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Published: 2013-04-24 02:08:24 +0000 UTC; Views: 1521; Favourites: 28; Downloads: 8
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Description
Being universally obligate bipeds, theropods often have no need for large arms. Cartoons often depict small-armed theropods as incapable or handicapped, but just because the arms were small doesn't mean they were vestigial. Counterclockwise from top right:Tyrannosaurus: Its small arms evidently were a compromise for its huge, bone-crushing skull; too much weight at the front end of the body and it would constantly be tipping over. They were still extremely strong, though; strength estimates indicate that it was more than strong enough to lift this doomed ornithomimosaur into reach of its killing jaws.
Rugops: Spoiler alert! Inspired by All Yesterdays. Its arms were no good for hunting, with tiny fingers and no real elbows, but they were very mobile, suggesting they had another function...
Struthio: Totally incapable of flight, it was freed from the burden of giant wings. Its small, fluffy remiges are instead as air brakes for sharp turns, which is useful since it is one of the fastest-ever theropods. (Mesembriornis may have been as fast as a cheetah.)
Alvarezsaurus: An incongruous combination of the body of a typical fast dinosaur and little one-clawed arms oddly similar to an anteater's. It may have used them to dig into trees or mounds and eat termites.
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Comments: 10
Orionide5 In reply to Hyrotrioskjan [2013-09-18 00:22:49 +0000 UTC]
The idea wasn't mine; haven't you read All Yesterdqys?
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Hyrotrioskjan In reply to Orionide5 [2013-09-26 00:16:32 +0000 UTC]
Ah, now I remember, I thought you were trying to give these animals flippers
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ZeWqt [2013-04-25 14:21:31 +0000 UTC]
Mesembriornis, I love the binomial name of the second species!
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ZeWqt [2013-04-24 15:20:12 +0000 UTC]
The idea of the Rugops are interesting :3 ! And the arms of the Apteryx, are they seful?
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Orionide5 In reply to ZeWqt [2013-04-25 03:00:18 +0000 UTC]
It seems not; they don't even protrude from the bird's coat.
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ZeWqt In reply to Orionide5 [2013-04-25 13:34:23 +0000 UTC]
Yep, the Kiwi's arms are like our tailbone.
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