DeathbySmite

Wait. I said something usefull?

Arg... thanks guys- I found your input VERY helpfull. I loved the point about seabirds. It is true that the pterodactyloid pterosaurs with the largest brains had lifestyles remenisent of modern seabirds- they were highly social and were thought to congregate in VERY large groups like puffins, penguins, gulls, etc. However, one point that I think MIGHT redeam them is that despite their brain ratios not being EXTREMELY impressive, maybe their brain WEIGHT to body weight ratios were. Having extremely light frames and hollow bones, even lighter then bird bones, maybe these frail creatures could've has less requirements in terms of upkeep (regions of the brain needed for breathing, thermal regulation, involuntary stuff, etc) and therefore could've expanded cognitive areas. Maybe I'm just a hopeless pterosaur romantic. Why do I wish they were so smart? It's not like I could buy one at petland and teach it tricks... Anyway, there wasn't one comment up there that DIDN'T intrigue me. Thanks.

50 species of dinosaur... lmfao!!! The stupidity of that is MIND RAPING. That's like saying there was only enough space for like 2 dinosaurs in every group! (there were ALOT of groups.) Not having had touched a dinosaur book for years and not using ANY reference, I can think of all these SAUROPODS ALONE: Apatosaurus, diplodicus, barasaurus, camarasaurus, brachiosaurus, supersaurus, ultrasaurus, seismosaurus, saltasaurus... well you get the point. Also, the jump from even one brachiosaurid to evolve into another would take a lot more than 6,000 years!!! Why am I sitting here trying to dismantle divine creation? That's like a paladin in full plate armor picking a fight with a baby. Maybe part of the reason for the success of creationism is that it is treated as an alternative and as a concept that is intellectually EQUAL with evolution. These people are NOT our combatants- just ignorant. Maybe if we stop having tv specials and debates on this debate, people will realize that it could never exist in an effective society.

I heard somewhere that we are actually a fairly large percentage- oh, I think it was... 99% JUNK DNA!!! Believe it or not, ALOT of what builds you may be useless! We are FAR from knowing what every gene does, don't get me wrong but still, there is ALOT of confirmed junk. How that came to be is beyond my realm of pseudo-expertise, but I do believe that since we have a common ancestor with rice (no matter how ancient). it is probably feasible that we share a good deal of junk, not to mention that in my opinion, there may be a good deal of genes ESSENTIAL for life, like genes that regulate cell reproduction and the formation of structures within cells that no matter what your shape, all life will evolve on it's own. I ramble... I ramble... I should really stick to dinosaurs

Okay... I'm VERY new to this, and to forums in general. I'm actually more or less computer illiterate, and partially REGULAR illiterate. Before I dig my own grave farther, I'll pitch the question: I've been studying pterosaurs recently, and only after much searching have I found a fairly complete reference with ANY real mention of pterasaur brains. Though I'm not done with the pterasaur skull chapter, what I have read so far indicates that braincasts of at least PTERADACTYLOID pterosaurs were similar to birds in that the cerebral hemisphere was fairly large. Are there any experts or newbies like me who can put their two cents in on their opinion on pterosaur brainpower? I'd really like to hear the latest word on this. Also, I know that brain to bodysize ratios are important in guessing if an animal is intelligent. Is size just a factor? Or is weight as well? Anything anyone knows or guesses is extremely appreciated.

Who would've thunk it. Finding people interested in the neurology of mesosoic archosaurs on a science site is almost as hard as it is OFF of a science site. I mean, you'll sooner find a club footed balerina by day, arthritis ridden janitor by night. Why do I have to be such an unusual loser?