Modern Dinosaurs: Unusual Animals Roaming Today

[Cyrus]

Im still in the process of reading Dawkins book, "The God Delusion", in which he invokes the theory of natural selection many times. When people talk about dinosaurs, they often have mental images of something like this:

http://www.kokorodinosaurs.com/tricera.jpg

http://home.arcor.de/ktdykes/design/triceratops.jpg




http://www.monsterjones.com/KongTrex1.jpg

Ok, bad example...

http://www.petesmoviepage.com/Jurassic/t-rex.gif

There that's much better...

http://gsmithblog.com/pixelpost/images/20071006093123_10-06-07.jpg

Most dinosaurs look way out there from another planet... Until you look at some of the odd animals we have roaming around right now that looks like they were teleported from the past.

http://www.buddycom.com/animal/special/rhino/rhino.jpg

http://www.lewa.org/lewa-wildlife-conservancy-pics/black_rhino_portrait.jpg

http://www.v-flyer.com/vs_press/elephant.jpg

So, if you know of any weird dinosaurs looking animals roaming around today, Id like to see pictures of them. I am perplex how 40% of americans can look at these clear indications of evolution and chuck even common sense out the window. It does not take much of the imagination to see there is a connection. To me the rhino looks like a modern day dinosaur.

 

[Garth]

To me the rhino looks like a modern day dinosaur.

Except of course that it is a mammal.

An example of 'convergent evolution'?

In evolutionary biology, convergent evolution is the process whereby organisms not closely related (not monophyletic), independently evolve similar traits as a result of having to adapt to similar environments or ecological niches.

Garth

 

[Cyrus]

Im not going to pretend to be a biologist, as I know next to nothing about the subject; however, you have to admit that the resemblance is rather striking.

Even using convergent evolution as you say, its interesting how you still get the evolution of similar traits emerging. Thick skin, horns, big, slow and lumbering.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/88/Rhinosizes.png/800px-Rhinosizes.png

 

[neutrino]

http://www.madrascrocodilebank.org/images/Thump/Gharial.jpg

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

It does not take much of the imagination to see there is a connection. To me the rhino looks like a modern day dinosaur.

A common designer wouid explain the same connection. You need to produce a fact that would distinguish between two different theories. I'm not saying you can't find such a fact, merely that you must. By the way, I'm told this is the modern dinosaur:
http://www.birdhealth.com.au/bird/canary/canary_border_fancy2.jpg"

 

[Cyrus]

Well, its quite obvious that such facts do exist for evolution. But that's besides the point.

That abomination screams T-rex. I would not want to do battle with that beast.


You know, I just realized something. If a T-rex fell over, how the hell would it stand back up!? Can a cow stand up when on its side? I guess they wiggle their way back up to their feet, but I mean a big fat cow that has its four legs pointing sideways, not sitting on its legs.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

So, if you know of any weird dinosaurs looking animals roaming around today, Id like to see pictures of them.

The Cheneyosaurous.

 

[Cyrus]

The Cheneyosaurous.

If there is creative design, god has no mercy.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

A very dangerous animal, it sneak attacks from behind the Bushes. It has been known to attack the wrong prey.

It is also known for it's weak Constitution.

 

[Chi Meson]

A very dangerous animal, it sneak attacks from behind the Bushes. It has been known to attack the wrong prey.

It is also known for it's weak Constitution.

Known weaknesses: yellow-cake in light sweet oil. Just can't resist it!

 

[Evo]

Except of course that it is a mammal.

It's a horned mamasaur.

 

[G01]

A common designer wouid explain the same connection. You need to produce a fact that would distinguish between two different theories. I'm not saying you can't find such a fact, merely that you must. By the way, I'm told this is the modern dinosaur:
http://www.birdhealth.com.au/bird/canary/canary_border_fancy2.jpg"

AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!

How horrifying!

 

[Andre]

Komodo dragon

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Frill Shark
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/01/photogalleries/frilled-shark/images/primary/frillshark-big-1.jpg

 

[EnumaElish]

Frill-necked lizard.

 

[Evo]

Frill Shark
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/01/photogalleries/frilled-shark/images/primary/frillshark-big-1.jpg

Whoa,[/URL] I've never seen one before.

 

[_Mayday_]

Im still in the process of reading Dawkins book, "The God Delusion", in which he invokes the theory of natural selection many times. When people talk about dinosaurs, they often have mental images of something like this...

Virtually every page.

 

[Moonbear]

http://home.arcor.de/ktdykes/design/triceratops.jpg

http://www.dkimages.com/discover/previews/856/20217914.JPG

http://gsmithblog.com/pixelpost/images/20071006093123_10-06-07.jpg

[/URL]

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/animals/images/primary/giraffe.jpg
or
http://www.museumofosteology.org/images/giraffe-skeleton.jpg

They look far more exotic when you look at just a skeleton, don't they? Coloration and skin texture (including absence of hair and fur) are guesses based on what modern species dinosaur skeletons mostly resemble, but could be wrong. If you focus on the skeletons, there are more similarities.

 

[wildman]

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/discoveries/2007-04-12-trex-protein_N.htm

LOL! You all should be showing pictures of chickens...

 

[Moonbear]

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/discoveries/2007-04-12-trex-protein_N.htm

LOL! You all should be showing pictures of chickens...

Now try to imagine all those dinosaurs with feathers!

 

[Cyrus]

They look far more exotic when you look at just a skeleton, don't they? Coloration and skin texture (including absence of hair and fur) are guesses based on what modern species dinosaur skeletons mostly resemble, but could be wrong. If you focus on the skeletons, there are more similarities.

Really? I know there are forensic expercts that find human skulls and are able to reconstruct the face almost exactly. Its quite amazing. Hair color, eye color, skin tone, all by bone structure to identify the person. I would have thought dinosaurs are very close as well.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Really? I know there are forensic expercts that find human skulls and are able to reconstruct the face almost exactly. Its quite amazing. Hair color, eye color, skin tone, all by bone structure to identify the person. I would have thought dinosaurs are very close as well.

Perhaps we can concede that such evidence is string enough to hang a man. But it is a slender reed to lean on as an argument in favor of evolution. Go with the fossil remains and leave the play-doh at home.

 

[Cyrus]

Im sorry, I don't follow what you mean.

 

[Moonbear]

Really? I know there are forensic expercts that find human skulls and are able to reconstruct the face almost exactly. Its quite amazing. Hair color, eye color, skin tone, all by bone structure to identify the person. I would have thought dinosaurs are very close as well.

They can do that with humans because we know enough about the anatomy of the soft tissues of humans to estimate where the muscles will be, how large they will be, how much fat is normally present, etc. Even the forensic experts would get it wrong if all they found were skeletal remains and rebuilt a face based on averages when the person whose skeleton they found was extremely obese...nobody would recognize the "thin" face.

As the article wildman linked to points out, we don't have much in the way of soft tissues from dinosaurs, it's all skeletal remains, and a few fossils of eggs to know they were oviparous rather than viviparous, which points toward them being either reptilian- or bird-like. And, now wildman's article suggests they may be more bird-like than reptilian-like. It had been previously assumed they were more reptilian-like, which is why they are always given "lizard skin," but no reason really not to draw them with feathers or fur. We don't know for certain that those traits didn't exist back then.

In case it wasn't obvious, the first skeleton I posted was of a cow, the second of a giraffe.

 

[EnumaElish]

Frill Shark
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/01/photogalleries/frilled-shark/images/primary/frillshark-big-1.jpg

[/URL]
I wonder whether we have the Loch Ness monster pictured here.

 

[OmCheeto]

You know, I just realized something. If a T-rex fell over, how the hell would it stand back up!?

I would imagine it used it's head and tail in the process.

Imagine if this guy fell over.

Articulated Elephant Bird Skeleton SC-241-A

http://www.boneclones.com/sc-241.htm
The Elephant Bird is considered the largest bird in history. Possibly existing for nearly 2 million years
in Madagascar, it faced extinction by the middle of the 17th century. The ancestors of the Elephant
Bird may have arrived in Madagascar during the Miocene, as early as 24 million years ago. Related to
other flightless birds like the ostrich and emu, this heavy-set herbivore measured approximately 10
feet and 1,000 pounds, three times the weight of an 8-foot ostrich. This member of the ratites
(Running Birds), was known locally in the 1600's as Vouron Patra. These birds were hunted by local
inhabitants, and may have been seen by the first Europeans to visit the island. Likely not a fast
runner as indicated by the relative lengths of its leg bones, it may have relied on its massive size and
pointed beak to defend itself.

 

[Evo]

There have been many finds of ancient bird-like dinosaurs with feathers, but there have also been finds of dinosaur fossils of skin. I recently watched a show about a rather good find of a dinosaur, here is a snippet of what was in the show. Very interesting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYAOscZHjwQ&feature=user

Here are a couple of articles.

A fossil unearthed in China has given scientists a rare glimpse of what dinosaurs were like in the flesh.

The plant-eating Psittacosaurus had a thick layer of shark-like skin hidden under scales.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7177181.stm

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2006/11/21/dinofind_din.html?category=dinosaurs