Naked Science Forum
Non Life Sciences => Geology, Palaeontology & Archaeology => Topic started by: Professor Mega-Mind on 10/09/2018 13:54:37
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Spinosaurus : Monster Cat ?
Did this thing live like a T.Rex , an otter , perhaps a seal ? I put it to you that Spino was a gigantic analog to a fishing cat , with the Jaguar being the best example . Spino.s legs were modest in length , and flat-footed .They were adapted both for running down prey while on mud & sand , and for swimming after it when necessary . The legs were long enough to hold Spino.s body above the water when he was running through ponds & rivers in pursuit of prey . The long arms & claws were for grabbing and holding struggling prey . The crooked jaw was for holding and lifting heavy , slippery fish & crocodilians . The tail functioned much like a crocodiles whenever Spino. swam , and like a raptor's when he ran . Last , but not least was coloration . Spino.s coloration was camouflage to fit his environment . His entire body , thin hump included , was likely sand-colored . This fit the sandhill and dune terrain of N.Africa 100mya. Whether stalking or resting , Spino needed to remain hidden from both competitors and prey . Anything spotting a 60ft. long raptor is going to react . This is also why Spino's skin was smooth , although hydrodynamic effects counted somewhat .
The last puzzle here , is that thin hump . The bone structure was similar to a bison , camel , or woolly-rhino hump , but disproportionately taller . There were several likely functions that the hump served :
A.- Fish attractor : Fish love both structure & shadow , easy meat !
B.- Fish chaser : Disc-shaped fish are more agile than straight ones
C.- Fish storage : Nutrition and water storage for lean times .
D.- Profile breaker : A sand-dune amongst sand-dunes .
E.- Upright.counter-balance : Body up front , hump in back .
Okay, weirdo dino. explained !
P.M.
Note : Spinosaurus' appearance stands in stark contrast to it's later , wading , analog Deinocheirus . This walking/wading , fish+water plant-eating dino , had a rough/thick insulating coat , colored black .Their arms+claws were also camo black . Their deep , duckbill-like maw , was a dull-beige color . They did not crouch , but walked upright , much like wading birds of today. Functionally , this creature was much like an omnivorous heron , or perhaps , a stork .
Addendum : The two creatures DID share one outstanding feature ; their sizeable humps . These massive protrusions acted as balance-weights for the animals , so that they could stand and/or run as needed , without falling forward , right onto their faces . Deinocheirus had a straighter stance than Spinosaurus , so it needed less counterweighting . Spino. had a tilted-forward stance , so it needed more . Modern animals do not evidence this strategy ; the closest analog would be the Australian Kangaroo . These marsupials have an unusually heavy tail , which acts as a counter-balance when they bound along at speed .
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Addendum
Did it look like a duck ?
Unlikely . This design is rare amongst predators of land , sea , or air . The Spinosaurus' basic physical design and lifestyle argue strongly against it . The Spino. was a large predator , primarily aquatic , likely opportunistic on land . Large predators need to be stealthy ; nothing will alarm prey animals more than a giant predator head sticking way up , looking at them . Otters don't do that , fishing cats don't do that , crocodilians do not do that . These , and other predators , keep their heads low when in their hunting environment . They tend to keep their heads low most of the time , to avoid being seen by rivals and predators alike . An aquatic predator , like an otter or crocodile , also needs to keep submerged when swimming , for hydrodynamic efficiency . They go much faster , for much less energy, if nothing ( like a neck ) is sticking up out of the water . This would explain why Spino.'s (and croc.'s) nostrils stick up ; it is so that they can breathe while staying almost completely submerged . Another huge benefit of a low head is lower energy expenditure when hunting . The hunter can lie-in-wait for hours practically catatonic , then snap up unsuspecting prey , and go right back to relaxing , with hardly any energy expended . A living aquatic example of this is : crocodilians . They all do this . A living terrestrial example of this is : felines . They lie w/heads down much of the day, just waiting to ambush prey .
A final factor for pursuit-predators is obstacle clearance ; a stick-up head is much more likely to impact a branch or ledge during the chase , than a linearly aligned head .
In closing , duck-type birds need to have their heads up away from grabbing mouths . They also need to constantly watch the sky for avian predators . They can easily bob down for food , then go back to surveilling their surroundings . This paradigm was completely different from that of Spinosaurus . It was definitely not duck-like .
Enjoy !..........P.M.
Addendum : Recent analysis by .Sorenson et al , has revealed that the Ibrahim model of Spino. is disfunctionally front-heavy . As seen , it could not suspend itself motionless in water . It's head would sink down below it's body , without constant effort to correct . Nature does better than this ; A crocodile analog would have a good aquatic , lie-in-wait posture . This implies that Spino had a heavier , rear-weighted "sail" , and legs , than the Ibrahim model . Small "chimera" or pedamorphic legs , explain one part of the false appearance . Heavier legs would add quite a bit of dense weight . A thin "hump" , NOT sail , would explain the rest . Larger legs would resist injury better , while enabling Spinosaurus to run through shallow water , in pursuit of fast and agile prey . When doing so , the powerful , submerged tail would contribute significantly to the Spino.'s running speed .
A heavy hump and legs were necessary for this , by forensic evidence and analysis .
Note : The large and heavy hump also balanced Spinosaurus so that it it could run on it's rear legs , without falling forward onto it's face !
*Addendum : Recent excavations have unearthed Spinosaurus tails . These were apparently very long , and disproportionately heavy . This goes a long ways towards explaining Spino's unusual stance and morphology .
*Ref.: sci-news.com/paleontology/wandering-spinosaurus-09290.html
*Ref.2 : youtu.be/XGR4ZMBn2Os
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At the top of this page you'll see : thenakedscientists.com
to the right of that you'll see three dots in a column . Hit the three dots , scroll down to Share, hit that, choose text or email , then send .
As for sources ; I spent years studying Spinosaurus . Those conclusions are my personal views of what it really was , and how it actually lived .
P.M.
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...........Virtual Spino. Fight !
Go to : embed.theguardian.com
Giant anteater and jaguar
P.M.
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...the latest conjecture...
Paleontologist Dan Henderson , of the Univ. of Alberta , leads a scientific consensus that claims that Spinosaurus was too bouyant to swim/dive well . The contention here is that Spino.s putative "sail" was actually a hump , with a fair amount of dense muscle+bone to it . Comparison between Spino. , Bison Latifrons , Daeodon , and Camelops , all show great similarity between the "hump" bones . Given the size of Spino’s bones , it's hump would have been quite massive and heavy . Being primarily heavy-type body tissues , this hump would have counter-balanced Spino.'s natural buoyancy , enabling it to swim and dive well enough to hunt aquatic animals and fish . Spino's extra-dense leg-bones , heavy/down-hanging tail , and paddle-like feet , all contributed to keeping the animal in a properly angled orientation , while it was suspended in the waters it inhabited . Synergism was the key with this ; all of these factors worked together , yet left Spino. just enough instability to maneuver like a seal , and catch quick/fast aquatic prey species .
This perfectly exemplifies the subtlety and complexity of nature's incredible designs .
D.H. .
Ref.: www.quora.com/Could-a-spinosaurus-arms-actually-be-used-to-defend-itself-from-other-dinosaurs?
> Concentrate on my comments to poster Nelson Bass-Howell .
**For clearer illustration , read my post at :
^ quora.com/The-Spinosaurus-has-been-downsized-and-is-now-only-3-tons-and-12-meters-long-Is-this-true/answer/Derek-Hendricks-7?ch