RE: Theropod Ontogeny

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

> From: owner-dinosaur@usc.edu [mailto:owner-dinosaur@usc.edu]On Behalf Of
> GSP1954@aol.com
>
> Tom is correct that in most dinosaurs the snout lengthened as
> they grew up.
> An important exception are tyrannosaurs in which exactly the
> opposite happened,
> the juvies have long slender noses and the grownups short,
> massive ones. Just
> saw the Burpee juv and the long, low elegant maxilla is just to
> die for.

Agreed: a thing of wonder!!!

One thing that I'd like to see explored is if the tyrants actually get a
proportionately shorter jaw, or instead a deeper jaw.  I might be able to
whip up something about this shortly, using Carr's data/paper.

                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