RE: Feathers for T-Rex?

["Nick Gardner" <ratites637@hotmail.com>]

Aaron Sticht wrote:
> Granted, T-rexes do not have forelimbs that could reach the tops of their
> heads, I think we all know they could not probably barely even scratch 
> their
> chins, however, where would there be any evidence that we can draw that a
> T-Rex WAS a solitary animal?  Most birds are social animals, even the
> majority of birds of prey pair for life.  I don't think we can compare
> mammal predators with dinosaur predators because I honestly don't believe
> that we can make a true analogous comparison of the two.  I think the
> behaviors of birds would be a more accurate way of drawing conclusions on
> T-Rex or other theropod behaviors.  Most bird species use some form of
> display to attract a mate.  Would it be that hard to imagine an animal 45
> feet long doing some form of mating ritual that may even involve 
> rudimentary
> feather-like protusions on its head?  I doubt highly that they don't have
> primary flight feathers like modern flighted birds.  Most grooming and
> preening takes place on modern birds to straighten flight feathers, birds
> also preen their underfeathers removing ticks or other parasites which may
> have gotten close to their skin.  All birds molt periodically throughout 
> the
> year, I would think this would be a way for T-Rex to have a good set of
> feathers when it was time to look for a lady.

I believe it was Bakker who pointed out the similarities between the 
incisoriform premax teeth of tyrannosaurids and the grooming incisors of 
modern mammal predators.




nick gardner
 = paleoartist
 = paleogeek

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