Re: How would Tyrannosaurus approach a Triceratops?

[Mike Lima <taradosgon@yahoo.com>]

The issue about the lion comparison is that lions are
low to the ground, and also they can hide amongst
grass and get really close to their prey. When hunting
herd animals, even African Buffalo, when a lion
charges from the grass it will startle them and they
will all start running with the lion chasing and
biting from behind. While a Rhinoceros is more prone
to charge. Now it seems like Tyrannosaurus would have
to cross a greater distance than a lion to catch its
prey, and if Triceratops had the temperment of a
rhinoceros, hunting a Triceratops seems like a good
way for a Tyrannosaurus to be seriosly injured or
killed. While if they behaved more like modern bovids
a Tyrannosaurus would have a quick oppurtunity to kill
a Triceratops as they attempt to flee. 

--- Neal Romanek <nromanek@earthlink.net> wrote:

> 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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> 



                
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