Re: [Suchomimus tenerensis]

[Chris Campbell <sankarah@ou.edu>]

Caleb Lewis wrote:
> 
> >
> >The problem that I've found with trying to describe the behaviours of
> >_Suchomimus tenerensis_ is that, while it was certainly big enough to
> >tackle large deinosaurs, it's jaws were slim as hell. About as slim 
> >as _Tomistoma schlegelii_. How could this huge theropod take down 
> >another large deinosaur with jaws that slim?
> 
> The same could be said by a paleontologist millions of years from now
> who might happen to discover a corcodile or even an alligator skeleton.
> They would also conclude that it must have had a pescivourus diet, and
> its jaws would break under the pressure of anything else.

It's not really the same, though.  In crocs you get huge, slender jaws 
which are typically used to take down things like antelope, who are
fairly 
small.  They (usually) don't mess with hippos or buffalo or elephants, 
since these animals would tear them apart.  In addition, fish are a big 
part of most crocodillians' diets, and there are several species (with 
long, slim jaws) who are dedicated to fish and nothing else.  
 
I dunno.  Seems to me the guy could have relied on fish as a staple part 
of the diet, grabbing small dinos and what not as the opportunity
presented 
itself.  It also could have had a dual role, that of
piscovore/scavenger.  
Most predators scavenge when they can, and there doesn't seem to be any
readily apparent 
reason why Suchomimus would have been any different.