Re: Cursorial adaptations (was T.rex and elephants)

[Chris Campbell <sankarah@ou.edu>]

Michael wrote:
> 
> > Date:          Wed, 24 Sep 1997 01:18:41 -0700
> > Reply-to:      Sankarah@ou.edu
> > From:          Chris Campbell <sankarah@ou.edu>
> > To:            dinosaur@usc.edu
> > Subject:       Re: Cursorial adaptations (was T.rex and elephants)
> 
>  We have to remember that _T. rex_ didn't have to catch
> > its prey; they're slow enough that closing the distance isn't the
> > problem.  Being able to get around things like pokey horns would be a
> > good thing, however, and high mobility would help that.  Being able to
> > get at the prey before help arrives (you know those big, lumbering tanks
> > of herbivores won't be turning about very quickly) would also be a very
> > good thing.
>
> Why would prey necessarily be slow?  Rhino are not slow nor unagile
> and are comparable in size to triceratop(what's the plural?).

How many thirty foot rhinos have you run into lately?  Estimates I have
handy on its weight put it at around 10-11 tons; given that it's a big,
wide, graviportal animal (I think?  Someone correct me here . . .) I
think it's safe to say a rhino would leave it in the dust.  I think a
_T. rex_ would be able to outmaneuver a lone individual fairly easily;
it's when they circle up in groups that they're practically
unassailable.

> Whether they did run fast is for the imagination unless someone comes
> up with the tracks.

While that's true to a certain point, speculating that tyrannosaurs
could outrun them doesn't seem that out of line.

Chris