HOME | DD

Description

This is special commission piece for www.deviantart.com/yappartiste . Thank you for a project with an interesting approach!

The brief: A comparison of two fossils which depict different feeding behaviour of tyrannosaurs and the possible scenarios that led to them. I utilised the original concept and designed it to fit into a typical 'Tale of a fossil' post.

Above image

Species: Hadrosaur Edmontosaurus annectens.

Fossil: Largely complete and articulated skeleton, with trauma to caudal vertebrae (specimen number DMNH 1493).

Age: Hell Creek Formation, Upper Maastrichtian, Late Cretaceous.

Location: Dry Creek, Dawson County, Montana, USA.

Stats: Edmontosaurus individual 8 metres long

Tyrannosaurus rex adult up to ~12.5 metres long.

Extra info: The wound is small with damage to five neural spines on the tail, being either sheared off or bent. Bones are rough from osteomyelitis/infection, but show a healed wound. The size and shape of the wound is consistent with a bite from a large theropod. As the tail of Edmontosaurus was nearly 3 metres above the ground, only an adult Tyrannosaurus would be capable of making the wound. Angle of the bite indicates that the predator approached from the right and rear. A previous injury to the left ilium/hip is a possible reason why the individual hadrosaur was selected by the tyrannosaur.

Reference: www.researchgate.net/publicati…

Below image

Species: Hadrosaur Saurolophus angustirostris.

Fossil: Largely complete and articulated skeleton, with left humerus showing numerous bite marks (specimen number MPC-D100/764).

Age: Nemegt Formation, Maastrichtian, Late Cretaceous.

Location: Bugin Tsav, Western Gobi Desert, Mongolia.

Stats: Saurolophus adult up to 13 metres long

Tarbosaurus bataar adult up to 10 metres long.
Extra info: The articulated specimen has only forelimbs and part of tail missing which suggests that it was buried soon after death. Bite marks are limited to one bone and are attributable to the scavenging behaviour of a large theropod. The shape, pattern and size of the puncture wounds are consistant with Tarbosaurus as the only large tyrannosaur found in the same formation. Bite marks consist of both deep punctures and drag scrapes made only by the anterior teeth from the upper jaw. Given that tyrannosaurs can easily crack bones and are known to consume large quantities of bone, the concentration of marks in certain areas indicate a deliberate feeding strategy.

Reference: bioone.org/journals/acta-palae…

See also: The terrifying tyrants - Tyrannosaurids , Honking chewers 1 - Saurolophines

Description

This is special commission piece for www.deviantart.com/yappartiste . Thank you for a project with an interesting approach!

The brief: A comparison of two fossils which depict different feeding behaviour of tyrannosaurs and the possible scenarios that led to them. I utilised the original concept and designed it to fit into a typical 'Tale of a fossil' post.

Above image

Species: Hadrosaur Edmontosaurus annectens.

Fossil: Largely complete and articulated skeleton, with trauma to caudal vertebrae (specimen number DMNH 1493).

Age: Hell Creek Formation, Upper Maastrichtian, Late Cretaceous.

Location: Dry Creek, Dawson County, Montana, USA.

Stats: Edmontosaurus individual 8 metres long

Tyrannosaurus rex adult up to ~12.5 metres long.

Extra info: The wound is small with damage to five neural spines on the tail, being either sheared off or bent. Bones are rough from osteomyelitis/infection, but show a healed wound. The size and shape of the wound is consistent with a bite from a large theropod. As the tail of Edmontosaurus was nearly 3 metres above the ground, only an adult Tyrannosaurus would be capable of making the wound. Angle of the bite indicates that the predator approached from the right and rear. A previous injury to the left ilium/hip is a possible reason why the individual hadrosaur was selected by the tyrannosaur.

Reference: www.researchgate.net/publicati…

Below image

Species: Hadrosaur Saurolophus angustirostris.

Fossil: Largely complete and articulated skeleton, with left humerus showing numerous bite marks (specimen number MPC-D100/764).

Age: Nemegt Formation, Maastrichtian, Late Cretaceous.

Location: Bugin Tsav, Western Gobi Desert, Mongolia.

Stats: Saurolophus adult up to 13 metres long

Tarbosaurus bataar adult up to 10 metres long.
Extra info: The articulated specimen has only forelimbs and part of tail missing which suggests that it was buried soon after death. Bite marks are limited to one bone and are attributable to the scavenging behaviour of a large theropod. The shape, pattern and size of the puncture wounds are consistant with Tarbosaurus as the only large tyrannosaur found in the same formation. Bite marks consist of both deep punctures and drag scrapes made only by the anterior teeth from the upper jaw. Given that tyrannosaurs can easily crack bones and are known to consume large quantities of bone, the concentration of marks in certain areas indicate a deliberate feeding strategy.

Reference: bioone.org/journals/acta-palae…

See also: The terrifying tyrants - Tyrannosaurids , Honking chewers 1 - Saurolophines