Re: Vampire-osaurs?

[Amtoine Grant <ajgrant@eastlink.ca>]

> undescribed coelurosaur (Rodriguez 1999)
> Late Campanian, Late Cretaceous
> El Gallo Formation, Mexico
> Material- (FCM 06/053) tooth (~20 mm, 9.5 mm FABL)
> Description- The second tooth type belongs to an unknown theropod 
> family. It
> is represented by an isolated, laterally compressed crown lacking the 
> tip.
> However, it seems sharply pointed and strongly recurved distally. Both
> carinae preserve just the denticle bases. The anterior denticles are 
> minute
> compared to the posterior ones. However, at least the distal half of 
> the
> posterior carina preserves the denticle bases within a well developed
> longitudinal groove. Some of the features, such as denticulation size 
> and
> shape recall the teeth of Saurorniholestes langstoni. However, the 
> presence
> of the groove on the posterior carina, makes it a distinct feature not
> recognizable at the moment in any other theropod taxa, also the 
> function of
> this groove remains unknown.

I've long been wondering about the 'poisonous tendencies' of dinosaurs, 
especially given that living reptiles tend to be the most common to 
have some sort of poison, next to bugs and fishes. Has anybody else 
concluded that the quills toward the posterior of the otherwise 
defenseless psittacosaurus may have been poison-filled? Well unless 
they just wanted to be more noticeable to predators . .?