Re: T-rex arms

[ornstn@inforamp.net (Ronald Orenstein)]

>       The casts I saw showed a nasty looking gnarl of bone where the 
>bicep had been pulled off the &*%$# bone of the T. rex forelimb. T. rex 
>does NOT get such injuries by using these limbs to gather nest materials, 
>scratch its butt, or whatever. The interpretation I heard: T. rex was 
>holding something big. That something pulled away. That something was 
>probably an Edmontosaurus or Triceratops or T. rex. 
>The estimate, from muscle scars, 
>mechanics, etc., was that the males could generate 450 lbs. of pull per 
>arm, females 800. Again, this is not vestigial. Highly specialized yes, 
>perhaps in Albertosaurus, where the limbs are much smaller, maybe 
>vestigial, but not in T. rex, if these estimates are correct, and if the 
>interpretation of this damage on the arm bone is correct. I agree, these 
>arms were used for something, if they had that much muscle, and if they
> show this kind of traumatic injury and musculature. 
>
>       -nick L.
>

Well, another possibility surely is that the arm may have been grabbed by
the mouth of another animal (perhaps another T rex) during a fight and
wrenched hard? 
--
Ronald I. Orenstein                           Phone: (905) 820-7886 (home)
International Wildlife Coalition              Fax/Modem: (905) 569-0116 (home)
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