Re: Carnotaurus

[Renesto Silvio <renesto@mailserver.unimi.it>]

At 07.23 23/04/01 -0400, you wrote:
>
>
>>I imagine Carnotaurus hunted in much the same way T.Rex did, having a 
>> >similar body structure (generally) to the king.  Large jaws, small >arms, 
>>powerful legs.  It's killing power was in its mouth.
>
>I was always under the impression that despite having a massive maxilla, the 
>mandible of _Carnotaurus_ was actually quite slender and fairly weak.  The 
>way I see it, _C. sastrei_ was one big and flashy theropod, but didn't have 
>an overly powerful bite.  Can anyone please clarify the matter?
>
I am not a dinosaur specialist, so this is just a thought: while agreeing
with both issues, I wonder if the rather short and deep snout along with a
weak lower jaw may  point to a different hunting/biting adaptation with
respect to large theropods with longer snouts. AFAIK short faced predators
have stout mandibles (bulldog :-) ); does anyone know about some short
faced but slender jawed predator? This may provide some hints, perhaps.
Cheers,

                                        Silvio Renesto 
-

"Before being enlightened,   hard work; after enlightenment, hard work"
(Guo Yunshen).

Dr. Silvio Renesto
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra
Università degli Studi di Milano
via Mangiagalli 34
I 20133 Milano
Italy

phone +39-0223698232
fax  +39-02-70638261

e-mail:    renesto@mailserver.unimi.it

or/and     Silvio.Renesto@unimi.it