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Non Life Sciences
Geology, Palaeontology & Archaeology
T Rex
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T Rex
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Ray hinton
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Re: T Rex
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Reply #20 on:
06/02/2006 01:59:24 »
lions are a lot bigger than your lilly livered hyenas,anyway dont go picking on lions,unless of course you want a visit from virginia mcenna.
RE-HAB IS FOR QUITTERS.
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its the drugs,y-know.
Raliel
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T Rex
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Reply #21 on:
10/06/2007 11:31:34 »
As far as I am aware, the evidence points to T-rex actually being a very capable runner, being able to reach speeds of up to 25mph, the fact that it's bones were birdlike in structure and filled with air, would cut down on body mass considerably..... notably one of its earlier ancestors was feathered, and although T-rex probably was not feathered overall, if you stick some basic flight feathers on the forelinbs, they become rudders and stabilisers for fast running ( think ostrich or roadrunner wings ) it would explain why the forelimbs are so small but very strong
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frethack
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T Rex
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Reply #22 on:
18/06/2007 04:20:57 »
From summations of research that Ive seen by John Horner, T-r may have had a hard time running, and especially changing direction quickly. With its massive size, vestigial arms, and high center of gravity, a slip and fall (according to Horner) would likely have injured the animal severely, possibly even killing it. Considering those same features, it would have been extremely difficult for T-r to get back to its feet again, especially if it is wounded in the foray. The leg proportions do seem to indicate an evolution toward a long distance walker, though I have seen plausible opposing views that it may have run for short distances at a good clip. It just seems risky to run if there is a decent possibility of mortally injuring yourself.
btw...hello everyone [
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frethack
"Flying is learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss."
- Douglas Adams
Raliel
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T Rex
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Reply #23 on:
18/06/2007 10:49:46 »
the tail was almost certainly held out stiffly and used as a rudder for maneuvering, and those tiny forelimbs, as I stated above, obviously had some use, they were very strong.... and if some form of plumage were applied to them, they could well have performed the role of stabilisers or rudders, I just do not see such a large, hot blooded animal relying on scavenging, such a successful group of carnivores must have been well suited to their environment and would have required
plentiful supplies of meat....something that opportunist/ scavengers would not have been able to gain
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DoctorBeaver
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T Rex
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Reply #24 on:
18/06/2007 16:39:19 »
Surely, though, T-rex's forelimbs were only small compared to the rest of its bulk. They were still pretty big & powerful - & don't I remember them having rather fearsome claws?
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frethack
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T Rex
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Reply #25 on:
18/06/2007 17:59:50 »
Raliel, Ive also seen articles that describe its forelimbs as being exceptionally strong and the muscle connections and relative bone size would support this, but as far as being stabilizers they are very very tiny in length. When you add skin and muscle to the frame of T-r (again...relying on the research of others) the forelimbs become exceptionally small. Normally in nature, something that is used as a stabilizer has a rather long ratio in comparison to the rest of the body.
As far as the tail being used as a rudder, it is my understanding that entire T-r tails are very rare, and that much of the middle to end of the tails are missing on all specimens (except for Sue and one found by Horner I believe this past year...sorry to mention him so much...he has done quite a bit of research on T-r). Whether this means that the bones of the tail are fragile, non interlocking (which would seem to diminish stiffening), or some other unknown factor, I would have no idea. Maybe I can find a recent paper from the new T-r find that has the tail.
If anyone else has any info on this tail thing, I would really want to hear it.
frethack
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Last Edit: 19/06/2007 01:55:12 by frethack
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frethack
"Flying is learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss."
- Douglas Adams
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