Comments on: Sex and Dinosaur Necks http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/dinosaur/2012/02/sex-and-dinosaur-necks/ Where Paleontology Meets Pop Culture Sat, 22 Dec 2012 16:48:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4 By: Karen http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/dinosaur/2012/02/sex-and-dinosaur-necks/comment-page-1/#comment-5936 Karen Mon, 27 Feb 2012 10:57:56 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/dinosaur/?p=7259#comment-5936 Don't know much about dinos, but could the long necks also help them hang out in quite deep water to avoid predators? Hippos spend a lot of time in rivers and lakes....Maybe sauropods did, too. So a long neck could also be a defensive advantage (and a feeding-in-the-water advantage, you can get at plants that are very deep or farther from shore or the shallower edges, as well as reaching plants on the shoreline whilst staying in the water). Have many scientists explored the idea of dinos having hippo-type lifestyles? Don’t know much about dinos, but could the long necks also help them hang out in quite deep water to avoid predators? Hippos spend a lot of time in rivers and lakes….Maybe sauropods did, too. So a long neck could also be a defensive advantage (and a feeding-in-the-water advantage, you can get at plants that are very deep or farther from shore or the shallower edges, as well as reaching plants on the shoreline whilst staying in the water). Have many scientists explored the idea of dinos having hippo-type lifestyles?

]]> By: Susan Blunt http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/dinosaur/2012/02/sex-and-dinosaur-necks/comment-page-1/#comment-5934 Susan Blunt Mon, 27 Feb 2012 02:23:37 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/dinosaur/?p=7259#comment-5934 Since my orientation as a Christian nullifies the evolutionary premise presented in this article, I need to be skeptical of some of what is proposed here. I think God would have wanted long-necked dinosaurs to be able to forage, attract, and defend with their long necks. He created them in special ways which we may never truly understand. Just as He created you and me as incredibly fantastic and individual humans. We are wonderfully made! Every aspect of our being is designed to glorify Him! That is reason enough. Since my orientation as a Christian nullifies the evolutionary premise presented in this article, I need to be skeptical of some of what is proposed here. I think God would have wanted long-necked dinosaurs to be able to forage, attract, and defend with their long necks. He created them in special ways which we may never truly understand. Just as He created you and me as incredibly fantastic and individual humans. We are wonderfully made! Every aspect of our being is designed to glorify Him! That is reason enough.

]]> By: Henrique Niza http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/dinosaur/2012/02/sex-and-dinosaur-necks/comment-page-1/#comment-5904 Henrique Niza Wed, 15 Feb 2012 16:06:21 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/dinosaur/?p=7259#comment-5904 "But once long necks had evolved, who knows how they might have been used for communication and display?" Both Diplodocus and Apatosaurus come to mind while thinking about sauropod necks as a display structure. Two somewhat similar animals but have such distinct necks - one looks like a branch, the other looks like a tree. “But once long necks had evolved, who knows how they might have been used for communication and display?”

Both Diplodocus and Apatosaurus come to mind while thinking about sauropod necks as a display structure. Two somewhat similar animals but have such distinct necks – one looks like a branch, the other looks like a tree.

]]> By: Mike Taylor http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/dinosaur/2012/02/sex-and-dinosaur-necks/comment-page-1/#comment-5889 Mike Taylor Sat, 11 Feb 2012 11:03:37 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/dinosaur/?p=7259#comment-5889 Nice write-up, Brian -- thanks! Nice write-up, Brian — thanks!

]]> By: 'Dr'. S Beckmann, BS http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/dinosaur/2012/02/sex-and-dinosaur-necks/comment-page-1/#comment-5886 'Dr'. S Beckmann, BS Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:08:36 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/dinosaur/?p=7259#comment-5886 Nah. You got it all wrong Brian. The long necks helped them spot carnivores lurking in the parking lot amongst the giant SUVs. Since these guys were not 100-meter sprint champions it gave them enough time to gather the youngsters. Long necks only look sexy to vampires. Nah. You got it all wrong Brian. The long necks helped them spot carnivores lurking in the parking lot amongst the giant SUVs. Since these guys were not 100-meter sprint champions it gave them enough time to gather the youngsters. Long necks only look sexy to vampires.

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