Comments on: The Island Effect in Dinosaurs

By: Nick Gardner

Nick Gardner — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 18:58:41 +0000

I haven’t had a chance to see the paper in question, but _Thecodontosaurus_ is more basal than _Plateosaurus_ and other basal and more closely related sauropodomorphs were also quite small. It seems easier to explain _Thecodontosaurus_’s size as a case of small ancestral size rather than insular dwarfism.

By: Greg Laden

Greg Laden — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 15:27:52 +0000

I remember the science daily piece on the island effect, vaguely. I remember thinking it was a case of skewed reporting.

By: J-Dog

J-Dog — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 14:37:13 +0000

Jim Thomerson – I think THIS boy believes that more research needs to be done, and in the interest of science, I am willing to accept a small weekly stipend to study the island effect in HA, and maybe Bali, and Jamaica. The period of research to last from Nov – March.I don’t see any problems, I see opportunity!Where is that Grant Application and sunscreen again?

By: Jim Thomerson

Jim Thomerson — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 14:02:55 +0000

A couple of months back Science Daily had a report of research which showed that the island effect is a bogus phenomenon. At the same time there were two reports of island effect in marine organisms living in small isolated ecosystems. What’s a boy to believe?

By: Martin R

Martin R — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 13:36:37 +0000

Wow, I didn’t know dinosaur fossils came in identifiable cave deposits!