Triceratops as prey

[Takama]

Did any other Large Theropods besides T-rex preyed on Triceratops?

[Gryphoceratops]

There is no other (known) large theropods other than Tyrannosaurus that lived during the same time and in the same place as Triceratops.  I don't know if you count Nanotyrannus as a separate animal from rex or just a juvenile but even so a predator of that size is probably too small to attack a big Tricearatops anyway. 

[DinoToyForum]

I converted this QandA thread into a single question thread.  Admin.

[CityRaptor]

Is this kinda connected to the new CollectA Figure?

But yes, the only known predator so far is the Rex. Although I would not outrule young Triceratops falling victim to smaller Theropods.

[Sharptooth]

Dromeosaurids probably snatched baby trikes, if they were lucky enough to not be spotted by the angry, horned parents (assuming triceratops cared for its young, something i can easily believe), but i guess only T.rex had the firepower to bring down an adult one.

[Horridus]

Yeah, what everyone else said. Tyrannosaurus appears to have been the only predator large enough (and that was around) to attack an adult Triceratops.

[DinoFan45]

Unless you count the aliens 

But in all seriousness, tyrannosaurus was the only major predators around. Which is weird, considering the other environments at that time and earlier had more than one major predator. Need I mention the Morrison formation or the fossils of Argentina?

[Eriorguez]

That's because Tyrannosaurids were exceptionally good at snatching several niches in their lifecycle, owning to the great shift of bodyplan and rapid growth stage. While all dinosaurs took different niches as they grew, Tyrannosaurs were VERY good at that. Hence, no opportunity for other theropods.

[Gryphoceratops]

Dromeosaurids probably snatched baby trikes, if they were lucky enough to not be spotted by the angry, horned parents (assuming triceratops cared for its young, something i can easily believe), but i guess only T.rex had the firepower to bring down an adult one.

I know there were troodontids around but were there actually any dromaeosaurs? 

[Simon]

Yes,  a 6-foot Dromaeosaur has been found in Hell Creek formation.

[Horridus]

That's because Tyrannosaurids were exceptionally good at snatching several niches in their lifecycle, owning to the great shift of bodyplan and rapid growth stage. While all dinosaurs took different niches as they grew, Tyrannosaurs were VERY good at that. Hence, no opportunity for other theropods.

While that's true, different tyrannosaurs did coexist - for example, Daspletosaurus and Gorgosaurus, and Tarbosaurus and Alioramus. There was likely some niche partitioning going on there. Of course, they were still all tyrannosaurs!

[Sharptooth]

I wouldn't completely dismiss the possibility that other medium or even big-sized predators roamed the land ruled by the King... Maybe albertosaurids, dryptosaurids, or even some allosaurids (considering we have proof that proper carnosaurs survived up to the late Cretaceous, see Aerosteon) for what we know!

And, seriously, what's up lately with all this talk about dinosaurs occupying different niches as they grew older? It's a nice theory, granted, but it doesn't seem something "written in stone" as far as the fossil record tell us... Where is the evidence of such behavior?

[Gwangi]

I wouldn't completely dismiss the possibility that other medium or even big-sized predators roamed the land ruled by the King... Maybe albertosaurids, dryptosaurids, or even some allosaurids (considering we have proof that proper carnosaurs survived up to the late Cretaceous, see Aerosteon) for what we know!

The evidence seems to suggest that where ever large tyrannosaurs lived they replaced other large theropods completely. I'm not aware of any large non-tyrannosaurs in the late Cretaceous of North America going back as far as Gorgosaurus and Albertosaurus. We have a pretty good sampling of the Hell Creek formation and it does not look like other large theropods were present. That does not of course rule out the possibility, I'm just saying is all.

And, seriously, what's up lately with all this talk about dinosaurs occupying different niches as they grew older? It's a nice theory, granted, but it doesn't seem something "written in stone" as far as the fossil record tell us... Where is the evidence of such behavior?

The juveniles at least in the case of Tyrannosaurs seem to be quite different from the adults. The anatomy of the teeth and legs for example are markedly different between the growth stages. This seems to suggest that the younger animals were hunting different animals than their parents and occupying a different niche. It seems Tyrannosaurus was not only good at pushing out other large theropods but even the smaller species in the case of young Tyrannosaurus. Sure it is not written in stone but not much in this field is and it helps to explain the lake of other predators in places where tyrannosaurs lived.

[ZoPteryx]

And, seriously, what's up lately with all this talk about dinosaurs occupying different niches as they grew older? It's a nice theory, granted, but it doesn't seem something "written in stone" as far as the fossil record tell us... Where is the evidence of such behavior?

I believe most of the evidence is derived from the juveniles of large tyrannosaurs, which appear to have been faster (longer legs) and had a different feeding strategy (less robust teeth and skull) then the adults.  This is, of course, under the assumption that Nanotyrannus and other similar tyrannosaurs (possibly Raptorex) were the juveniles of larger species.

Edit: Darn, Gwangi beat me to it!

I imagine that large sauropods also probably inhabited different herbivorous niches as they grew as well, simply due to height restrictions.

[Himmapaan]

Sure it is not written in stone but not much in this field is...

In fact, on a lateral and metaphorical tangent, everything in this field is written in stone. 

[Takama]

Thanks for all the responses guys.

i appreciate it all.

BTW the reason i ask this specific question in the first place is for a future story project of mine starring a Juvenile Trike, but before i went with the standard T-rex for a villain, i wanted to see if there were any other predators that could fit the bill as a villain.

So far, its looking as if T-Rex is my real choice

[Gwangi]

You could always go with a different ceratopsian aside from the standard Triceratops but I think you would still be forced to use a tyrannosaur as the main villain though some did co-exist with dromaeosaurs too who probably would not threaten an adult but you did say yours was a juvenile.

[stoneage]

Sure it is not written in stone but not much in this field is...

In fact, on a lateral and metaphorical tangent, everything in this field is written in stone. 

Genius!

[Gryphoceratops]

Yes,  a 6-foot Dromaeosaur has been found in Hell Creek formation.

Does it have a name? 

[Simon]

And, seriously, what's up lately with all this talk about dinosaurs occupying different niches as they grew older? It's a nice theory, granted, but it doesn't seem something "written in stone" as far as the fossil record tell us... Where is the evidence of such behavior?

I believe most of the evidence is derived from the juveniles of large tyrannosaurs, which appear to have been faster (longer legs) and had a different feeding strategy (less robust teeth and skull) then the adults.  This is, of course, under the assumption that Nanotyrannus and other similar tyrannosaurs (possibly Raptorex) were the juveniles of larger species.

Edit: Darn, Gwangi beat me to it!

I imagine that large sauropods also probably inhabited different herbivorous niches as they grew as well, simply due to height restrictions.

I do not believe that the existence of Nanotyrannus as a separate species affects the theory.  The juvenile Tyrannosaurids would have dominated a number of niches, even with Nanotyrannus around. For the record, if you find the videos about the "Dueling Dinosaurs" fossil on Youtube, with Bob Bakker, it is really hard to see the Nanotyrannus in that fossil as a juvenile TRex based on one thing - its arms are enormous, raptor-size in relation to the body. 

Of course, the fossil has not been described yet, and may not be if it stays in private hands, but your eyes won't lie - check it out.  There is no way that those are the arms of a juvenile TRex, even allowing that a Juvi TRex had arms proportionately larger in relation to the body than an adult.  These Nanotyrannus arms look much larger than the arms of an adult TRex.