Re: Nanotyrannus

[Dinogeorge@aol.com]

In a message dated 96-01-08 00:21:01 EST, zooamy@zoo.latrobe.edu.au (Adam
Yates) writes:

>So what about the advanced state of fusion between the bones of the 
>skull? Is this just an artefact resulting from the sutures being 
>plastered over by the restorer?
>
>

I have the feeling that skull-bone fusion may not be as good an indicator of
juvenility or subadulthood as we've thought. If _Nanotyrannus_ had a bimodal
growth pattern, say rapid growth from hatchling to subadult, then slower
indeterminate growth from subadult to large adult, it could well have had
skull-bone fusion already at the subadult stage. I'm just waving my hands
here, however.