tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8161161431451849208.post1704445366187378814..comments2024-03-29T00:13:46.845-07:00Comments on Antediluvian Salad: Making Dromaeosaurids Nasty Again Part III: Life Appearance - Dapper or Deranged? Duane Nashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14467779935085970909noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8161161431451849208.post-30721642353917969242021-01-03T19:28:08.850-08:002021-01-03T19:28:08.850-08:00Also, you don't necessarily need bald faces to...Also, you don't necessarily need bald faces to face bite. Giant petrels facebite, along with hyenas and canids probably not the best example).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8161161431451849208.post-31032596404576413412016-08-26T13:31:09.494-07:002016-08-26T13:31:09.494-07:00Very insightful comment Mr. Strong and this is an ...Very insightful comment Mr. Strong and this is an issue I have thought about a lot myself actually.<br /><br />I do want to get into more deeply in future posts but my short hand argument is as such. R - strategist dominated Mesozoic ecosystems differed in fundamental ways from K- strategist dominated Cenozoic ecosystems. Large theropods basically concentrated on "browsing" on swarms of easily caught and run down juveniles and the sporadic glut of meat that the carcass of an adult dinosaur would provide. This scenario is most vivid in sauropod dominated ecosystems. IN such ecosystems there is not a high priority in stealth as meat is got from easily overwhelmed ran down youngins or occasional giant carcasses. But I would suggest that this type of ecosystem would encourage is dramatic threat displays and socio-sexual signalling devices to establish dominance over carcasses and thwart kleptoparasitic pirating of young carcasses that have been caught.<br /><br />In Cenozoic communities much of the standing meat crop is concentrated in robust adults that are often times fast and predatory wary. A high emphasis on stealth is placed on these carnivores and lack of display structues commences...<br /><br />There is always exceptions and shades of grey but these are my reasons ecologically why Mesozoic carnivores might be a tad more flamboyant than Cenozoic ones...<br /><br />Duane Nashhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14467779935085970909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8161161431451849208.post-89596778873194624192016-08-25T19:57:32.701-07:002016-08-25T19:57:32.701-07:00One of the main things I think that needs to be co...One of the main things I think that needs to be considered when predicting or recreating any sort of visual display on an animal is whether the animal is or isn't built for moving engagements.<br /><br />While there are carnivores/omnivores that have rather ridiculous displays, very few (if any) that I can find are built for ambush or pursuit hunting of large prey.<br /><br />Turkeys, Condors, Hornbills, Storks, Cassowaries, Toucans, and many other birds all have bright displays, but none of these animals are built to pursue prey at high speed over any sort of distance. Several of them have meat in their diet, but none of them actively hunt animals that are potentially deadly to them barring maybe some crazy and rare circumstances.<br /><br />It's no different across for other tetrapods.<br /><br />Pretty much any carnivore that hunts something close to or exceeding its own size (Tigers, Lions, Bears, Monitor Lizards, Sharks, Raptors, Canids, Anacondas, Mustelids etc) is going to have reasonably subdued coloration in order to camoflage themselves at least reasonably well and save as much energy as possible in a hunt.<br /><br />Vultures can get away with having very bright displays because of that. Bright colors are bad when trying to close distance on something, but become a tool when trying to get something else to go away.<br /><br />Which, is a really long winded way of saying that I think the faster dromaeosaurs (dakotaraptor) and the ones known or suspected to hunt large prey (deinonychus) are much less likely to have had bright displays than the stockier ones. Caruncles themselves don't have to be any particular color so it doesn't remove the possibility of them being there, but it does potentially give us at least a hint to the limits of their coloration.<br /><br />Also, especially when talking about the neck of a tarbosaurus, I would be VERY surprised if it were something anyone would describe as colorful even if it is ungodly awkard looking.Mr. Stronghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11808213299168308131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8161161431451849208.post-57227180290077544112016-07-15T22:04:22.258-07:002016-07-15T22:04:22.258-07:00Great point Duane. Well if you see a feather snout...Great point Duane. Well if you see a feather snouted Yutyrannus or Nanuqsaurus in my personal project don't be suprised. By the way, I think you'll absolutely LOVE my project's Dakotaraptor. I'll leave it as a suprise for now but I'll send you the picture once it's done.Iris-Katyayanihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06188961246186305190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8161161431451849208.post-88888105595182867212016-07-15T20:35:46.654-07:002016-07-15T20:35:46.654-07:00Many possibilities... and so many intervening fact...Many possibilities... and so many intervening factors I try not to think too dogmatically about either extreme (fully feathered to mostly or entirely featherless) Was SIGIL a thing and did some theropods utilize it? what of blood flow? countercurrent heat exchange? Keep in mind that aquatic birds have their naked legs just dangling in ice cold frigid waters and do so because of countercurrent heat exchange.<br /><br />Again many possibilities are on the table and I try not to think too dogmatically about situations wwe do not have direct evidence for.Duane Nashhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14467779935085970909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8161161431451849208.post-6160514172995014752016-07-15T09:38:34.380-07:002016-07-15T09:38:34.380-07:00I have another question about snouts and feather c...I have another question about snouts and feather covering. Seeing as how the lean, naked snouted Dromie is an unjustified meme (though still completely possible, albeit overdone), would the same thing apply to various other Theropods? Tyrannosaurus for instance in cold weather areas are still portrayed (on average) with a bare snout devoid of anything. But would a full feathery snout be likely? And what of temperate to tropical weather genera? Would a fully feathered snout be unlikely?Iris-Katyayanihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06188961246186305190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8161161431451849208.post-587148470883899712016-07-13T02:58:09.069-07:002016-07-13T02:58:09.069-07:00D-man: Don't let the name fool you. Pennarapto...D-man: Don't let the name fool you. Pennaraptora is defined as Oviraptorosaurs + Dromaeosaurs. It was named Pennaraptora because both of those groups are known to have pennaceous feathers, but that doesn't mean more basal groups can't. Yixianosaurus, for example, has them but likely lies outside Pennaraptora. Same for ornithomimids, which have attachment scars for large quilled feathers though no direct evidence yet. No feathers from the ulna or manus have been preserved with any Tyrannosauroids, so we don't know if they were pennaceous or not. Bracketing is unhelpful in this example because while compsognathids lack pennaceous feathers, so do therizinosaurs and in fact several lineages of birds like kiwi and Moa, so we know they can be lost.Matt Martyniuknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8161161431451849208.post-42366929636766485592016-07-12T20:07:05.037-07:002016-07-12T20:07:05.037-07:00@khalil you are right in saying tyrannosaurs don&#...@khalil you are right in saying tyrannosaurs don't have pennaceous feathers. Tyrannosaurus and its kin lie outside the family of coleurosaurs that have pennaceous feathers: Pennaraptora.<br />http://cladocircles.tumblr.com/image/129825732805<br />D-mannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8161161431451849208.post-87835760514635006672016-07-12T08:46:26.147-07:002016-07-12T08:46:26.147-07:00On short-snouted azhdarchids, see the Javelina For...On short-snouted azhdarchids, see the Javelina Formation specimen. That's exactly what Hatzegopteryx looked like: similarly robust skulled, and with shorter and thick neck vertebrae.<br /><br />Azhdarchids probably were a diverse bunch. And with the discovery of these robust pterosaurs, we see that some might indeed have fought their way with theropods.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8161161431451849208.post-68308049936420973522016-07-11T19:19:22.699-07:002016-07-11T19:19:22.699-07:00Well Tyrannosaurus and other more derived members ...Well Tyrannosaurus and other more derived members have tiny arms, but basal Tyrannosauroids had "ordinary" arms. Proceratosaurids are among the most basal forms, yet still have long grasping arms:<br />Guanlong<br />http://static1.squarespace.com/static/51bf1cd3e4b0a897bf54112b/t/540bf67be4b08734f6c2dd41/1410070148777/<br />Stokesosaurus<br />http://static.squarespace.com/static/51bf1cd3e4b0a897bf54112b/51bf3928e4b09edc5f83d0af/51bf5cd2e4b020693fe3c58a/1382740951737/Stokesosaurus.jpg<br />But having long arms isn't great evidence in favour of having pennacious feathers afterall. I personally find it unlikely but I was just curious. Thanks for the help.Iris-Katyayanihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06188961246186305190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8161161431451849208.post-70128960194811275292016-07-11T16:46:42.418-07:002016-07-11T16:46:42.418-07:00Hi Duane i don't know if you read this blog po...Hi Duane i don't know if you read this blog post of mark witton from May 16 but it covers everything thing we (publicly know, there is stuff that is awaiting proper diagnosis etc) know about azhdrachids. While hatzegopteryx is most defiantly something to be on the look out for in future papers, there is another huge and VERY robust azhie (beak tip) that has been found in javelina Texas in the same turf as quetzalcoatlus..... Another thing that he mentions is that knowledge on azhdrachids is rapidly increasing every day and that there is a great variety in body shapes and robustness etc, other wards we probably don't have a true standard to measure all azhdrachids too nor is there a general body shape to clump them I yet.<br /><br />As for the whole azhdrachids pushing theropods out of niches, well I assume they mean them out competing dwarfs on the European acrhipelago new Zealand style. Other words I haven't heard any other ideas on that, course I'm not a scientist so.....<br /><br />http://markwitton-com.blogspot.com/2016/05/quetzalcoatlus-media-concept-vs-science.html<br /><br />Also I was wondering if you had seen my comment I left on dromeasaur part two at the end. Was wondering if I should post it here or if it's too off topic.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15444274404962614808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8161161431451849208.post-29661021367914527832016-07-11T12:43:42.431-07:002016-07-11T12:43:42.431-07:00A recent paper suggest that the origin of pennaceo...A recent paper suggest that the origin of pennaceous feathers should be decoupled from flight so... maybe? I don't think that ornithomimids are secondarily flightless. https://peerj.com/articles/2159/<br /><br />A favorable hypothesis is that such "arm-wings" are useful in balance and tight turns. The stubby arms of t-rex not so great in those regards - not really obvious display mechanism as well ( the short arms in tyrants that is). A lot of options are on the table. <br /><br />Duane Nashhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14467779935085970909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8161161431451849208.post-19387351564975093292016-07-11T10:55:43.526-07:002016-07-11T10:55:43.526-07:00I recently got into a conversation about the types...I recently got into a conversation about the types of feathers in various basal groups of Tyrannoraptorans. Eventually we got onto the topic of what feather type was likely in Tyrannosaurs. I have seen a few illustrations of basal Tyrannosaurs with pennacious feathers on the arms, but is this possible of even likely? Sorry for being off topic, but this actually has a lot to do with Dromaeosaur integument. Aferall, like you have said, in 100+ million years of evolution, it's incredibly unlikely for one kind of feather pattern to be dominant. Ratite plumage, eagle/hawk plumage, quills, etc. would all be possibilities, but what if it were also true for various other groups of Theropods? Maybe even more basal groups than Dromaeousaurs at one point had pennacious feathers (or something more basal than it) but due to millions of years of evolution and selective pressures (the same pressures for Dromaeosaurs and ratites), they lost most if not all of their true pennacious feather or at least these pennacious feathers evolved into more ratite like plumage. What are your thoughts on this?Iris-Katyayanihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06188961246186305190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8161161431451849208.post-81522934257819077692016-07-11T05:10:44.818-07:002016-07-11T05:10:44.818-07:00Great points all around and thanks for commenting ...Great points all around and thanks for commenting Matthew,<br /><br />I have never considered the implications you raise in your last two paragraph about the broad definition of dromaeosauridae becoming problematic. At first, as you said, it was good for establishing feathers on all these animals. Now that the feather dispute is settled problems arise because people want to paint these animals with too uniform a brush, establish memes etc etc. <br /><br />Yes reread All Yesterdays folks and based on the chatter on Witton's new book he embellishes on those themes.Duane Nashhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14467779935085970909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8161161431451849208.post-81473574577029572112016-07-11T03:31:17.616-07:002016-07-11T03:31:17.616-07:00I don't have time to read all the comments her...I don't have time to read all the comments here in detail but just to chime in...<br /><br />1. Excellent post and something a lot of people involved in the internet paleoart scene need to read. I can already see the memes of the next decade solidifying over the past few years and it will be good to bust them early!<br />2. But sometimes it's fun to draw memes. I put a red rhamphorhynchus on the cover of my last book ;)<br />3. But we do need artists who are willing to challenge memes and suggest new ways things could look. That's why All Yesterdays exists. I think many of the people commenting here would do well to read that book (again, if necessary). And look up hat "straw man" means. I can't grasp how somebody could possibly have read your post and come away thinking you said most dromeosaurs were covered in quills.<br />4. I want to point out that while people are using Caudipteryx as an example of a conservative, basal form, it has a lot of bizarro highly derived traits like a tail fan restricted to the tip of the skeletal tail and possibly broadly forked; tiny, oval shaped wings restricted mainly to the manus without any secondaries which are there and BIG in many other feathered dino specimens, including Similicaudipteryx; and out of the four or five good specimens we have, zero show any trace of feathers on the head and neck, strongly implying those areas were covered in skin or very sparsely feathered as in many ratites. So Caudipteryx kind of proves your point about diversity, since its close relatives are much more "normal" (=basal-looking?) in a lot of ways.<br /><br />I'm gonna end with an anecdote. I remember well when Sinornithosaurus and Microraptor were first found. Me, and many others at the time, were eagerly using these as ammo against the Jurassic Park crowd as PROOF of what Velociraptor looked like. It should also be strongly noted that this is the same time the BROAD definition of Dromaeosauridae came into vogue. Prior to 1998 or 1999 when Sinornithosaurus was discovered, the original and most often used definition of Dromaeosauridae was (Velociraptor + Dromaeosaurus). After that it became (Dromaeosaurus > Aves). Why did so many people latch onto this broader definition? I can only speak for myself but for me, it was much more effective to argue against the "yeah but as far as we know Velociraptor still has scales" crowd if you could say we had feathered examples in the same "family", just like the cat "family" (I used that exact example many times in my younger days).<br /><br />But like you say, this is a massively diverse group that the latest excellent game-changing paper by Alex Dececchi et al. strongly suggests independently evolved powered flight at least once (maybe twice if Rahonavis is an unelgagiid). Now that we have ample evidence that all pennaraptorans were feathered (duh, it's right in the name now! ;) ), I think the broad definition of Dromaeosauridae has become actively unhelpful and we should go back to using Velociraptor + Dromaeosaurus. Dromaesaurus > birds already had a much better name the whole time that somehow got hijacked to include troodontids (Deinonychosauria). So we can talk about general feather trends in microraptorians, unenlagiids, dromaeosaurids, and basal deinonychosaurians like Zhenyuanlong, without making any sweeping generalizations about the whole group.<br />Matt Martyniukhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04220900229537564466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8161161431451849208.post-13184156940191672732016-07-10T21:24:47.664-07:002016-07-10T21:24:47.664-07:00also dromies vs azhdarchids? Of course they met up...also dromies vs azhdarchids? Of course they met up, seems to me that it was the pterosaur ending up in the belly of the dromies more often than not (scavenged or otherwise)... sure the big giant ones could dominate just by size but more modest and small ones probably hung around the periphery of carcasses just like marabou storks do today. Take away any kind of size advantage and I am going with the dromie every time. <br /><br />Not really sold on the hypercarnivorous attributes some like to ascribe azhdarchids as if they were actively pushing theropods out of their niches. I have heard chatter about that Romanian giant, Hatzegopteryx - being more of a predator of medium to large stuff BUT where are all the pics? Plus they were pretty cumbersome opening up thick skinned dinosaurs with a bill that amounts to a giant pair of foreceps. May have been good at moving into a kill after other animals have opened it up, using its size to gain advantage and get at soft entrails etc etc.<br /><br />That being said I would love to be proven wrong and the giant Romanian showing some neat adaptations of the bill for hypercarnivory - just have not seen it yet. Supposedly there is a skull, the wiki article goes pretty in depth but how come no pics yet? Frustrating.<br /><br />And that neck?! You would think there would be some sort of enlargement of muscle attachment in the cervicals if it was always jabbing and thrusting with it but it was like a tube without much in the way of muscle attachment - just weird all around.<br /><br />To tell you the truth I would be more interested in giant tapejarids and dsungaripterids muscling in on dromies...<br /><br />Dromies vs azhdarchids could be very similar to the ongoing competition between vultures and canids (hyeanas too) for scavenging rights. Also very possible that dromies watched the skies for movement of pterosaurs for carcass finding.Duane Nashhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14467779935085970909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8161161431451849208.post-65084284400339672662016-07-10T20:38:36.998-07:002016-07-10T20:38:36.998-07:00Thanks Jonathan,
Sometimes I think I rub people t...Thanks Jonathan,<br /><br />Sometimes I think I rub people the wrong way and somehow give the impression that I am saying " this must be the way to do it all other ways are invalid!!" when in reality all I am suggesting is that in 100 million years of evolution, covering variable eco-morphotypes, in various environments from hot to cold we should expect to see various changes in integument and varieties of appearance. Possible at least as much as we see in birds of prey - falcons, hawks, eagles, and yes vultures too - maybe even more!!<br /><br />Is that really that outrageous? I mean come on... that I would dare question the ubiquity of the ground hawk look or even suggest that there are alternatives that are not even necessarily mutually exclusive (i.e. there may very well have been both very hawk looking and vulture looking dromies one does not negate the other).<br /><br />On the artwork the dromaeosaur feeding scrum took a bit of a time, don't recall but a lot of time on the vegetation that is for sure. Overall though I try to take a very punk rock, no frills, don't overwork things approach and go for a vibe, reaction, or gut level response not necessarily hyper realistic but gets the point across. <br /><br />D-man What does that even mean? No one has seen any of the animals alive!?? That is the point of all this.<br /><br />@Khalil I will check out those links<br /><br />Duane Nashhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14467779935085970909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8161161431451849208.post-78659122348950952402016-07-10T17:28:14.563-07:002016-07-10T17:28:14.563-07:00I'm truly diggin the artwork here Duane. Your ...I'm truly diggin the artwork here Duane. Your pieces feel so immersive and realistic this combined with your sketchy style really work well together. I especially like the plants in the ceratopsian pic with all the ferns and vines etc. While I agree I love the refined look of many creatures as Mark Wilton makes emphasizing that these are animals not horror movie creatures, but I love your Macomb and gross appearances with the all the grittiness. I wonder how long did it take you to draw each of these pieces individually.<br /><br />Also I hate to say t but my initial knee jerk reaction when you mentioned quills was, ohh that can't be very common etc. obviously that is not what you were saying I feel sorry for my lack of critical thinking. I think it was because of our recent series on smilodon and its complete reimagining of it. I then associated that with your raptors when this articles message is completely different, it merely suggest a diversity and not one solid image of depictions.<br /><br />Last point wouldn't the super large azdrahcids like quetzalcoatlus and arambourgiania dominant/equal rivals all of the dromeasaur except for giants like Utah raptor and large tryants at kills.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15444274404962614808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8161161431451849208.post-37316796391671101552016-07-10T10:41:49.586-07:002016-07-10T10:41:49.586-07:00Good point on Achillobatar. I think it was essenti...Good point on Achillobatar. I think it was essentially like the Lappet faced vuluture in terms of carcass presence now that you mention how bears are great scavengers regardless of how stumpy their legs are (compared to cursorial carnivores). It could still get to the carcass, but seeing as how it was incredibly robust, powerful and had a robust killing claw, it could dominate a carcass. And I was actually wrong about the legs. They aren't short afterall, although the body itself (especially around the hip) is very massive and robust:<br />http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/theropods/images/8/86/AchillobatorSkeleton.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20131023184852<br />I wonder what it was doing if it needed such a massive hip area.Iris-Katyayanihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06188961246186305190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8161161431451849208.post-86123741800605717312016-07-10T09:34:04.456-07:002016-07-10T09:34:04.456-07:00Of all raptors, I would think Deinonychus would ha...Of all raptors, I would think Deinonychus would have a naked head. Maybe Achillobator and I can't think of a third one.<br />D-mannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8161161431451849208.post-65416122790350584042016-07-10T09:33:48.303-07:002016-07-10T09:33:48.303-07:00 that at least some dromaeosaurs have not, in fact... that at least some dromaeosaurs have not, in fact, become fully flightless. Deinonychus may hint that juveniles dromaeosaurs of larger species could still fly.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8161161431451849208.post-70599384503432272232016-07-10T02:07:05.455-07:002016-07-10T02:07:05.455-07:00@ D-man I think you misconstrue what I mean when t...@ D-man I think you misconstrue what I mean when talk of the dapper look. What i most emphasis in that description of "dapper" dromaeosaurids is the abrupt clean cut transition between feathered and non feathered parts of the head. Gregory S. Paul hypothesized a protobeak for establishing that look, a hypothesis that has not born out. Other artists merely inherited that look and kept it alive for no other reason than tradition. It could be possible that the feathers covered the whole head all the way down to the teeth. Also possible that feathers sparsely covered the head. Also possible that the dapper look is common. It is also possible that fleshy outgrowths occurred in some species. But I explained all this in the post... why do people have such trouble understanding this?<br /><br />Long story short it is possible and probable that dromaeosaurids displayed all the variety of facial/integumentary arrangements we see across birds of prey and many other birds today. <br /><br />What I have trouble with is that I am dragged across the coals for preferring a subjectively ugly look, giving reasons why I think it was probable in some genera, and deviating from the norm. While other artists keep drawing samey ground hawks with caudipterid tail plumes and getting a pass. Go bug them there are plenty making the error of caudipterid tail plumes on deviantart. But I already said all this.<br /><br />@negosolar Thanks. Lots more posts in the future so you are in for some neat stuff but nothing specific on big ornithopods though I do like them a lot and everything you said is true of them.<br /><br />@khalil I can't find a lot on achillobatar. I am not sure that shortish legs implied an inability to travel long distances. Bears are good long range foragers/scavengers after all.Duane Nashhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14467779935085970909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8161161431451849208.post-78950360492057476812016-07-09T23:39:58.907-07:002016-07-09T23:39:58.907-07:00Hi Duane, first of all, I'd like to say that y...Hi Duane, first of all, I'd like to say that you've enormously reinvigorated my interest in paleontology. Your posts have seriously captured my imagination, and I hope there are many more to come.<br /><br />I was wondering if you had any plans for the animals you'll cover after the dromaeosaurid series is finished. I was curious what you thought of iguanodonts and hadrosaurids, since they're both two very successful groups of herbivores that don't seem to get much respect. I mean, they're usually depicted simply as lunch for whatever giant theropod lives with them. There is clearly more to them in terms of defense or, more broadly, predator evasion strategies than I've seen posited.<br /><br />Back to dromaeosaurids, what niche do you think mid sized animals like Deinonychus occupied in their environments?<br />negasolarnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8161161431451849208.post-59528727153681350242016-07-09T21:07:29.945-07:002016-07-09T21:07:29.945-07:00Speaking of carcass rendering, wattled Dromies, wh...Speaking of carcass rendering, wattled Dromies, what was Achillobatar doing? It fits in the size range of terrestrial scavenger, yet it's legs (just like Utahraptor) are incredibly short and stumpy, while also roubst. Was it still able to trek for miles on end like it's more cursorial counter parts, or would it waste too much energry trying to get there? And if it's not scavenging, then what was it doing?Iris-Katyayanihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06188961246186305190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8161161431451849208.post-35628877611111059802016-07-09T18:44:52.661-07:002016-07-09T18:44:52.661-07:00Sorry for bickering Duane.Sorry for bickering Duane.Iris-Katyayanihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06188961246186305190noreply@blogger.com