World Affairs Board - View Single Post - "mummified" dinosaur shines more light onto Dinosaur Anatomy

RustyBattleship · 12-08-2007, 18:49 PM

While we're at Stegosaurus:
I used a model of one alongside a model of a Sherman tank as a lead-in picture for an 8mm film I did of Camp Roberts.

But I always thought the arrangement of the critters boney plates were not quite right. Yes, they would protect a bite from straight above, but not along the side.

Then on one of the science channels, a paleontologist suggested that those plates could move and flatten out giving it more protection. Okay, makes a little more sense.

But the spikes on the tail only look like billy clubs and not stabbing instruments.

Then I almost ran over a porcupine.

AHAH! The Stegosaurus plates AND tail spikes supported spines like a porky. When the back plates are up, it looks like a Sailfish. When the back plates are flattened down, it's a giant punji cactus. And the spines on the tail-OUCH because they would have had a good swining motion to bury them in.

So, I'm looking for another cheap model I used to have of old stego and modify it to what I think it could have looked like.

Don't argue that my idea would tke it out of the reptilian species and make it mammalian. Lately dinosaur hunters HAVE found fossil impressions that represent hair or feathers. Even the drammatic looking Triceratops boney collar plate has been found to have anchor pits for muscles and the plate may have been covered in skin and muscle (or spines?).

Well? Catfish have spines. Blowfish have spines. Swordfish have swords. Sawfish have saws. Platapus is a "mammal" but has a duck's beak and webbed feet. If those animals were extinct and we just found their fossils, dollars to doughnuts says the paleontologists would put them together wrong.

It is a painstaking and highly detailed science, but not perfect yet.

12-08-2007, 18:49 PM	#13 (permalink)
RustyBattleship *Defense Professional* Join Date: 01-12-06 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 2,961	While we're at Stegosaurus: I used a model of one alongside a model of a Sherman tank as a lead-in picture for an 8mm film I did of Camp Roberts. But I always thought the arrangement of the critters boney plates were not quite right. Yes, they would protect a bite from straight above, but not along the side. Then on one of the science channels, a paleontologist suggested that those plates could move and flatten out giving it more protection. Okay, makes a little more sense. But the spikes on the tail only look like billy clubs and not stabbing instruments. Then I almost ran over a porcupine. AHAH! The Stegosaurus plates AND tail spikes supported spines like a porky. When the back plates are up, it looks like a Sailfish. When the back plates are flattened down, it's a giant punji cactus. And the spines on the tail-OUCH because they would have had a good swining motion to bury them in. So, I'm looking for another cheap model I used to have of old stego and modify it to what I think it could have looked like. Don't argue that my idea would tke it out of the reptilian species and make it mammalian. Lately dinosaur hunters HAVE found fossil impressions that represent hair or feathers. Even the drammatic looking Triceratops boney collar plate has been found to have anchor pits for muscles and the plate may have been covered in skin and muscle (or spines?). Well? Catfish have spines. Blowfish have spines. Swordfish have swords. Sawfish have saws. Platapus is a "mammal" but has a duck's beak and webbed feet. If those animals were extinct and we just found their fossils, dollars to doughnuts says the paleontologists would put them together wrong. It is a painstaking and highly detailed science, but not perfect yet. __________________ Able to leap tall tales in a single groan.