Re: Fwd: Re: How would Tyrannosaurus approach a Triceratops?

[Demetrios Vital <demetrios.vital@gmail.com>]

On 8/20/05, Jura <pristichampsus@yahoo.com> wrote:

> As for looking down his snout, I'm more fond of the
> alternative way for large theropods to view their
> prey. Instead of looking straight down the snout, they
> could look up from it. This removes most of the
> cumbersome snout from the field of vision, and should
> greatly increase depth of field.
>
> [snip]
> 
> The snout angling wouldn't have to be all that extreme
> either. Just a slight (45 degrees or so) dip to get a
> better view of things.

If I'm correct, T. rex's occipital condyle was angled such that it's
head was oriented 45 degrees below horizontal.  To my knowledge, this
is unusual among theropods.  It is interesting that T. rex evolved
smaller lacrimals, more anteriorly oriented orbits, and also an angled
occipital condyle.  Naturally, T. rex's head angled downwards in such
a way as to remove the snout from the line of sight.  This may be all
coincidental, but they seem to be adaptations which jive well with
some degree of binocular vision.

What other dinosaurs had angled occipital condyles?  

Demetrios

P.S.  With none of my books in front of me, I can't cite anything to
back myself up.  If I was completely erroneous above, please let me
know...