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Extinct Animal Questions
Topic Started: Nov 26 2013, 10:24 PM (193,460 Views)
Similis
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Furka
Jul 25 2014, 09:16 AM
This is more of an art opinion, but what about the chance of Thescelosaurus having some fuzz ?
I remember it had some kind of osteoderms, and I'm not sure if those go well with feathers ...
There is no certainity. So far we know that Thescelosaurus had mineralized 'bony' plates on its ribcage, but it's unclear if these were even external. Some people claimed that it had osteoderms along the neck, but IIRC it's not quite confirmed.
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CyborgIguana
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This doesn't really concern extinct animals, but I wasn't sure where else to ask this. Is there really any evidence that there may be serious errors in the field of radiometric dating? I've always assumed it's just wishful thinking on the part of YECs, as the concept has always seemed very straightforward to me (we know the rates that various elements decay, so how hard can it be), but I just wanted to be sure.
Edited by CyborgIguana, Jul 25 2014, 10:33 PM.
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stargatedalek
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I'm not slow! That's just my moe!

Not so much errors in the way YECs tend to claim, but there is a margin for error
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CyborgIguana
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I knew that, I just didn't think there was enough error to call into question the entire geological time scale.

I just remember reading in a book somewhere that "radiometric dating methods may end up telling us nothing about the actual age of the rocks", which I think is an exaggeration of the limits of radiometric dating. It can certainly tell us a lot, even if there is a small margin for error.
Edited by CyborgIguana, Jul 26 2014, 12:08 AM.
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stargatedalek
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I'm not slow! That's just my moe!

that margin of error can easily span into tens of millions of years, which to a YEC who never does research could seem like a lot of time
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CyborgIguana
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Those errors usually correct themselves in time anyway. For example, 50 years ago we thought the dinosaurs became extinct 70 million years ago, then it became 65 million for a long time, then just last year it was revised to 66.
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Ulquiorra
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How big exactly was Megalania? A complete/near complete skeleton has yet to be found and there are several size estimates from 3.5 m (11 ft) - 4.5 m (15 ft) long and up to 331 kg (730 lb) in weight, to 7 m (23ft) - 7.9 m (26 ft) long and a weight of up to 1,940 kg (4,280 lb)
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stargatedalek
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I'm not slow! That's just my moe!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megalania
Quote:
 
Ralph Molnar[6] in 2004 determined a range of potential sizes for megalania, made by scaling up from dorsal vertebrae, after he determined a relationship between dorsal vertebrae width and total body length. If it had a long thin tail like the lace monitor (Varanus varius), then it would have reached a length of 7.9 metres (26 ft), while if its tail-to-body proportions were more similar to that of the Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis), then a length of around 7 m (23 ft) is more likely. Taking the maximal 7 m (23 ft) length, he estimated a weight of 1,940 kg (4,280 lb), with a leaner 320 kg (710 lb) being average.[6]


as always, take wikipedia with salt
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Ulquiorra
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That's where I got the info from, and if you read the paragraph above what you quoted, somebody else states a different, much smaller size estimate.

Quote:
 
In 2002, Stephen Wroe determined that the species had a maximum length of 4.5 m (15 ft) and a weight of 331 kg (730 lb),[10] while its average length would have been around 3.5 m (11 ft), and mean body weight would have been between 97–158 kg (214–348 lb).[10][11] He concluded[10] that the earlier estimates reaching lengths of 6 m (20 ft) or more and a weight of several tons[12][13] were exaggerations based on flawed methods. A study published in 2009 utilizing Wroe's size estimates and an analysis of 18 closely related lizard species estimated a sprinting speed of 2.6–3 m/s (5.8–6.7 mph). This speed is comparable to that of the extant freshwater crocodile (Crocodylus johnstoni).


Which is more accurate? I'm guessing the 7 m estimate.
Edited by Ulquiorra, Jul 27 2014, 03:57 PM.
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stargatedalek
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I'm not slow! That's just my moe!

since its more recent I would assume it is, thus why I chose it
worth noting the bones show more similarity to lace monitors than Komodo dragons, so the lace monitor tail (as mentioned) is a safe assumption
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PrimevalRaptor
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King of Memers

Are there other species described, known to have coexisted with Kulindadromeus? Or what kinds of other dinosaurs were probably living in its habitat?
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Posted Image Flish
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It probably lived with Kileskus, but AFAIK, most of the finds from Jurassic Russia are relatively undescribed or poorly known. ;)
Edited by Flish, Jul 29 2014, 04:07 PM.
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BossAggron
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Formerly Dilophoraptor

What would Limit the Complexity of Ceratopsian Skulls?
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Burns
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King of Lemurs

Could different hadrosaurs create hybrids? Like Lambeosaurus and Maiasaura.
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Furka
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Lambe and Maia look too distantly related IMO.
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