читать дальшеT. rex vs St. aegyptiacus: The Ultimate Truth
This blog, if he had not understood, he speaks of knowledge of theropodi Mesozoic.
And the science of theropodi Mesozoic, if you were not aware of the last 20 years of research, revolves around a fundamental question, which can be considered the core of the whole discipline (and, consequently, the entire paleontology, since the rest of this science is only a minor detail around theropodi):
In a fight between (a sample adult) and Spinosaurus (of an adult) Tyrannosaurus, who would win?
For too long I pretended not to recognize the fundamental importance of this question. I can not keep the snob and pretend that this is not the most important question of the last 250 years of paleontology. Owen, Cope, Marsh, Osborn, Stromer, Gilmore, Lambe, Maleev, Ostrom, the Osmolska, Bakker, Horner, and all the other great scholars of the paleontology of dinosaurs gave their lives so that we may give an answer to this fundamental question .
And it is our duty to give an answer.
I then looked at all the factors involved, all the variables of size, mass, skeletal and muscular structure, the teeth, the morphology of the rostrum, the metabolic level, the neuronal structure, the most plausible behavioral spectrum, and, above all, the conditions for the development of the most important and significant biotic interaction entire Phanerozoic. I have not missed anything: every aspect has been taken into consideration, integrated with the other, and the strongest implications of each factor was used for the final reconstruction that I propose here.
This post, therefore, acts as a final and definitive answer. Paleontologist No other before today has analyzed this issue with the same level of detail and expertise, then no one has produced the answer in a more accurate, thoughtful, motivated by what you are about to read.
Suppose, as a hypothesis, that you have, in some way, an adult specimen of Spinosaurus aegyptiacus and an adult specimen of Tyrannosaurus rex. Disregard for now the futile question that the two specimens lived in geological times and in different contexts paleogeographic and environmental. These details do not concern us. Let's pretend for a moment that the two animals can be transported nowadays, and you will find a location suitable for both climatically and that it is irrelevant whether the two animals were originally adapted to climates and atmospheres, parasites and agents different pathogens. All these fools details we can neglect them.
Well now you have the two animals. To make them fight, it is necessary to put them against one another, possibly inside a limited space, such as a ring. In short, we want the two animals fight, not that everyone goes on his way. So, we set up an arena, with the right dimensions for the two animals. For example, a space as large as a half soccer field (soccer sensu americanibus). The first problem is that these animals are not pets, and do not necessarily want to come into our arena. We could lure them with bait. Therefore, we decided to lure them with food. To do this, we keep the two animals are fasted for a bit 'of time. Sooner or later, shall be hungry, and then push in the place that we have prepared for the clash. Keeping them hungry, also, will certainly be more aggressive, and driven by hunger will face off with greater ferocity. Is not that what we wanted?
Well, we keep the two fasted animals. Be careful, though you do not have to keep them too fast, You do not want that address emaciated and weakened? We want them beautiful loads in full force. No one cares about a fight between animals malnourished or sick.
Very well, the big day has arrived. We carry the two animals in cages that will open inside the area of combat. At the center of the contest have spent some food. To be sure, this food includes both meat and fish, so we are confident that even if such a Spinosaurus ichthyophagous closely approaches the meal. Please do not put too much food! You do not want the two animals are put to eat and satisfy themselves without a fight ... would be quite unbecoming for the purposes of our investigation. Indeed, put a little food on purpose: enough to attract them (remember we are both fasted), but too little to saziarne even one. This trick will be useful to get them to fight, even if only for what little food.
The moment has arrived. The two animals are inside their cages. We open the cages.
Not come out.
Perhaps, the artificial environment and stuns them all over again. Each of the two seems immobile, each in its own cage. The smell of the food probably will not take long to reach their noses, and hopefully that would lead them to leave.
The two animals do not seem to react.
To try to make them move, incited them with pointed. If necessary, some electric discharge is always good to stimulate a beast unresponsive.
After about ten minutes you infastitido both with awls and electrical discharges begin to mention here that out. Posizioniamoci top, to better observe the scene: we have the two cages, one facing the other, spaced apart from a few tens of meters, and in the middle of the small portion of food that acts as a decoy.
The two animals are rather slow. This should not surprise us, since both weigh several tons, and no animal of that size is particularly nimble nor agile. They have fluid movements, but I have to admit I am a bit 'too slow compared to what I expected. I was expecting something more responsive and dynamic. Surprising the hesitancy with which come from the cages are still the giant carnivores, so I waited animals of a certain pride. Instead of large turtles seem out of hibernation.
For now, it seems that the two animals are interacting.
After a few seconds, even when half of the respective code is output from the cages, the two animals stop. Here we are! Everyone has caught the presence of the other. For the first time in the history of life on Earth, one Spinosaurus and Tyrannosaurus meet.
What will happen?
Both produce no sound. Do not roar, do not snap their jaws. Do not shake tails and feet. They are firm. It is not clear if you are watching, studying, studying.
Remain unchanged.
They spend five long minutes in which nothing happens.
[... that sucks ... ]
Finally, it seems that they move. Slowly, with the muzzles leaning forward toward the food, the front legs close to your body, tail low, move a few steps toward the bait. Because of their size, they come with a few steps in front of the bait.
The moment has arrived. There is not enough food for both. Both are hungry. The clash is inevitable.
The two jaws are lowered on food, each at the opposite end of the bait. Slowly and a bit 'of hesitation, the two animals grab some bait, the swallow greedily without looking away from the other animal. The present little food is consumed in a few moments. Now, there's a lure to contend.
The two animals retreating in unison, always slowly and cautiously.
Appear to be under stress.
Move back up to their respective cages. Move away from each other, mutually, as much as possible. Finally, when they realize that there is more space to move away when they stop, each on the opposite side of the arena of combat. With a certain solemnity, the two animals crouch, like giant chickens, hiding his head behind the side, with the tail extended forward to cover part of the snouts. They crouch, in their own corner, and remain there, disoriented, hungry, stressed by a situation that is completely unnatural, and probably suffering from being torn from their natural environment.
End of combat.