Re: Young rex, triceratops...

["T. Michael Keesey" <keesey@gmail.com>]

On 11/30/05, Jaime A. Headden <qilongia@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Tom Holtz (tholtz@geol.umd.edu) wrote:
>
> <Although Horner didn't state it as such, I noted at the talk that several of
> the features (especially concerning development of the nasal horn and
> orientation of the postorbital horns) that distinguished subadult from adult
> _Triceratops_ are ALSO traits used to distinguish _Diceratops_ from
> _Triceratops_. So regardless of whether _Diceratops_ is its own genus (or
> species of _Triceratops_) or not, the type was likely not fully grown.>
>
>   It is also possible that *Diceratops* is a paedomorphic form of
> *Triceratops*, retaining the juvenile horn orientation of the larger species.
> Something similar to the juvenile teeth of tyrannosaurines versus the
> incrassate adult teeth of adult albertosaurines/*Albertosaurus* (sensu Carr et
> al.) and other non-tyrannosaurines.

That's a good point--but how on Earth would you ever distinguish such a thing?

Why do we name species for fossils, again? ;]
--
Mike Keesey
The Dinosauricon: http://dino.lm.com
Parry & Carney: http://parryandcarney.com