T-Rex may have been a cannibal

[Guest The Architect]

Researchers say huge tooth marks on Tyrannosaurus Rex indicate the giant dinosaurs may have cannibalised one another.

 

"They're the kind of marks that any big carnivore could have made, but T Rex was the only big carnivore in western North America 65 million years ago," Nicholas R Longrich of Yale University said in a statement.

 

Longrich and colleagues report their findings in Friday's edition of the journal PLoS ONE.

 

They found 17 fossils with deep V-shaped gouges of a type identified as being made by T Rex. Of those, four were remains of T Rex themselves.

 

It seems likely the marks were made during scavenging from a dead dinosaur, the researchers said.

 

"It does seem improbable that Tyrannosaurus routinely hunted full-grown members of its own species," the researchers wrote.

 

However, they added, it is possible that combat led to casualties, with the dead becoming convenient sources of food for the victors.

 

"Still, compelling evidence for predation in Tyrannosaurus remains elusive."

 

Longrich and colleagues note that "cannibalism is common in nature, particularly among large carnivores" such as bears, hyenas, large cats, Komodo dragons and alligators.

 

Co-authors of the research are John Horner of Montana State University, Gregory Erickson of Florida State University and Philip Currie of the University of Alberta.

 

Sauce.

 

What's next, we'll discover that velociraptors were into necrophilia?

[Shryke]

not necrophilia, just feathers

[Guest The Architect]

Wow, I'll never think of raptors the same way again.

[Gorth]

Bah, everybody knows

[Guest The Architect]

I've seen that before. Just another day in the office.

[Walsingham]

I've seen that before. Just another day in the office.

 

A day in your office consists of being eaten by a pelican? How do I apply?

[Gorth]

I've seen that before. Just another day in the office.

 

A day in your office consists of being eaten by a pelican? How do I apply?

Been there, done that, although it wasn't in the office. Still while at work though >_

 

Working on a project inland, we (a colleague and I) were taking a quick lunch break down at the river, bringing some junk food. We noticed this pair of pelicans begging food scraps from the guys sitting on the bench next to ours and when they left, this pelican duo moved to our bench. Thinking Ah, what the heck? We found it somewhat amusing tossing french fries at the stupid birds, watching those otherwise ungainly creatures snatch them out of the air. Always being too curious for my own good, I wondered if I could hand feed them. Tentatively holding out my hand with a dangling frie... *Clomp*

 

Tried to tear off my arm at the elbow

 

Well, it didn't really tear it off, but the darned things (pelican beaks) are sharp and jagged, like serrated blades and the soft skin of my lower arm was no match for it. Took almost 24 hours before it stopped bleeding completely. Didn't hold a grudge though, gave them the rest of my fries before getting some cloth wrapped around my arm. Since then, I've had my suspicions about the ravenous nature of pelicans

[Walsingham]

Sweet Jesus. You know if you get bitten by a pelican you normally turn into a were-pelican?

[Gorth]

I have a calendar that shows the moons phases on my desktop >_

[Walsingham]

Moon be damned! How are you in the presence of an open tin of anchovies?

[Gorth]

Fffiohbies? uh uh... nuhh mnfjobies ere...

 

[WILL THE ALMIGHTY]

I don't see how this is surprising. Cannibalism in animals (or at the very least dinosaurs) is far from uncommon.

 

Also, who cares, who cares if they eat each other, it's not like animals have a conscience or anything.

[Serrano]

Of course they do

[GreasyDogMeat]

Bah, everybody knows

That pelican should be given a medal for making the city a little better to live in! My car will rest a little easier today.

[Walsingham]

Bah, everybody knows

That pelican should be given a medal for making the city a little better to live in! My car will rest a little easier today.

 

I'm with you there. The day will come when I can get a milliwave radar guided laser system to shoot pigeons. Until then I'm going to use this waffle iron.

[Guest The Architect]

"I had two pigeons, bright and gay, fly from me the other day. Why was it they did go? You cannot tell, you do not know."

 

"You mean McClane?"

 

"No, I mean Santa Claus."

 

Bah, everybody knows

That pelican should be given a medal for making the city a little better to live in! My car will rest a little easier today.

 

I'm with you there. The day will come when I can get a milliwave radar guided laser system to shoot pigeons. Until then I'm going to use this waffle iron.

 

Hahaha.

 

You could make pigeon waffles.

[Walsingham]

"I had two pigeons, bright and gay, fly from me the other day. Why was it they did go? You cannot tell, you do not know."

 

"You mean McClane?"

 

"No, I mean Santa Claus."

 

Bah, everybody knows

That pelican should be given a medal for making the city a little better to live in! My car will rest a little easier today.

 

I'm with you there. The day will come when I can get a milliwave radar guided laser system to shoot pigeons. Until then I'm going to use this waffle iron.

 

Hahaha.

 

You could make pigeon waffles.

 

I bet they would taste of kebab meat and prophylactics.

[Moose]

Pfft, even turtles eat pigeons.

 

... yes it is on youtube.

[Gorgon]

Here's karma

 

[Tale]

I bet they would taste of kebab meat and prophylactics.

You dislike kebab?