Dinosaurs from A to Z

[demiurge1138]

No, the dino (I think it's another Microraptor before they give it another name) has flight feathers running down its arms and legs. Scientists think that it used them to glide on thermals, like modern "flying" lizards. A six-limbed dino would change all vertebrate sciences as we know them.

Demiurge out.

 

[Krishnath]

Demi: Yep, that's the one, they call it Microraptor Gui, so it will probably end up with a name like Guiraptor or some such...

 

[Knight Otu]

A six-limbed dino would change all vertebrate sciences as we know them.

That was my understanding, too, so I was wondering.

 

[Krishnath]

No, I don't really think a six limbed dino would change all vertebrate sciences we know, as extra limbs can be the result of mutation as has been observed in some frog species for quite some time. This mutation is usually caused by parasites, heavy metals, radiation, or chemical poisoning of the enviroment. So it is possible, just very unlikely that they will eventually discover a mutant dino with six limbs.

 

[demiurge1138]

Good point, Krishnath, but one of the reasons for multi-legged frogs is that stem cells are more common in amphibians than in other vertebrates. The toxins activate the cells to develop as legs.
But what I really meant was that a naturally 6 legged dino would definantly shake things up a bit for taxonomists.

Demiurge out.

 

[Chauzu]

I would make compsognathids tiny since they aren't any bigger than a cat, and Brachiosaurs colossal since they are, well, colossal.

P.S. Wouldn't a compy and an archaeopteryx make really cool familiars?

 

[Wippit Guud]

Left the compy small to give distance from the Eoraptor.
Changed Brachiosaurus.

 

[Chauzu]

Eoraptors are about the size of large dogs. I would probably switch the sizes between compys and eoraptors.

 

[Krishnath]

Demi: Ah, but how would the scientists know that it wasn't naturally evolved to have six limbs, as all the evidence has been stone for the last several million years

 

[BOZ]

was it THIS one?