Review Questions for Biology 404

HOL Ch. 13: Warm-blooded Dinosaurs?

1. Why is it true that even lizards are not strictly "cold-blooded" animals? Contrast the following pairs of terms: 1) homeothermy vs. heterothermy; 2) endothermy vs. ectothermy.

2. What is the evidence that feathers evolved before flight? If so, what possible adaptive value might feathers have had? What are some strengths/weaknesses of alternative hypotheses?

3. (from p. 213) There is uncertainty about the relative warm-bloodedness of dinosaurs. Give two arguments in favor of dinosaurs being warm-blooded and one in favor of them being cold-blooded.

4. Some have proposed that large dinosaurs had a unique combination of thermoregulatory traits. Explain these, considering especially their likely thermoregulatory capabilities, resting metabolic rates, and locomotory endurance. What was the most likely problem with this sort of thermoregulation?

5. What are some ideas related to thermoregulation for the plates on the back of Stegosaurus and the head frills on Triceratops?

 

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