Taming the T-rex …And other dinosaurs CHALLENGING EARTH HISTORY: Part II The Data Elaine Kennedy, Ph.D. Geoscience Research Institute

Dinosaur Database BONES SKULLS SKULLS S KIN IMPRESSIONS TRACKS & DUNG TRACKS & DUNG EGGS & BABIES EGGS & BABIES DEATH ASSEMBLAGES

Data: Bones Fragments & StructureFragments & Structure –Skeletal Fragments –Muscle Attachment Scars –Size Comparisons DNA?DNA?

Data: Bone Fragments Jumbled bone bedsJumbled bone beds Isolated skeletal featuresIsolated skeletal features –Ankle bone –Hip structure Muscle attachment Muscle attachmentscars –Tendons

Data: Skeletons Chasmosaurus Nearly Complete Skeletons –Muscle Attachment Scars –Size Comparisons

Data: Wide Variety within Families Zuniceratops Triceratops

Data: Large & Small Hadrosaur Deinonychus Hadrosaur Deinonychus Height ~to a giraffe ~to a German shepard Height ~to a giraffe ~to a German shepard

Interpretation: Males vs Females? Length of chevrons at base of tail Interpretation: Stegosaurus male? Length of chevrons at base of tail Interpretation: Rhabdodon female?

Data: Structural Comparisons Researchers compare femursResearchers compare femurs –From left (not to scale): –Probactrosaurus –Chasmosaurus Cervical vertebral featuresCervical vertebral features –Psittacosaurus –Camarasaurus

DATA: SKULLS Tarbosaurus bataar Zuniceratops Lobes of the Brain –Internal cast of the brain case: sight (optic), hearing (otic) & sense of smell (olfactory) Teeth –Structure suggests diet

Data: Skulls Allosaurus skull Muscle Attachment Scars on Jaws

Data: Skin Impressions CorythosaurusCorythosaurus Skin impression (mold)Skin impression (mold) –Associated skeleton Dinosaur embryoDinosaur embryo –Associated bone fragments –Skin impression? –Precipitate? Animation and color adjustment by E Kennedy with permission from Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, which is not responsible for any interpretation of its exhibits on this web site

Data: Dinosaur Tracks Tracks made by dinosaursTracks made by dinosaurs Tracks found in water-laid depositsTracks found in water-laid deposits Human tracks not found with dinosaur tracksHuman tracks not found with dinosaur tracks

Data: Dung Rock does not match associated sedimentRock does not match associated sediment Petrified woody tissue & burrowsPetrified woody tissue & burrows Dung beetle burrows?Dung beetle burrows?

Data: Montana: Hadrosaur Baby & Egg Maiasaura Arrows indicate large eggshell fragments

Data: Death Assemblages Coelophysis Preservation state Entombing sediments

Part II: Summary The data base for dinosaurs includes: 1.Skeletons to bone fragments from which structural information can be surmised. 2.Skin impressions provide information about appearance. 3.Tracks and possible dung indicate the animals really lived and moved over the earth. 4.Eggs and possible nests suggest breeding activities, and… 5.Death assemblages found worldwide occur in water-laid deposits.