Tooth found in Hadrasaurs arse confirms T Rex was a Hunter

WRECK TANGLE

http://arstechnica.com/science/2013/07/t-rex-leaves-tooth-in-would-be-lunchs-tail-paleontologists-find-it/

Classic T. rex enthusiasts have had some rough times lately, with some researchers suggesting that the iconic carnivore may need to be redrawn in fluffier, feathery garb, and others proposing that T. rex wasn’t a hunter at all.

Proponents of this latter view (including the well-known paleontologist Jack Horner) thought that tyrannosaurs were ill-suited to hunting and likely scavenged for carrion instead, partly because of the species' bulky size. The image of T. rex skulking around to sneak bites of carcasses didn’t sit well with some.


The clearest way for a fossil to show evidence of a predatory altercation is for the prey animal to survive it. Healed wounds look different from fatal ones. But even if you find such scars, you still need to be able to positively identify the perpetrator.


You can imagine the excitement, then, when a group of paleontologists uncovered a find that does just that. Working in rocks of the Late Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation in South Dakota, they found a funky-looking pair of vertebrae that were fused together by bone. Barely sticking out of the growth between the vertebrae was a tooth, sealed in place.

The researchers point out that one tactic for big predators trying to take down prey is to go after the hind legs, preventing the hapless creature’s escape. At least in this instance, the T. rex may have given chase before grabbing the hadrosaur by the rear rather than going for the back of the neck or the throat, for example.

Arse

Adam Khor

As if we still needed proof U-U

I wonder if once this pointless debate ends (if it ever does, because this is NOT the first healed-bite-found-in-hadrosaur), Horner will move on to Megalodon and say it was a filter-feeder...

Rubecula

I think it just proves what I have always said. T-Rex was fond of playing games, but his short arms ruined 'Tag' a bit and he had to use his head. The tooth incident was only an accident waiting to happen. He was pretty poor at cricket too.

Adam Khor

It should have tried chess instead. So it could use its head :B

Galvasean

They've found partially healed T. rex bite marks in a hadrosaur's tail before and on a Triceratops before so that's three confirmed cases of hunting in Tyrannosaurus that I know of.
In before, "So APART from this time, that time and the other time, when has T-rex ever hunted?!?!?!?"

Adam Khor

Speaking of which, guess what, guess what... ! It seems dinosaurs were warm blooded!

http://earthsky.org/earth/new-evidence-for-warm-blooded-dinosaurs

WRECK TANGLE

Is anyone else starting to get fed up with how little is known? Alot of what we thought we knew for the last 20 years is turning out to be bull. Another 20 years will pass and what we think we know will probably turn out to be bull aswell.