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Re: How would Tyrannosaurus approach a Triceratops?

Is there any actual hard evidence for Triceratops being a herd animal (tracks, massive bone deposits)? Or is it just taken as a reasonable assumption? Also do we know how ceratopsian frills & horns grew over the animal's lifespan?

But if I was a T.Rex...and I am...

...Stalk the triceratops herd at distance--for days at a time if need be. Use the superior eyesight and elevation of the head to stay safe yet keep close track of how the herd is moving. And then when a triceratops calf or arthritic old bull gets separated, sprint in on those long long legs and get in a single T.Rex size bite--then flee, if necessary.

The herd must move on eventually. The calf is dead or will bleed to death--or in the worst-case scenario rejoins the herd crippled and vulnerable to a follow-up. Chase off any pesky scavengers and chow down. Nap. Repeat.

Maybe T/ Rexes travelled in mated pairs. A single set of mated pairs per triceratops herd. Two Trexes could manage a pretty big herd I would think.

The obvious mammalian model here is lion prides tracking and travelling with wildebeest herds in seasons. The lions do all they can to avoid a head-on confrontation.



On Aug 17, 2005, at 9:41 AM, Eric Allen wrote:

Couldn't the damage also be interpreted as the alleged
attack coming from the side and the during one point
biting at the head?  Damage to the horn and frill
doesn't necessairly mean a frontal assault.


--- Tim Donovan <uwrk2@yahoo.com> wrote: 
--- "Richard W. Travsky" <rtravsky@uwyo.edu> wrote:


On those remains that are known, do the horns show
any
sign of damage, impact stress, whatever?


 Remember Happ's recent study? The specimen-SUP 9713
IIRC-displays a partly  broken off horn with a
healed
puncture wound, and a frill with wounds which match
the spacing of T. rex teeth. That suggests
Triceratops
faced its opponent or charged it.



                
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