Quote:
Originally Posted by raytri
CDP has it right. Alligators and crocodiles are a separate lineage from dinosaurs. They were around way back then, though. As were sharks.
Birds are the only known living descendants of dinosaurs, from therapods (raptors, as CDP said). The big plant eaters were called sauropods.
Current thinking is that at least some dinosaurs might have been warm-blooded. They know that some were feathered.
You sure about Apatasaurus being warm-blooded? I hadn't heard much about warm-blooded sauropods. I'd think that would pose a problem inasmuch as they're huge, and a warm-blooded animal would (I think) require far more food than a cold-blooded one.
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Thanks for the nod.
I am just an armchair scientist. But yes there are different theories as to if the Apatasaurus was warm blooded or not. And the argument about food is one thing that I have always read on the side that said no they were cold blooded (warm vs cold blooded are obviously not the correct terms, but we will use them anyway).
As you know there are varying theories across the board. But I have read a few books that explained why a number of professionals believe he was warm blooded. But I can not remember the explanation off the top of my head. I will check. And if I remember correctly, one of the papers was written by a professor with CEU.