Forum Topic

Makaveli7
MemberCompsognathusJul-24-2013 10:19 PMYour Favorite Dinosaur Theories
Being that dinosaurs are extinct, almost everything we know about them comes from fossil record and that actually tells us surprisingly little about their habits in life. Scientists theorize at least 90% of what we "know" about dinosaurs and less than 5% of all dinosaurs to exist have been found. There was likely an undiscovered theropod bigger than Spinosaurus, there likely was a theropod with a higher bite force than Tyrannosaurus (possibly Torvosaurus), there was likely a dinosaur smarter than Troodon and there was likely a dromaeosaur bigger than Utahraptor.
Some popular theories are about "synonymous species" like the possibility that Nanotyrannus was a juvenile Tyrannosaurus, or Torosaurus being the adult form of Triceratops with Nedoceratops as a transitional form and there's even another theory that suggests Nedoceratops was a hybrid between the two.
[img]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RVVUU2V2j2k/TT-cCPtrF8I/AAAAAAAAAiA/i0-ysli-0bs/s320/trike_growth.jpg[/img]
One theory I really like is the "grizzly bear" Spinosaurus theory. It would suggest that Spinosaurus had a hump instead of a sail like a grizzly and walked quadrupedally. This is supported by their very similar arm to leg and body proportions and claws as well as their diet and very robust weight carrying bones. This would mean that Spinosaurus could charge very fast like a grizzly and would likely also have several other features of a grizzly. It would also explain how it got so big because an animal 60 feet long is unlikely to be bipedal because of Cope's rule, which states that there is a limit to how big you can get when walking on two legs before gravity gets the best of you which would have been around 10-13 tons and 45-50 feet, which either meant Spinosaurus was impossibly lightly built (like a Troodon) or it was quadrupedal.
[img]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-3D-1Ie28MN8/UfCYQ-ascNI/AAAAAAAAADg/LZ95Zu_liB8/s640/blogger-image-1933283917.jpg[/img]
[img]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-oTFRj98mTNI/UfCYRm_ntwI/AAAAAAAAADo/9J32SZECapY/s640/blogger-image-341428148.jpg[/img]
What's your favorite theory?
Future Team Raptor member
13 Replies

futurepaleontologist1
MemberCompsognathusJul-25-2013 1:36 AMI would have to say that my favorite dinosaur theory is T. Rex scavenger theory because it had never even been considered before that T. Rex was not predatorial. Go Horner!
Pity is for the living. Envy is for the dead.
-Mark Twain

Deltadromeus
MemberCompsognathusJul-25-2013 2:38 AMDoes it have to be someone else's. To be honest, I like my theory that Dilophosaurus stored poison in its crest. As for other people, I don't know. Ooh ooh, pick me pick me. The 82 foot long Lioplurodon thing.
Hi

No longer active
MemberCompsognathusJul-25-2013 2:49 AMSo you believe the Monster of Aramberri was a Liopleurodon species too? I don't see why it shouldn't be. It has very similar anatomy...

No longer active
MemberCompsognathusJul-25-2013 3:03 AMOh and my favorite theory is the sauropod trunk theory. It's pretty unlikely but I like it.
[img]http://www.cryptomundo.com/wp-content/uploads/brachiosaurus_trunk1.jpg[/img]
Ps why does the Spino have a trunk?

Rex Fan 684
MemberCompsognathusJul-25-2013 8:51 AMHere are some of my favorites...
T-rex Theories
Tyrannosaurus was a hunter most of the time and a scavenger the rest of the time.
Tyrannosaurus lived in family packs.
Tyrannosaurus was the largest land predator.
Spino Theories
Spinosaurus was up to 56 ft long, but weighed around 7 tons.
Spinosaurus used it's claws more than anything else in combat.
Spinosaurus did not attack prey bigger than 20 ft or so unless it had to.
Other Theories
Liopleurodon was up to 80-85 ft long and 75-150 tons.
Gallimimus could hit speeds of up to 65 mph.
Ornithocheirus had a wingspan of 40 ft.
There are a few others, but I don't want to get in to all of them.
"Men like me don't start the wars. We just die in them. We've always died in them, and we always will. We don't expect any praise for it, no parades. No one knows our names."
―Alpha-98

Makaveli7
MemberCompsognathusJul-25-2013 2:24 PMSpino has a trunk because its supposed to explain the crest, hooked snout and show another similarity to the grizzly, with flexible lips like the bear.
Future Team Raptor member

Gigadino
MemberCompsognathusJul-25-2013 5:51 PM@Rex Fan 684: Most of these were not a theories, but just a estimates.
My favourite is:
Carcharodontosaurid that living in groups for eat large Sauropod as Argentinosaurus.
[img]https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQPfHmSlIP22yaOC7xG38roFHRWi9zVWKN7qrAlgDUaod2xV9OARw[/img]

Rex Fan 684
MemberCompsognathusJul-25-2013 6:28 PMEstimates and theories are similar. People have different estimates just like they have different theories. Figured they were close enough to make it on my list.
"Men like me don't start the wars. We just die in them. We've always died in them, and we always will. We don't expect any praise for it, no parades. No one knows our names."
―Alpha-98

Spinolicious
MemberCompsognathusJul-25-2013 7:46 PMI am totally beside Tyrannosaurus hunted in packs. Well most of their lives...
I believe that once the hatchlings are old enough to leave the siblings form a pack (similar to those of some raptors) Some may die or wander it would depend on it's situation. Maybe at a certain age the pack may part or break up into smaller groups. At a certain age the pack may threaten the "alpha" or each other over food and certain territory (spots and situations again) then it might turn into a fight for leadership and possibly independents. But that's just me, and plus I'm no scientist.
\"The point is, your still alive, when they start to eat you...\"

Spinolicious
MemberCompsognathusJul-25-2013 7:46 PMI am totally beside Tyrannosaurus hunted in packs. Well most of their lives...
I believe that once the hatchlings are old enough to leave the siblings form a pack (similar to those of some raptors) Some may die or wander it would depend on it's situation. Maybe at a certain age the pack may part or break up into smaller groups. At a certain age the pack may threaten the "alpha" or each other over food and certain territory (spots and situations again) then it might turn into a fight for leadership and possibly independents. But that's just me, and plus I'm no scientist.
\"The point is, your still alive, when they start to eat you...\"

Rex Fan 684
MemberCompsognathusJul-25-2013 7:54 PMI think an alpha male and female, the parents, would be in charge of the pack. Male offspring would stay with the pack until they reached sexual maturity. Then, they would be forced out to start packs of their own. Females could stay with their parents their whole lives if they wish or leave when they please and find a male to mate with and start another pack. During a hunt, the smaller and faster offspring would chase the prey into the jaws of the hiding adults who are bigger and stronger, but slightly slower. That's how I think Tyrannosaurus packs operated.
"Men like me don't start the wars. We just die in them. We've always died in them, and we always will. We don't expect any praise for it, no parades. No one knows our names."
―Alpha-98

Lord Vader
MemberTyrannosaurus RexJul-25-2013 8:11 PMThat's probably how it would operate. I would love to see something like that.
Jack of all trades. Master of none

Rex Fan 684
MemberCompsognathusJul-25-2013 8:22 PMIt would be an impressive sight.
"Men like me don't start the wars. We just die in them. We've always died in them, and we always will. We don't expect any praise for it, no parades. No one knows our names."
―Alpha-98
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