See other Science/Tech Articles
Title: Largest Meat Eating Dinosaur Discovered
Source:
News BBC
URL Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/675939.stm
Published: Nov 18, 2005
Author: Dr Currie
Post Date: 2005-11-18 15:12:47 by Steppenwolf
Keywords: Discovered, Dinosaur, Largest
Views: 82
Comments: 5
Largest meat-eating dinosaur discovered Philip Currie views the dinosaur's razor-sharp teeth Scientists have discovered the bones of what may be largest meat-eating dinosaur ever to walk the Earth - a razor-toothed beast more terrifying than the Tyrannosaurus rex. This guy has a long snout and incredibly sharp teeth - I think it would have been terrifying Philip Currie A team of palaeontologists from Argentina and North America unearthed the fossils in the Patagonian desert, on the eastern slopes of the Argentinian Andes. There may be as many as six creatures preserved at the site. The predators' graveyard challenges the theory that the biggest meat-eaters were always loners. It suggests that these killers lived in packs, making them even more menacing to their prey. Dissecting prey "You always think of these things as being solitary. Now we know they travelled in packs," said Philip Currie, one of the team at the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Alberta, Canada. Dr Currie said the newly-discovered species lived about 100 million years ago and was heavier, with slightly shorter legs, than the T-rex. The dig which unearthed the dinosaur bones began in 1997 The dinosaur also had a long, narrow skull and a jaw shaped like scissors. That suggests it could have dissected its prey with almost surgical precision, Dr Currie added. Researchers estimated the meat-eating giant was 13.7 metres (45 feet) long, bigger than the reigning king of the carnivores, the 12.5 m (41 ft) Giganotosaurus. The better-known T-rex was about 12.2 m (40 ft) long. "I think it would look just as nasty, if not worse," Dr Currie said. "This guy has a long snout, long skull, incredibly sharp teeth - I think it would have been terrifying." As big as it gets Dr Currie believes the animal is related to the Giganotosaurus, but is a new species and genus, making the two creatures as closely related as a dog and a fox. The dinosaur is further removed from the T-rex, at least as different as a dog is from a cat. "The bigness of it gets headlines but, scientifically, it's not that important. But the fact that they travelled together, that's very interesting," said Jack Horner, a palaeontologist from Montana State University. Thomas Holtz, a palaeontologist at the University of Maryland, said future researchers are not likely to come upon carnivorous dinosaurs much larger than Dr Currie's find. "I think we're getting close to the size limit you could be and still be an effective meat-eater," said Dr Holtz. "If you get too large, you won't be able to hunt down prey because you'll simply be too ponderous."
Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
#1. To: Steppenwolf (#0)
Nice teeth! Death has a tendency to encourage a depressing view of war. – Donald Rumsfeld
Your published date that you put is incorrect. This is from March of 2000. The claim that they were meat eaters is just that a claim. They seem to have based it on its teeth shape and size. I didn't notice any samples of its shit to prove it was a meat eater.
The article you posted did not claim all dinosaurs ate grass, only that some of the plant eaters did. There is still no questions as to whether some dinos were carnivores.
And I'm optimistic. See, I think you can be realistic and optimistic at the same time. I'm optimistic we'll achieve -- I know we won't achieve if we send mixed signals. I know we're not going to achieve our objective if we send mixed signals - gwbush
Would YOU care to argue with them and say that with those teeth they were vegetarians?
"As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron." H.L. Mencken
Knowing what I do of Stone he would adopt them as babies and try to teach them the Scofield gospel.
And I'm optimistic. See, I think you can be realistic and optimistic at the same time. I'm optimistic we'll achieve -- I know we won't achieve if we send mixed signals. I know we're not going to achieve our objective if we send mixed signals - gwbush
#2. To: Steppenwolf (#0)
#3. To: A K A Stone (#2)
#4. To: A K A Stone (#2)
They seem to have based it on its teeth shape and size.
#5. To: Steppenwolf, A K A Stone (#4)
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest