The book sums up the extant evidence that indicates that dinosaurs, rather than being cold-blooded and wholly lizard-like, were warm-blooded, agile creatures more similar to modern birds than to lizards or other reptiles. Although controversial on publication in 1986,[3] much of The Dinosaur Heresies now represents the prevalent view in paleontological circles (although other parts have been outdated by more current research).[citation needed]
The main arguments used to show that dinosaurs were warm-blooded are:
Almost all animals that walk upright today are warm-blooded, and dinosaurs walked upright.
The hearts of warm-blooded animals can pump much more effectively than the hearts of cold-blooded animals. Therefore, the giant sauropod dinosaur Brachiosaurus must have had the type of heart associated with warm-blooded animals in order to pump blood all the way up to its head.
Dinosaurs such as Deinonychus led a very active life, which is much more compatible with a warm-blooded animal.
Some dinosaurs lived in northern latitudes, where it would have been impossible for cold-blooded animals to keep warm.
The rapid rate of speciation and evolution found in dinosaurs is typical of warm-blooded animals and atypical of cold-blooded animals.
The predator/prey ratio of predatory dinosaurs to their prey is a signature trait of warm-blooded predators rather than cold-blooded ones.
Birds are warm-blooded. Birds evolved from dinosaurs, therefore a change to a warm-blooded metabolism must have taken place at some point; there is far more change between dinosaurs and their ancestors, the archosaurs, than between dinosaurs and birds.
Warm-blooded metabolisms are evolutionary advantages for top predators and large herbivores; if the dinosaurs had not been warm-blooded, there should be fossil evidence showing mammals evolving to fill these ecological niches. No such evidence exists; in fact, mammals by the end of the Cretaceous had become smaller and smaller from their synapsid ancestors.
Dinosaurs grew rapidly, evidence for which can be found by observing cross-sections of their bones.
^"Review of The Dinosaur Heresies by Robert T. Bakker". Kirkus Reviews. 21 November 1986.
^Horner, John R. (1988). "The Dinosaur Heresies. New Theories Unlocking the Mystery of the Dinosaurs and Their Extinction. Robert T. Bakker". The Quarterly Review of Biology. 63 (2): 210–211. doi:10.1086/415850. ISSN 0033-5770.
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dinosaur, heresies, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, april, . This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources The Dinosaur Heresies news newspapers books scholar JSTOR April 2011 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Dinosaur Heresies New Theories Unlocking the Mystery of the Dinosaurs and Their Extinction is a 1986 book written by Robert T Bakker 1 2 The Dinosaur HeresiesPaperback edition front cover Illustration by John Gurche 1985 AuthorRobert T BakkerCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishPublisherCitadel Press current edition Publication date1986Media typePrint HardcoverPages481 pp ISBN0 8217 5608 7OCLC36439291The book sums up the extant evidence that indicates that dinosaurs rather than being cold blooded and wholly lizard like were warm blooded agile creatures more similar to modern birds than to lizards or other reptiles Although controversial on publication in 1986 3 much of The Dinosaur Heresies now represents the prevalent view in paleontological circles although other parts have been outdated by more current research citation needed The main arguments used to show that dinosaurs were warm blooded are Almost all animals that walk upright today are warm blooded and dinosaurs walked upright The hearts of warm blooded animals can pump much more effectively than the hearts of cold blooded animals Therefore the giant sauropod dinosaur Brachiosaurus must have had the type of heart associated with warm blooded animals in order to pump blood all the way up to its head Dinosaurs such as Deinonychus led a very active life which is much more compatible with a warm blooded animal Some dinosaurs lived in northern latitudes where it would have been impossible for cold blooded animals to keep warm The rapid rate of speciation and evolution found in dinosaurs is typical of warm blooded animals and atypical of cold blooded animals The predator prey ratio of predatory dinosaurs to their prey is a signature trait of warm blooded predators rather than cold blooded ones Birds are warm blooded Birds evolved from dinosaurs therefore a change to a warm blooded metabolism must have taken place at some point there is far more change between dinosaurs and their ancestors the archosaurs than between dinosaurs and birds Warm blooded metabolisms are evolutionary advantages for top predators and large herbivores if the dinosaurs had not been warm blooded there should be fossil evidence showing mammals evolving to fill these ecological niches No such evidence exists in fact mammals by the end of the Cretaceous had become smaller and smaller from their synapsid ancestors Dinosaurs grew rapidly evidence for which can be found by observing cross sections of their bones References edit Kakutani Michiko 1986 11 08 BOOKS OF THE TIMES Dinosaur Mysteries The New York Times Retrieved 2015 01 06 Review of The Dinosaur Heresies by Robert T Bakker Kirkus Reviews 21 November 1986 Horner John R 1988 The Dinosaur Heresies New Theories Unlocking the Mystery of the Dinosaurs and Their Extinction Robert T Bakker The Quarterly Review of Biology 63 2 210 211 doi 10 1086 415850 ISSN 0033 5770 nbsp This article about a dinosaur related book is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Dinosaur Heresies amp oldid 1159407451, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
