RE: Tyrannosaur predation strategy

["Thomas R. Holtz, Jr." <tholtz@geol.umd.edu>]

> From: owner-dinosaur@usc.edu [mailto:owner-dinosaur@usc.edu]On Behalf Of
> Michael Lovejoy
>
> On the subject of tyrannosaur predation, Tom Holtz wrote:"Okay,
> among other
> things (and in brief):
> *Deeply rooted lateral teeth
> *Incrassate rather than ziphodont tooth proportions
> *Broader snout, and broader occipital region
> *Possibly even fused nasals...

> and, in terms of trace fossils:
> *Bite marks and crushed bone
> *The tyrant turd"
>
> Forgive me if I'm being dim, but surely these things only provide
> information on how they processed their prey, not necessarily on how they
> acquired it?

Note that the non-trace fossil items indicate the possibility of "catch and
hold" with the jaws, which (if Rayfield et al.'s calculations are correct)
would probably not be possible for typical large theropods.

                Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
                Vertebrate Paleontologist
Department of Geology           Director, Earth, Life & Time Program
University of Maryland          College Park Scholars
                College Park, MD  20742
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~tholtz/tholtz.htm
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~jmerck/eltsite
Phone:  301-405-4084    Email:  tholtz@geol.umd.edu
Fax (Geol):  301-314-9661       Fax (CPS-ELT): 301-405-0796