They were maybe used for mating like deers or rams more. They are right above the eye, or maybe it kept the rain, or branches out of its eyes, it sure can not touch its eyes with its hands to clear away anything.
Steve
>From: "Steve Brusatte"
>Reply-To: dinoland@lycos.com
>To: Apollo@MLink.net, dinosaur@usc.edu
>Subject: Re: Carnotaurus
>Date: Mon, 23 Apr 2001 16:15:05 -0500
>
>On Mon, 23 Apr 2001 16:13:15
> JAMES ARONIS wrote:
> >There has never been a terrestrial predator (to my knowledge) that evolved a
> >strategy of hunting by means of impalement through the use of horns or similar
> >devices. This begs the question, why not?? It would appear a simple enough means
> >to hunt, if not a primary one, then why not as an aid to clawing, biting, etc.?
>
>I guess it just isn't effective. Really, look at what modern animals possess horns: deer, antelope, some types of cattle, goats, some types of sheep, rhinos, etc. Look at what known dinosaurs possessed horns: the ceratopsians. It appears as if horns manifest themselves mainly in herbivorous animals, and likely somewhat gregarious herbivorous animals. To me, all horns are nothing more than display features (although this is a generalization).
>
>I really doubt that any horn, especially a keratinized one, would be a very effective predatory weapon. Why not just use the jaws? I would imagine it would be difficult for any animal to effectively use a cranial horn to kill or wound another animal.
>
>And, in regards to the horns of Carnotaurus, the idea of them as weapons is definitely inventive, but not likely. Like the horns of other animals, I write them off as display features. They are rather blunt and wouldn't really do much damage if they did happen to strike another animal. These Carnotaurus horns are, to me, analogous to the cranial crests of Cryolophosaurus, Monolophosaurus, and Dilophosaurus. Probably for display only...
>
>Steve
>
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