"The Dinosaur Heresies" Problems?

[DeepTimeIsotopes]

So I was reading in The Dinosaur Heresies: New Theories Unlocking the Mystery of the Dinosaurs and Their Extinction  by Robert T. Bakker and in it I came upon a line that says "Modern  reptiles  dominate  the  role  of  large  freshwater  predator.  But  dinosaurs  didn't  produce  any  swimming  predators  at all." (Pg 82) With the new evidence from Dr. Ibrahim about the spinosaurs, does Bakker's claim need to be revised? 

For those who have read his book, is there any other pieces of information that need to be revised in this book? I am writing a short paper for a biology class on it and would like to know what things have been contradicted by new evidence. Thanks!

Edited November 2, 2016 by UtahFossilHunter
Word clarification

[Jesuslover340]

I wouldn't be so sure; there's a lot of debate as to how accurate Ibrahim's depiction of the Spinosaur is, as he utilized a lot of extrapolation from other species. With his depiction under debate, it probably wouldn't be a good idea to use it as firm evidence that dinosaurs swam (though, if you think about it, quite a few animals can swim though they don't live in the water, so I guess it would be more accurate to say you can't give firm evidence that some dinosaurs lived a large part of their lives in the water based on conclusions that may be untenable). However, you could proffer it as a POSSIBILITY.

[Troodon]

Boy I read this book so long ago but will say this that what the book professed back in 1986 is now the new orthodox view of dinosaurs.  Has new research changed some views, yes, but the foundation laid back then is still mostly accurate today.  Views will continue to change with research but that's one of its goals.  RB was pretty forward thinking when it was published.   I think it's a bit early in the discussion over Ibrahim paper to make your comment.  More research is needed by others before it's widely accepted, it's just a theory.  It's not helped by all of the controversy over the methods he used to develop his sketal depiction of Spinosaurus.  I tend to think Spinosaurids are semi-aquatic but will stop there. 

[DeepTimeIsotopes]

Alright, thanks guys! We'll just have to wait until another Spinosaurus skeleton is found.

[doushantuo]

i think advances in osteohistology have been made that might be incorporated in your story.

I will try to scare up some input for you.

(AND it's only fair to mention Adrian J.Desmond here,BTW)

BTW.Richard Owen*(1848) was one of the first people to argue for "warmblooded physiology" for dinosaurs

*THE Richard Owen

I know Dermochelys has a very mammalian-like physiology,without showing the usual (fossilizable)evidence for it.

for starters,some views on endotermy,homeothermy,mesothermy and physiology:

http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/asset?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0007783.PDF

 

Scipionyx.pdf

ruben_etal_1998.pdf

Grady_et_al_2014-Evidence-for-mesothermy-dinosaurs-with-supplemental.pdf

Benson etal_2012_Tpod pneumaticity.pdf

Clarke Dinosaur Metabolism9 NORA.pdf

i1052-5173-17-1-45.pdf

1999 RespirPhys117.pdf

PBZ_03_geist.pdf

1996.Ruben et al.Metabolic.pdf

585.full.pdf

grelletinn01.pdf

 

e1500951.full.pdf

 

[Shamalama]

The fact is that while Spinosaurs were alive, there were a number of Crocodile/Alligator ancestors also extant. There may not have been a niche for the Dinosaurs to fill.

[LordTrilobite]

47 minutes ago, Shamalama said:

The fact is that while Spinosaurs were alive, there were a number of Crocodile/Alligator ancestors also extant. There may not have been a niche for the Dinosaurs to fill.

So far none of the crocodiles from Kem Kem are in the same size range as Spinosaurids though. there are a few big ones. But they don't hold a candle to the size of Spinosaurus. Then again, the area is still very much a mystery and there might be bigger crocodiles present there as well.