The Biomechanics Behind Extreme Osteophagy in Tyrannosaurus rex

Abstract Most carnivorous mammals can pulverize skeletal elements by generating tooth pressures between occluding teeth that exceed cortical bone shear strength, thereby permitting access to marrow and phosphatic salts. Conversely, carnivorous reptiles have non-occluding dentitions that engender neg...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Paul M. Gignac, Gregory M. Erickson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Publishing Group 2017-05-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-02161-w