[Adam Khor]

Lived 170 million years ago in what is today Argentina, yet it already had the typical stubby arms of abelisaurs- the arms themselves were not as reduced but the hands were.

http://www.livescience.com/20508-stu...aurus-rex.html

[Galvasean]

Interesting that the hands reduced before the arms themselves. Hopefully this discovery can shed some light on that particular mystery. Also, the legs look far more useful for running than the stubby Majungasaurus which came later.

[Adam Khor]

If Majungasaurus was hunting mainly sauropods like Rapetosaurus, I don´t think it's strange that it wasn´t a great runner, although I did think it was bizarre when I first saw the new skeletal reconstructions XD

On the other hand, Carnotaurus seems to have been a speed demon, and Rajasaurus had enormously powerful legs. Seems like a very diverse group :>

[Galvasean]

If Majungasaurus, as it appears to be the case, lived in areas prone to excessive drought stubby legs were probably good for walking over very long distances in search of water/food.
What sort of environment did Carnotaurus inhabit?

[Adam Khor]

Originally Posted by Galvasean

If Majungasaurus, as it appears to be the case, lived in areas prone to excessive drought stubby legs were probably good for walking over very long distances in search of water/food.
What sort of environment did Carnotaurus inhabit?

I don´t know, short stubby legs don´t seem like the ideal thing to me if one's walking long distances...

My personal belief is that Carnotaurus was a diurnal, high speed hunter equivalent in many ways to our cheetahs. Fossil evidence supports this; thus, it is most likely that it lived in open habitats, some sort of plain or savannah-like environment and hunted agile, fast prey smaller than itself.

[Galvasean]

Originally Posted by Adam Khor

I don´t know, short stubby legs don´t seem like the ideal thing to me if one's walking long distances...

I recall reading that shorter legs in hominins (different ballpark to dinosaurs I know) made for more energy efficient walking over long distances, while long legs allowed for great sprinting. I wonder if abelisaurids were of a similar persuasion.

Originally Posted by Adam Khor[/quote

My personal belief is that Carnotaurus was a diurnal, high speed hunter equivalent in many ways to our cheetahs. Fossil evidence supports this; thus, it is most likely that it lived in open habitats, some sort of plain or savannah-like environment and hunted agile, fast prey smaller than itself.

I recall you put forward the very interesting idea that Carnotaurus' hornlets were used to prevent glare from the sun, similar to the black spots around cheetahs' eyes.

[Adam Khor]

Originally Posted by Galvasean

I recall reading that shorter legs in hominins (different ballpark to dinosaurs I know) made for more energy efficient walking over long distances, while long legs allowed for great sprinting. I wonder if abelisaurids were of a similar persuasion.

That's interesting. And puzzling... I would have thought that short legs would be the last one would want to travel long distances... most long distance animals I can think of have long legs, although almost none are quadrupeds, I give you that...
Where did you read that?

Originally Posted by Galvasean

I recall you put forward the very interesting idea that Carnotaurus' hornlets were used to prevent glare from the sun, similar to the black spots around cheetahs' eyes.

Yes, that's what I believe... unfortunately, no studies were made about Carnotaurus' scleral rings that I know of, so there's no way to confirm it, but I think the horns (combined with the rest of its anatomy) suggests a diurnal lifestyle in an open, posibly very hot environment. Just my idea, of course

[Galvasean]

Originally Posted by Adam Khor

That's interesting. And puzzling... I would have thought that short legs would be the last one would want to travel long distances... most long distance animals I can think of have long legs, although almost none are quadrupeds, I give you that...
Where did you read that?

In one of the many threads about ancient humans on this very forum if I remember correctly... However, it is entirely possible that I read / am remembering wrong. I can't find anything to support the notion on Google so I may well be mistaken.

Originally Posted by Adam Khor[/quote

Yes, that's what I believe... unfortunately, no studies were made about Carnotaurus' scleral rings that I know of, so there's no way to confirm it, but I think the horns (combined with the rest of its anatomy) suggests a diurnal lifestyle in an open, posibly very hot environment. Just my idea, of course

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