Favorite dinosaur?

[thestonesfan]

Originally posted by gozpel
Otherwise, raptors are great. Teamworking and quite intelligent, Could've been us if the meteor didn't happen?

Doubtful. They were perfect killing machines. Why evolve further? Look at sharks.

 

[Kev1916]

Favorite dinosaur?


Couldn't resist re earlier thread

 

[gozpel]

Btw, it is quite proven that T-Rex and other huge dinos weren't hunters, they were more like ambushers, similar to todays lions.

To get up over 50 km/hr and keep it for a distance you need extraordinary heart and lungs, and T-Rex didn't possess that, unfortunately for you admirerers. And they were too heavy.

But in close combat, T-Rex was invincible...could take on prey triple its size, mostly because it inflicted severe damage on first strike.

But there are lots of evidence that they had a hard time as well, with broken ribs and such, when targets hit them back.

 

[carlosMM]

Originally posted by gozpel
Btw, it is quite proven that T-Rex and other huge dinos weren't hunters, they were more like ambushers, similar to todays lions.

To get up over 50 km/hr and keep it for a distance you need extraordinary heart and lungs, and T-Rex didn't possess that, unfortunately for you admirerers. And they were too heavy.

But in close combat, T-Rex was invincible...could take on prey triple its size, mostly because it inflicted severe damage on first strike.

But there are lots of evidence that they had a hard time as well, with broken ribs and such, when targets hit them back.

ah, did you get that from the BBC?


curent research by serious scientists (not a certain guy in desperate need of publicity and funding) shows that Tyrannosaurs indeed were NOT chasers like wild dogs are, but rather hunted in a similar fashion like lions - which are NOT typical ambushers either! Tigers are, but lions and hyenas usually hunt by actively seeking the prey, confusing a herd member, splitting it from the herd, then making a short run for it. That is not ambush!

as for your theory on heart and lungs: tyrannosaurs are theropods, closest relatives of birds. Parsimony and analysis of skeletons dictate that we assume bird-style lungs, muscles and endothermy for them. Quite sufficient to actively run after prey.

Now, 50 Mph is BS for T. rex; todays heavyset predators also do not reach these speeds. Smaller, maniraptoran hunters probably could run a lot faster than the bigger forms though - like Cheetahs outrun lions and tigers easily.

 

[thestonesfan]

Originally posted by gozpel
Btw, it is quite proven that T-Rex and other huge dinos weren't hunters, they were more like ambushers, similar to todays lions.

Er, but isn't that hunting?

To get up over 50 km/hr and keep it for a distance you need extraordinary heart and lungs, and T-Rex didn't possess that, unfortunately for you admirerers. And they were too heavy.

I tend to agree. Nothing that size on two legs could do more than short bursts, I imagine.

But in close combat, T-Rex was invincible...could take on prey triple its size, mostly because it inflicted severe damage on first strike.

The T-Rex has an extremely solid skull and neckbones that could anchor a battleship, which experts see as an indication that they charged headlong, at full-speed, towards prey. You do not want to be on the receiving end of that!

 

[thestonesfan]

Originally posted by carlosMM


ah, did you get that from the BBC?


curent research by serious scientists (not a certain guy in desperate need of publicity and funding) shows that Tyrannosaurs indeed were NOT chasers like wild dogs are, but rather hunted in a similar fashion like lions - which are NOT typical ambushers either! Tigers are, but lions and hyenas usually hunt by actively seeking the prey, confusing a herd member, splitting it from the herd, then making a short run for it. That is not ambush!

They get the prey by chasing right into the jaws of another lion, that is hiding. I would call that ambushing.

I doubt the T-rex hunted like that, however. It's pretty much accepted that adults were solitary animals.

 

[carlosMM]

Originally posted by thestonesfan
I tend to agree. Nothing that size on two legs could do more than short bursts, I imagine.

Interestingly, the legs make T. rex more of a walker - able to follow migrating herds over long distances. So, if he ever ran at full speed, then indeed in only short bursts (as opposed to wolf and dog)

 

[carlosMM]

Originally posted by thestonesfan


They get the prey by chasing right into the jaws of another lion, that is hiding. I would call that ambushing.

I doubt the T-rex hunted like that, however. It's pretty much accepted that adults were solitary animals.

ambushing is defined as lying in wait for the prey to happen by. if it is being chased, then the guy doing the chasing is anything but lying around waiting, right?

also, the lion who makes the first contact and tries to topple the prey and kill it never lies in wait (hiding!), she (!) has to steal into position, then run at the prey, too, and a lot.....

sure, coordinated hunt makes the distances shorter here, but an abush is something entirely different. A typical ambusher makes a short lunge of 2 or maybe 5 meters - lions regularly run several tens to hundreds of meters.

 

[thestonesfan]

There are degrees of ambushes, I'd say. I imagine a T-Rex would attack like a croc, which is the very definition of ambush.

 

[carlosMM]

Originally posted by thestonesfan
There are degrees of ambushes, I'd say. I imagine a T-Rex would attack like a croc, which is the very definition of ambush.

T. rex is not at all adapted to that way of living, nor are its smaller ancestors.

You can claim he hunted like a tiger - that is quite feasible (though I would think he was more actively busy going for the prey as there are indications of group hunting. Ambushes are for solitary animals [crocodiles are not living in social groupings, they just infest probable places for prey to show up]).

 

[omichyron]

I'm going with the behemoth. you know.... that big thing that the Bible proves existed sometime back

 

[Lord Paul]

Originally posted by gozpel
You forgot one important dino, the Archaeopteryx.

The dino that learnt to fly! A small creature, but instead of been eaten, it took flight

It didn't evolve, but I won't get into debating Evolution.

 

[Moff Jerjerrod]

Godzillasaurus!!!

 

[Moonsinger]

My favorite dinosaur was Barney, the Purple Dinosaur which isn't on your list.

 

[Ossric]

It's got to hurt if a T-Rex is hit by the tale of that huge Brontosaurus. Talk about a big wip there...

 

[Thadlerian]

For some weird reason the coolest dinosaur of them all isn't on the list.

It's of course the Iguanodon!

 

[Yaniv]

As a vegeterian, I have to go with the large herbivore- Brontosaur.

 

[BorgeoisBuffoon]

Baryonix! The gator-esque dino found in England! With suck wicked-looking claws and teeth!

Tie between him and Triceratops for my fave.

 

[carlosMM]

Originally posted by Lord Paul


It didn't evolve, but I won't get into debating Evolution.

a) it did evole

b) if you are not going to discuss it - why make the smart alek remark?

 

[Superevie]

Originally posted by carlosMM


a) it did evole

Darn tootin! Even if you are christian or creationist, you do believe in some evolution. I had a friend who was creationist and he did believe in evolution later on, but not in humans.