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Greetings,
Flightless birds have thicker-walled bones than
"weight-conscious" flying birds. Compare a Kiwi bone to a similar
sized or weight flying bird like a crow or raven and the analogy should
hold.
-------Original Message-------
Date: Thursday, March
20, 2003 02:32:06 PM
Subject: Re: paleonet
Bird bone preservation
I've read this statement also. The author says the "bones
are thicker than
those of most birds" not that they are larger--you
quote it as I remember
it. I assumed this to mean that the walls of
the Dodo's bones were thicker
and therefore, the bones were less airy,
internally, than similar sized bone
birds tend to be. A Dodo bone the
same size as the bone of a flying bird,
the Dodo bone would stand up
to crushing during burial better than the other
due to the Dodo having
"thicker" not bigger bones. I don't have much
background in taphonomy,
though, and will have to try this for myself.
Do you have the
original source for the observation?
I would love to have a
taphonomist weigh in in detail on Paleonet or maybe a
citation?
Kleo
P.
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