Re: Armoured Spinosaurus?

["Steve Brusatte" <dinoland@lycos.com>]

On Thu, 3 Jan 2002 09:47:24   
 Rob Gay wrote:
>> The only large theropod I know about that had anything like armour is the
>Carnotaurus.  I read the book for JP2 which had two of those creatures on,
>and they somehow adapted a chameleon-type way of changing colour, shame they
>didnt show that.<
>Don't forget _Ceratosaurus_ had dermal ossicles.

Actually, although this conversation has skewed toward Hollywood (ugh) it 
actually does bring up a good point.  Are there any non-avian theropods that 
have been found with purely defensive armor?  I wouldn't "count" the "horn" of 
Carnotaurus (or probably the dermal ossicles of Ceratosaurus, although they may 
be a possibility).  I don't know how common defensive armor is in modern 
carnivores, so I can't really comment, but certainly some smaller theropods 
were preyed on as well as herbivores (ankylosaurs, stegosaurs, and other forms 
with defensive armor).  And, there are also some theropods that were likely not 
carnivorous (therizinosaurs and ornithomimosaurs).  Just curious...what have 
the bizarre claws of the therizinosaurs been reconstructed as?  Could they have 
been a possible defensive weapon for protection against carnivorous theropods?

Steve

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