMHO.

> it would not surprise me in the least if the
>feathered taxa from China were omnivores: berries, insects, lizards.

Personally, I think troodontids may have eaten plants, and that they
comprised a large part of their diet.  However, hunting small prey was
definitely their raison d'etre.


T. Mike Keesey wrote:

>IIRC, there's a mushroom called _Phallus impudicus_, so.... 

Is this the one that Charles Darwin's daughter (?Etty) wanted to
exterminate?  (Fungus envy?)


Tim

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

Timothy J. Williams 

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

Phone: 515 294 9233 
Fax:   515 294 3163