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Tyrannosaurids also had problems with their children |
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Written by Administrator
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Sunday, 08 November 2009 |
 It's often said that teenagers tend to neurotic and fanatical. As is clear from recent studies, problems with their children were also tyrannosaurids – seen juveniles in fact in serious fights with their peers - the letter informs the trade "Palaios.
Evidence that researchers from Northern Illinois University and the Burpee Museum of Natural History in Rockford, found by analyzing the U.S. Jane - the skeleton of young dinosaur museum with this species. Jane on the bones shows signs of serious injuries - has been bitten so hard that the opponent's teeth at four locations mouth and jaw bone. The wounds are not life-threatening, and finally healed - researchers say. However, were the scars. "Jane is what we call boxing his nose. Her mouth slightly bias to the left. It was probably broken and askew to zrósł" says geologist and lead author of the publication, Joe Peterson. The researchers found that the perpetrator of these wounds was another young Tyrannosaurus. "Only a few animals could ask such wounds" - proves Peterson noting that the bite marks were elongated shape. Teeth of a crocodile or an adult T. rex lost slightly different tracks.
"When examining the jaw and teeth, Jane realized that her own might leave teeth marks are very similar to those that appear on her bones. This leads us to believe that she was attacked by a member of their own species, which was of similar age. Because the wounds are healed - we believe that this took place when Jane was a few years younger "- says an expert. Jane true gender is not known. Unclear, however, that the animal died young. Long for about seven meters high and 2.5 m in (not counting the head) the animal weighed about 750 kilograms. It was constructed so as to effectively kill and helped in the 71 sharp teeth. Despite this, Jane was still much smaller than adult T. rex. Experts have estimated that it could be 11-12 yrs, and therefore fall within the group of young dinosaur. "Study traces bites on the face of Jane demonstrates that already at this young age of dinosaur engaged in serious fighting" - notes Peterson. Traces of the wounds was noted in a few years after the discovery of the skeleton. "When we found Jane's skull, the bones were scattered" - says Peterson, who first studied the plaster casts of the bones. He noted that after the cuts, the left part of the upper jaw had more holes than a part of the law. Area around the mouth and the edges of punctures were smooth, indicating that if it were wound had to heal the animal's life. Since the dinosaur has not yet reached puberty, the researchers concluded that the cause of the fight was more of a sexual conflict or competition. This could be an attempt to force young people resulting from a desire to dominate or territorial conflict. Similar behavior - and similar traces of struggle - are observed in the young representatives of other species of animals, especially crocodiles.
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 22 November 2009 )
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