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About abelisaurs
As I'm trying to figure out the likely methods of attack various
lineages of theropods may have used, I find myself contemplating on the
the abelisaurs. I've read that the lower jaw of at least Carnotaurus
seems 'weakly' built with more slender than usual teeth. To me, it
would seem that the jaws may not have been the best method of attack.
But the arms are atrophied as if attempting to make a two-legged snake.
.
Which brings me to the feet. Noting the strange structure of the
foremost caudal vertebra, perhaps this may have been an adaptation to
balancing on the tail while striking with the toe claws. . Are toe
claws known for abelisaurs?
I was originally thinking that they may have been leapers, leaping and
ripping at the fleshy necks of sauropods, a feat for which they would
not have needed particularly strong jaws. Perhaps the 'wing'-shaped
dorsal vertebrae were an adaptation for withstanding the stress to the
backbone when landing from these leaps. .
Also, I've noticed that the cranial morphology of
abelisaurs(Carnotaurus at least), compared to all other predators in
the animal kingdom, most closely resembles piranhas[albeit
superficially]. .
Thoughts?
BTW, watching the Alpha's Egg episode of Dinosaur Planet, did anyone
else notice that they had Carcharodontosaurs attacking the sauropods in
South America? Last I checked, Carcharodontosaurus is from Africa,
Giganotosaurus is from South America. LOL