Re: The Face of Death

[Dinosaur World <dinoworld@msn.com>]

Thanks Mike.
Any idea why it is a separate piece that is not actually attached to the 
skull? It has a concave back that appears to be smooth, rather than being 
fused or sutured to the skull. Is this a flaw in the reproduction or is 
there something I am not getting?


From: "T. Michael Keesey" <keesey@gmail.com>
Reply-To: keesey@gmail.com
To: Dinosaur Mailing List <dinosaur@usc.edu>
Subject: Re: The Face of Death
Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2006 17:27:36 -0700

On 4/26/06, Dinosaur World <dinoworld@msn.com> wrote:
> I have a replica of the skull of Stan, the Tyrannosaurus. He has, what
> appears to be, brow horns (Postorbital rugosity?), over each orbit. Is it
> possible for these to be moved or manipulated to alter the "expression" 
of
> the face? Could a Tyrannosaur use facial expression to threaten or
> intimidate a rival?

No, it's bone. It can only be "manipulated" by bashing it in or breaking it 
off.

Sauropsids (birds and reptiles) aren't generally as facially
expressive as mammals, and we simian primates are especially facially
expressive.
--
Mike Keesey
The Dinosauricon: http://dino.lm.com
Parry & Carney: http://parryandcarney.com