Re: And the T. Rex bell goes "dung"!

[Michael Teuton <tons@ccs.logicsouth.com>]

Thomas R. Holtz, Jr. wrote:

> Maybe because T. rex teeth are anything BUT knife-like: they are 0.5-0.7
> times (or more) wider across than long in cross-section, the serrations are
> offset, and so forth.
>
> On top of all this, tyrannosaurids are the only group of large bodied
> theropods known to have a substantial ossified secondary palate, good for a
> crushing surface and (as I'll argue at SVP) a nice adaptation for creatures
> that fed by torsional motions rather than vertical slicing and slashing.
>



> Have meant to mention this and now seems good time.  Some have mentioned
> carnivores biting off large chunks of meat and waiting for the animal to
> bleed to death or die of sepsis.  Bleeding from sharp wounds certainly can be
> deadly when large arteries are partially severed.  When completely severed
> they tend to retract and constrict often with much less bleeding than
> anticipated.  Nerves travel with veins and arteries often so you could get
> motor nerve injury as well as muscular and tendon damage.   Sepsis in a large
> prey animal seems an ineffective way to kill prey for YOU to eat.

However, crushing bone is also a good way to cause bleeding.  It's seems hard
to stop bleeding from massive trauma to bone.  It just oozes.  You also have
the mechanical injury to the skeleton, especially effective in weight bearing
and critical muscle attachments areas.  And large nerves, arteries and veins
often travel near bone.

Adding torsional effects to simple crushing/biting would greatly magnify
injury.

Michael Teuton