Top predator wannabe is just another T. rex

[sauroid]

A new study concludes that the two supposed specimens of Nanotyrannus are simply juvenile versions of T. rex.
http://news.sciencemag.org/paleontology/2015/10/top-predator-wannabe-just-another-t-rex?rss=1

[suspsy]

Not a surprise. Although I hear Bakker is still advocating for Nano.

[Balaur]

Well, it's Bakker, of course he still advocates it.

Anyways, I have gone back and forth on this debate more than anything else. However, recently, I've been thinking that Nano simply is a subadult Manospondylus, so, not very surprising.

[Pachyrhinosaurus]

I really liked the idea of having a smaller Hell Creek predator, but the synonomy is equally cool. It's still a shame about the Dueling Dinosaurs specimen, though, as that has a yet-to-be-named ceratopsid in it as well.

[Gwangi]

I've always wanted Nanotyrannus to be its own genus and species, but I always felt it never was. And that's how science works, follow the evidence, your preference doesn't matter. There are a lot of paleontologists who don't seem to realize that, BANDits in particular.

[suspsy]

I rather like the idea that T. rex occupied the roles of lower, middle, and top predator as it aged.

[Balaur]

Speaking of which there was an abstract of a study featured at SVP that seemed to show that juvenile and adult tyrannosaurids occupied different niches.

[Viking Spawn]

I rather like the idea that T. rex occupied the roles of lower, middle, and top predator as it aged.

Me too.  This new information is intriguing and shows this creature was a true tyrant no matter what size and/or age.

[EarthboundEiniosaurus]

I rather like the idea that T. rex occupied the roles of lower, middle, and top predator as it aged.

Yes, it's quite interesting and quite logical. This niche partitioning among different age groups of the same species may help to explain why there are so few medium to small sized predatory genera to be found in American late cretaceous deposits, along with preservation bias of course. It's also interesting as there are very few modern day examples of this (sharks come to mind)

Thanks,

EarthboundEiniosaurus

[suspsy]

I'd like to see some paleoart of a pack of juvvies swarming an adult Triceratops.

[Sim]

It's good to see this.  The arguments for Nanotyrannus being valid have always been speculation, some of which has been proven wrong, and they've come across as a bit desperate.  I haven't found them convincing.  It would be good to see something like this for some pachycephalosaurs too.  The evidence has become overwhelming.

I really liked the idea of having a smaller Hell Creek predator, but the synonomy is equally cool. It's still a shame about the Dueling Dinosaurs specimen, though, as that has a yet-to-be-named ceratopsid in it as well.

Well, there are Hell Creek predators smaller than Tyrannosaurus.  Among dinosaurs there's Acheroraptor at least.  I wonder if the Dueling Dinosaurs ceratopsian is a juvenile Torosaurus?

[stargatedalek]

In all fairness I'm inclined to believe Stygimoloch and Dracorex and Nanotyrannus and Tyrannosaurus are synonymous, but I'll hold my breathe for any of the other "combination ideas" I've seen hitting the media lately.

[Halichoeres]

I rather like the idea that T. rex occupied the roles of lower, middle, and top predator as it aged.

Yes, it's quite interesting and quite logical. This niche partitioning among different age groups of the same species may help to explain why there are so few medium to small sized predatory genera to be found in American late cretaceous deposits, along with preservation bias of course. It's also interesting as there are very few modern day examples of this (sharks come to mind)

Thanks,

EarthboundEiniosaurus

I think lots of aquatic things with indeterminate growth fit this model, like crocodiles and pike. It's just that the top predators in terrestrial ecosystems these days tend to be mammals or birds, which just happen to have protracted parental care, so that by the time the young are hunting for themselves, they're big enough to eat the same things.

[EarthboundEiniosaurus]

I rather like the idea that T. rex occupied the roles of lower, middle, and top predator as it aged.

Yes, it's quite interesting and quite logical. This niche partitioning among different age groups of the same species may help to explain why there are so few medium to small sized predatory genera to be found in American late cretaceous deposits, along with preservation bias of course. It's also interesting as there are very few modern day examples of this (sharks come to mind)

Thanks,

EarthboundEiniosaurus

I think lots of aquatic things with indeterminate growth fit this model, like crocodiles and pike. It's just that the top predators in terrestrial ecosystems these days tend to be mammals or birds, which just happen to have protracted parental care, so that by the time the young are hunting for themselves, they're big enough to eat the same things.

Yes, that's exactly what I was thinking 

Thanks,

EarthboundEiniosaurus

[allosaurusrock]

Not to mention we have Dakotaraptor to fill in the lower predator role.

[HD-man]

I'd like to see some paleoart of a pack of juvvies swarming an adult Triceratops.

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/videos/teethteeth-everywhere/

Not to mention we have Dakotaraptor to fill in the lower predator role.

Middle predator role.

[SBell]

It's good to see this.  The arguments for Nanotyrannus being valid have always been speculation, some of which has been proven wrong, and they've come across as a bit desperate.  I haven't found them convincing.  It would be good to see something like this for some pachycephalosaurs too.  The evidence has become overwhelming.

I really liked the idea of having a smaller Hell Creek predator, but the synonomy is equally cool. It's still a shame about the Dueling Dinosaurs specimen, though, as that has a yet-to-be-named ceratopsid in it as well.

Well, there are Hell Creek predators smaller than Tyrannosaurus.  Among dinosaurs there's Acheroraptor at least.  I wonder if the Dueling Dinosaurs ceratopsian is a juvenile Torosaurus?

But not at all like what we see in, say, the Morrison Fm, where there are several species of distinctly different sizes. The latest Cretaceous in North America has a few (relatively) small animals like Troodon and Saurornitholestes, but (other than the recent Dakotaraptor) most middle to large (to giant) predatory roles appear to be T.rex in various sizes.

And there is also a matter of provinciality--in southern prairie provinces (especially the Frenchman Fm, which is contemporaneous with the Hell Creek), I have yet to hear about any animal similar to Dakotaraptor in the predator guild.

[Sim]

I'd like to see some paleoart of a pack of juvvies swarming an adult Triceratops.

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/videos/teethteeth-everywhere/

That video is awful!

[HD-man]

That video is awful!

Maybe so, but Suspsy did ask for it.