20040621

Rayfield , E.J. (2004) Cranial mechanics and feeding in Tyrannosaurus rex. Proceedings: Biological Sciences

Abstract: Evidence from the fossil record suggests that the dinosaur Tyrannosaurus rex fed using a \\\\\\\'puncture-pull\\\\\\\' feeding strategy, in which a forceful, bone-shattering bite was followed by drawing teeth through flesh and bone. This study uses the engineering technique Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to visualise stress and strain within the Tyrannosaurus skull during a bite, revealing that the skull was equally adapted to resist puncturing- and pulling-induced stress. The thickened nasal bones accommodate shearing and compression and paradoxical mobile contacts (sutures) between the skull bones may help reduce damaging tensile stresses in the skull bones and serve as potential \\\\\\\'shock-absorbers\\\\\\\'.

Comment: This study supports the 1996 paper of G.M. Erickson and K.H. Olson ( Bite marks attributable to Tyrannosaurus rex: preliminary description and implications. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 16 (1): 175-178.)

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