From: rowe@lepomis.psych.upenn.edu (Mickey Rowe)
Newsgroups: k12.ed.science
Subject: Re: Allosaurus
Date: 6 Jan 93 22:08:44 GMT
Organization: University of Pennsylvania

In article <35422.2B4AF43C@puddle.fidonet.org>
     Dana.Geraths@f603.n105.z1.fidonet.org (Dana Geraths) writes:

> I am currently investigating the wrist anatomy of the Allosaurus
>atrox to determine if the animal could grasp objects much like we do.

Way cool! :-)

>I am using Velociraptor antirrhopus and Archaeopteryx lithographica
>wrist and finger anatomy as a basis. The Coelophysis bauri and
>Tyrannosaurus torosus serve as controls.

I'm curious as to what you mean by basis and control in this context.
My first guess is that you mean you're comparing the bones and asking
which of the animals have hands that the articulations of the A. atrox
hand more closely resemble.  If so, I'm somewhat puzzled by your
choices.  Perhaps I'm just not familiar enough with the specifics, but
I would expect that Velociraptor and Tyrannosaurus would have grasping
abilities, but that Archaeopteryx and Coelophysis would not.
Unfortunately, the one I'm most familiar with (Tyrannosaurus) I'm
familiar with mostly because the opposability of its two (or three)
fingers is a new discovery based on Jack Horner's recent finds.  Being
new, it may not be well accepted yet.  Could you fill us in a little
more?

>     What is your opinion on this subject? Do you think that the third 
>digit could indeed turn in to form a make shift thumb, or were their 
>hands mearly used for raking flesh off of prey.
 
From what I know of the hypotheses about the hunting styles of large
theropods, I'd guess that a grasping ability is suggested.  My
impression is that these beasts used their hands for stabilizing prey
as they dispatched it with their jaws.  On the other hand, big cats do
fine without opposable thumbs.  Then again cats kill primarily by
strangulating their victims with bites through the neck, and theropods
apparently killed by biting out large pieces of flesh.  I think my
bottom line is I'd expect opposability, but wouldn't be too suprised
to find it lacking.  Too bad they didn't make any Allosaurs for
Jurassic Park :-)
    
>     I am try to start a museum of Natural History here in Salem and I am 
>looking for scientific specimens to fill the museum. I already have a 
>rather large private collection of animal skulls which I use for 
>illustrations but what I need I will list below.
>     Animal skulls (all types)

Do you know that there is a company called "Skulls Unlimited"?

>insect collections or other Entomology specimens,

I don't know if this is general enough, but this was posted to sci.bio
not too long ago:

In article <AC5YGoguW6@hq.chci.chuvashia.su>
     vladimir@hq.chci.chuvashia.su wrote:

}We have insects (butterflies and beatles) of Central Asia
}for sale. All the representative species are found in
}mountainous places of Pamir and Tian-Shan.
}
}  Papilionidae /Parnassiinae:
}  P. simonius taldicus Gund. /West Tian-Shan, Alay
}  P. staud.kiritschenkoi Av. /East Pamir, Muzkol
}  P. cardinal Gr.-Gr.        /W.Pamir, Darvaz
}  P. actiues Ev.             /E. Pamir, Muzkol
}  P. honrathi haitus         /W.Pamir, Karategin
}     (13 species)
}  Pieridae / Coliadinae:     /E. Pamir, N.-Alichur
}  C. wiskotti Stgr.          /E. Pamir, N.-Alichur
}  C. markopolo Gr.-Gr.       /W. Tian-Shan, Alay
}  C. romanovi Gr.-Gr.        /W. Pamir, Petr-1
}     (8 species)
}  Coleoptera /Carabidae:
}  Carabus emmerichi
}  C. dokhtowrowi
}  C. stschurowski
}  Calosoma auropunctatum dzhungaricum
}
}  All specimens are 1A quality with collection data.
}  If you are interested this question, you can to write
}  me by E-mail address:  vladimir@hq.chci.chuvashia.su
}
}  Vladimir Ivanov

>   Dana Geraths.

Mickey Rowe     (rowe@pender.ee.upenn.edu)