RE: T. rex arms (was Re: DINOSAUR digest 1272)

["Beyer, Eric" <Eric.Beyer@cognos.com>]

Thanks all, it was a thought spoken out of ignorance.  

I am an enthusiast and I am not up on my T-rex anatomy but when I look at
the skeletons it seems possible that the head could be lowered to meet the
arms.  I have to do some more basic research on the movement of both head
and arms to better understand what is possible.

If the arms were used to help get its face out the dirt when standing up did
they actually offer enough elevation to do this?  Why would a difference of
a few inches be required in the first place?


-----Original Message-----
From: Ralph W. Miller III [mailto:gbabcock@best.com]
Sent: Friday, January 28, 2000 12:39 AM
To: Eric.Beyer@cognos.com; dinosaur@usc.edu
Subject: T. rex arms (was Re: DINOSAUR digest 1272)


Referring to the tyrannosaurs' forearm and manus function, "Beyer, Eric"
wrote:

> Sounds silly but...How about (a) simple theory.
> What if they were used to pick his teeth?

This might have been more practical if the "hands" could actually reach the
teeth, no?  Or are you inferring (from what evidence I do not know) mutual
dental grooming among tyrannosaurs?  What were they doing with those arms?
My
guess: not much.

-- Ralph W. Miller III       gbabcock@best.com