Re: Tyrannosaurus vs. "larger" Theropods

["Jordan Mallon" <j_mallon@hotmail.com>]

One thing that interests me concerning _T.rex's_ abilities vs. other 
theropods is its degree of binocular vision.  I remember reading an article 
in Earth magazine that reported on Kent Stevens' findings that _T.rex_ had 
binocular vision nearing that of a cat, and that other large theropods (a la 
_Carcharodontosaurus_) had binocular vision similar to that of an alligator. 
 It was these findings that led Stevens to suggest that perhaps dinosaurs 
like _Carcharodontosaurus_ were an ambush predators, waiting for their prey 
to get in close before they strike.  He also commented that the larger 
degree of binocular vision found in 'tyrannosaurs, velociraptors, and 
troodons' may have been used for nocturnal vision or for making fine spacial 
distinctions.  But whether or not this makes _T.rex_ a "better" predator 
than other large theropods is irrelevent (I guess).

-Jordan Mallon



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