Dino Death Posture Supports Warm Blood Theory

[Silvershark 1]

It has long been assumed that the arched neck, mouth open posture found in therapod dinosaur fossils was a result of the tendons in the neck drying out.  However, when this drying out was tested on dead birds (the dinosaurs closest living relatives) drying out didn't produce this effect.  Nor does this theory make sense, for it is wet, swampy habitats that produce the majority of dinosaur fossils for these allow for the rapid burial needed to stop the carcass being destroyed by scavangers - and here carcasses don't dry out.  It is now thought that the posture is down to disease of asphyxiation - the same posture is known to occur in mammals, but not cold-blooded reptiles.

Read more HERE

[Gatorman 41]

This story should really start us talking, I am wondering myself if thier necks just weren't naturally arched.

[Silvershark 1]

I doubt it was natural - the arching refers to the manner in which the dinosaurs head is thrown over their back.  It isn't a natural position for the head and neck, like this - http://piclib.nhm.ac.uk/piclib/webimages/0...00/3651_med.jpg

[Gatorman 41]

well the dinosaur would have used those muscles tremendously to support their head extended out on their long necks, so when they die could it be those muscles simply contract?

[Silvershark 1]

Because muscles relax in death, not contract hence the originial theory that it was drying out that caused the posture 

[Gatorman 41]

what if theirs didn't relax?

[Silvershark 1]

Here is a more detailed article that goes into that - http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/...70609112847.htm

I was wrong about muscles contracting - they do through rigor mortis but that hasn't resulted in changing the position of dead birds or horses and there is no reason for it to do so in dinosaurs.  Anyway, better article that describes it in more detail 

[Giganotosaurus 0]

I think it also really depends on what happend to the animal directly after death?