Two important new palaeobiological hypotheses regarding diplodocids
May 14, 2015
The first hypothesis is that, contra Elk (1972), all Brontosauruses were rather fat at one end, then much fatter in the middle, then thin at the other end.
The second theory is that Diplodocus was dumb. Evidence is here presented in the form of an important new life restoration by Matthew Taylor.
References
- Elk, Anne. 1972. Anne Elk’s Theory on Brontosauruses. Reprinted in: Chapman, G., Cleese, J., Gilliam, T., Idle, E., Jones, T. and Palin, M. (eds). Just the Words, Volume 2. Methuen, London, 118-120.
Sauropod Vertebra Picture of the Week 
May 14, 2015 at 11:57 am
I was privileged to be at the 1975 SVP in Boulder, Colorado (my first), when. Dr. Elk presented her hypothesis. Actually she was unable to attend, so a tape recording of her talk was presented by Dr. Judith Van Couvering. It was still a time when SVP meetings were really fun and ideas flowed freely. Now it is too big and takes itself too seriously, unfortunately.
Ken
May 14, 2015 at 3:07 pm
Ken, sounds like what you need is SVPCA, the meeting that takes place every autumn in or near the UK. (Most times in England, but there have been meetings in Scotland, Ireland and France in the last decade.) It has an attendance of 100-150, and it’s everything you miss about old SVPs.
May 14, 2015 at 4:16 pm
I fully expect somebody to name a new Morrison diplodocid “Derplodocus” some day.
May 14, 2015 at 8:08 pm
I would have thought that a fat neck and a fat head would work best together. But these hypothesis arrived independently? Live and learn. Or, fossilize, as the case may be.
May 14, 2015 at 8:10 pm
One of the great things about Brontosaurus is that its head is much thinner than its neck. It’s weird. We must get around to blogging some more of our YPM public gallery photos.
May 20, 2015 at 1:28 pm
I speculate the wide neck of Brontosaurus (in comparison to its head) was the base of some sort of display structure in life. One of these days, I’d like to see a paleoartist restore Brontosaurus with an owl-like feathered head. That would be a hoot!