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In this work, I wanted to discuss the feeding behavior of Allosaurus fragilis, the "iconic" Jurassic theropod. For years, paleontologists have agreed that Allosaurus was a macropredator attacking large dinosaurs, but the style of attacking prey is still a matter of debate. Robert Bakker in 1998 compared the style of Allosaurus's attack with those of the saber-toothed cats and suggested that the theropod threw quick punches to the sauropods, with widely opened mouth (the so-called "brontophagy"). Later, in 2001, Emily Rayfield and colleagues developed this hypothesis. According to Rayfield was, Allosaurus threw quick punches with his head down as saw-teeth axe to bleed the victim. This hypothesis has become the most popular.
But there is a third version of how the "Jurassic lion" used its weapons. Anton et al. (2003) reviewed earlier versions and concluded that they were not very convincing. Arguments include the danger of damage to the dentition as a result of regular dorsoventral attacks (especially on ornithischians), as well as the fact that Rayfield drew an analogy with a human tool for an animal. Much more plausible, according to Anton et al. is the analogy with the Komodo dragons that rely on bites reinforced with neck muscles, not on strikes with open mouth. This, by the way, is confirmed by the analysis of the distribution of loads on the jaw in Therrien et al. (2005). Anton et al. I propose the following scenario: Allosaurus bites the victim for the protruding part of the body and cuts off a piece with movements of the jaws and neck. Without strikes a-la the axe. Of course, this does not exclude other ways. Snively et al. (2013) confirmed the ability of Allosaurus to fast and strong neck movements from top to bottom, supporting the hypotheses of Bakker and Rayfield. It is possible, however, that the predator simply delivered quick bites to the neck or abdomen of the smaller prey, holding it with clawed "hands".
It is possible that the predator did not try to kill very large prey, but rather, cutting off a piece, it kept it alive. This so-called "flesh-grazing" type of feeding, it is found in some modern predators. Crocodiles sometimes tear off pieces from victims whom they are not able to overcome at once, but it is rather accidents. Killer whales in the process of killing whales tear off pieces of meat from them, which they eat on the spot. The predator that actually feeds in a "flesh-grazing" way is the Cookiecutter shark (Isistius brasiliensis). It bites off rounded chunks of large fish and marine mammals and swims away. It is likely that large theropods, especially allosauroids, sometimes fed in this way. Of course, this not means, that sauropods were "bags for whipping", and victims of such a feeding were primarily weak individuals.
In my work I decided to show this "flesh-grazing" type of feeding. Here, Allosaurus cuts pieces of meat from the weakened Camarasaurus lentus. He is not trying to quickly kill the prey, but if it will be joined by conspecifics, emaciated sauropod hardly stand on his feet. This drawing is especially important to me not only as a depiction of interspecies interactions, but also as the first attempt to seriously draw a sauropod in recent years. I have to say, "long-necks" is a surprisingly interesting drawing object.
HB and 2B technical pencils, and black watercolor (for blood, yeah), 2019

Description

In this work, I wanted to discuss the feeding behavior of Allosaurus fragilis, the "iconic" Jurassic theropod. For years, paleontologists have agreed that Allosaurus was a macropredator attacking large dinosaurs, but the style of attacking prey is still a matter of debate. Robert Bakker in 1998 compared the style of Allosaurus's attack with those of the saber-toothed cats and suggested that the theropod threw quick punches to the sauropods, with widely opened mouth (the so-called "brontophagy"). Later, in 2001, Emily Rayfield and colleagues developed this hypothesis. According to Rayfield was, Allosaurus threw quick punches with his head down as saw-teeth axe to bleed the victim. This hypothesis has become the most popular.
But there is a third version of how the "Jurassic lion" used its weapons. Anton et al. (2003) reviewed earlier versions and concluded that they were not very convincing. Arguments include the danger of damage to the dentition as a result of regular dorsoventral attacks (especially on ornithischians), as well as the fact that Rayfield drew an analogy with a human tool for an animal. Much more plausible, according to Anton et al. is the analogy with the Komodo dragons that rely on bites reinforced with neck muscles, not on strikes with open mouth. This, by the way, is confirmed by the analysis of the distribution of loads on the jaw in Therrien et al. (2005). Anton et al. I propose the following scenario: Allosaurus bites the victim for the protruding part of the body and cuts off a piece with movements of the jaws and neck. Without strikes a-la the axe. Of course, this does not exclude other ways. Snively et al. (2013) confirmed the ability of Allosaurus to fast and strong neck movements from top to bottom, supporting the hypotheses of Bakker and Rayfield. It is possible, however, that the predator simply delivered quick bites to the neck or abdomen of the smaller prey, holding it with clawed "hands".
It is possible that the predator did not try to kill very large prey, but rather, cutting off a piece, it kept it alive. This so-called "flesh-grazing" type of feeding, it is found in some modern predators. Crocodiles sometimes tear off pieces from victims whom they are not able to overcome at once, but it is rather accidents. Killer whales in the process of killing whales tear off pieces of meat from them, which they eat on the spot. The predator that actually feeds in a "flesh-grazing" way is the Cookiecutter shark (Isistius brasiliensis). It bites off rounded chunks of large fish and marine mammals and swims away. It is likely that large theropods, especially allosauroids, sometimes fed in this way. Of course, this not means, that sauropods were "bags for whipping", and victims of such a feeding were primarily weak individuals.
In my work I decided to show this "flesh-grazing" type of feeding. Here, Allosaurus cuts pieces of meat from the weakened Camarasaurus lentus. He is not trying to quickly kill the prey, but if it will be joined by conspecifics, emaciated sauropod hardly stand on his feet. This drawing is especially important to me not only as a depiction of interspecies interactions, but also as the first attempt to seriously draw a sauropod in recent years. I have to say, "long-necks" is a surprisingly interesting drawing object.
HB and 2B technical pencils, and black watercolor (for blood, yeah), 2019