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Post by Venomous Dragon on Aug 15, 2013 23:59:30 GMT 5
Varanids are smarter than members of Crocodylinae.  Yes, and they would also fit quite well in a crocodile's lower intestinal tract... ;D And yet the exact opposite happens more often. Preemptive strike, kill the enemy while they are small or still developing and they never get to be a theat. Also have you ever wondered why there are no crocodiles where the Komodo dragon reigns? |
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Derdadort
Junior Member
Excavating rocks and watching birds
Posts: 267 
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Post by Derdadort on Aug 16, 2013 0:37:08 GMT 5
Reptilia also has a monophyletic definition synonymous with Sauropsida (but I think the latter sounds better when used together with Synapsida  ). Anyway, "reptile" in the non-obsolete sense remains the common name for this clade, while "traditional reptilia" excludes birds (and should by its trait-based definition, "scaly skin, cold-bloodedness, amniotic eggs etc." also exclude all other Dinosaurs, Pterosaurs, leatherback Turtles, Sauropterygians, Ichthyopterygians and Mosasaurs which were/are all viviparous and/or endotherms). See here: www.geol.umd.edu/~tholtz/G104/lectures/104clad.htmlThe wikipage for example refers to "traditional reptilia", the paraphylethic grade, but reptiles can mean both (either way it is usually clear what one means. I always speak of monophyletic clades for example). Quoting a friend of mine: "Systematics suck!"  I think I will still use sauropsida, just because there is no danger of confusion. So I mean either reptiles, birds or both. But hey, the whole thing changes the next decades anyway. |
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Post by Runic on Aug 16, 2013 2:03:08 GMT 5
killing it would be borderline impossible. Pessure exhibited by accipitrids is relatively low and the beak could not do substantial damage to bone as well. this is a fight a bird simply cant win. It would be like fighting a flexible crocodile with great acceleration and stamina. If we take V.priscus there are not even extinct birds that stand a chance. Maybe when taking a small (23 kg) komodo dragon, the bird would have a chance. Anyway, for their size, birds of prey are still quite impressive. He missed my point. He said a ora would wreck a bird which based on the attack styles of birds, is false. That's why I replied to him. Even then, Utahraptor would wreck any varanid F.y.I tho, only birds with long hypertrophied talons exhibit weak pressure which is why they use their talons for stabbing and penetrating. Owls with short talons exhibit very strong pressure exhertion. Just read the rpr paper I linked on CF |
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Post by Runic on Aug 16, 2013 2:06:57 GMT 5
Yes, and they would also fit quite well in a crocodile's lower intestinal tract... ;D And yet the exact opposite happens more often. Preemptive strike, kill the enemy while they are small or still developing and they never get to be a theat. Also have you ever wondered why there are no crocodiles where the Komodo dragon reigns? I always thought they just didn't like the place seeing as how they exist with other varanids. |
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Post by Runic on Aug 16, 2013 2:07:53 GMT 5
Sorry I'm unable to view the video (mobile issues) may I ask what happened? |
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Post by Venomous Dragon on Aug 16, 2013 2:17:12 GMT 5
And yet the exact opposite happens more often. Preemptive strike, kill the enemy while they are small or still developing and they never get to be a theat. Also have you ever wondered why there are no crocodiles where the Komodo dragon reigns? I always thought they just didn't like the place seeing as how they exist with other varanids. They did live there once, one of the native names for komodos is land crocodile, im honestly not entirely sure why they dont exist there anymore. The ora isnt just any Varanid, If the dragons did preform nest raids they would eat way more eggs and could potentially not be alone in the act, even a large crocodile could find it extremely difficult to defend her nest from a hand full of dragons. The islands couldnt have supported that many crocodiles, its possible the dragons did serious harm to there population. |
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Post by Runic on Aug 16, 2013 2:19:18 GMT 5
I always thought they just didn't like the place seeing as how they exist with other varanids. They did live there once, one of the native names for komodos is land crocodile, im honestly not entirely sure why they dont exist there anymore. The ora isnt just any Varanid, If the dragons did preform nest raids they would eat way more eggs and could potentially not be alone in the act, even a large crocodile could find it extremely difficult to defend her nest from a hand full of dragons. The islands couldnt have supported that many crocodiles, its possible the dragons did serious harm to there population. Ohhh I see now. Yea I could understand the problems a mother crocodile would face. Komodo own everything on their turf lol buffalo, dingo everything. |
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Post by Venomous Dragon on Aug 16, 2013 3:16:13 GMT 5
They did live there once, one of the native names for komodos is land crocodile, im honestly not entirely sure why they dont exist there anymore. The ora isnt just any Varanid, If the dragons did preform nest raids they would eat way more eggs and could potentially not be alone in the act, even a large crocodile could find it extremely difficult to defend her nest from a hand full of dragons. The islands couldnt have supported that many crocodiles, its possible the dragons did serious harm to there population. Ohhh I see now. Yea I could understand the problems a mother crocodile would face. Komodo own everything on their turf lol buffalo, dingo everything. I do wonder what caused the ora's extiction on its continent of origin. |
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Post by Runic on Aug 16, 2013 3:25:03 GMT 5
Ohhh I see now. Yea I could understand the problems a mother crocodile would face. Komodo own everything on their turf lol buffalo, dingo everything. I do wonder what caused the ora's extiction on its continent of origin. Probably humans |
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Post by creature386 on Aug 16, 2013 18:56:53 GMT 5
Even then, Utahraptor would wreck any varanid Except if the upper estimates for Megalania are correct. |
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Fragillimus335
Member
Sauropod fanatic, and dinosaur specialist
Posts: 573
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Post by Fragillimus335 on Aug 16, 2013 22:40:05 GMT 5
Yes, and they would also fit quite well in a crocodile's lower intestinal tract... ;D And yet the exact opposite happens more often. Preemptive strike, kill the enemy while they are small or still developing and they never get to be a theat. Also have you ever wondered why there are no crocodiles where the Komodo dragon reigns? Cuze doze clowns know when to hide!! The crocs are like, "Reginold, I suppose we could stick those pesky little Komodhoes on one tiny little island chain" "Precisely old chap, like a daycare for troubled children" "Well then, now that that's settled, shall we go ecologically dominate all the waterways of Africa, Australia, and the like?" "Quite, quite, good show!" "Komodhoes" is a phrase now trademarked exclusively by Fragillimus335 and co. |
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Post by Venomous Dragon on Aug 16, 2013 22:55:08 GMT 5
And yet the exact opposite happens more often. Preemptive strike, kill the enemy while they are small or still developing and they never get to be a theat. Also have you ever wondered why there are no crocodiles where the Komodo dragon reigns? Cuze doze clowns know when to hide!! The crocs are like, "Reginold, I suppose we could stick those pesky little Komodhoes on one tiny little island chain" "Precisely old chap, like a daycare for troubled children" "Well then, now that that's settled, shall we go ecologically dominate all the waterways of Africa, Australia, and the like?" "Quite, quite, good show!" "Komodhoes" is a phrase now trademarked exclusively by Fragillimus335 and co. ............Why are your crocs english? Komodhoes? You would call a lizard capable of virgin birth a whore? Fact is crocs used to live there and now they dont, Komodos however are still there. |
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Fragillimus335
Member
Sauropod fanatic, and dinosaur specialist
Posts: 573
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Post by Fragillimus335 on Aug 16, 2013 23:45:37 GMT 5
Cuze doze clowns know when to hide!! The crocs are like, "Reginold, I suppose we could stick those pesky little Komodhoes on one tiny little island chain" "Precisely old chap, like a daycare for troubled children" "Well then, now that that's settled, shall we go ecologically dominate all the waterways of Africa, Australia, and the like?" "Quite, quite, good show!" "Komodhoes" is a phrase now trademarked exclusively by Fragillimus335 and co. ............Why are your crocs english? Komodhoes? You would call a lizard capable of virgin birth a whore? Fact is crocs used to live there and now they dont, Komodos however are still there. All good gentlemanly reptiles are English, unlike those rapscallion varanids... Leave the urchins to the gutters I say.  |
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Post by Venomous Dragon on Aug 17, 2013 0:04:14 GMT 5
............Why are your crocs english? Komodhoes? You would call a lizard capable of virgin birth a whore? Fact is crocs used to live there and now they dont, Komodos however are still there. All good gentlemanly reptiles are English, unlike those rapscallion varanids... Leave the urchins to the gutters I say. All the good reptiles come from australia. Leave poor children in the gutter? How gentlemanly can you be if you see poor homeless children and decide to leave them to there fate. Considering that varanids are more successful right now wouldnt the crocs be the urchins? |
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Fragillimus335
Member
Sauropod fanatic, and dinosaur specialist
Posts: 573
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Post by Fragillimus335 on Aug 17, 2013 1:04:55 GMT 5
All good gentlemanly reptiles are English, unlike those rapscallion varanids... Leave the urchins to the gutters I say. All the good reptiles come from australia. Leave poor children in the gutter? How gentlemanly can you be if you see poor homeless children and decide to leave them to there fate. Considering that varanids are more successful right now wouldnt the crocs be the urchins? Australians are English... lol The proletariat masses, of course the finest of reptiles will be fewer in number, but greater in stature. Oh god this is fun... |
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). Anyway, "reptile" in the non-obsolete sense remains the common name for this clade, while "traditional reptilia" excludes birds (and should by its trait-based definition, "scaly skin, cold-bloodedness, amniotic eggs etc." also exclude all other Dinosaurs, Pterosaurs, leatherback Turtles, Sauropterygians, Ichthyopterygians and Mosasaurs which were/are all viviparous and/or endotherms).
