[19] Deinosuchus has been described as a "conspicuous" component of a purportedly distinct biome occupying the southern half of Late Cretaceous North America. “We then asked the computer model to produce a bite so that we could measure the speed and force of it directly.” The force exerted at one of T. rex‘s back teeth would have been between 7,868 and 12,814 pounds-force (35,000 and 57,000 newtons). [15] Together, the osteoderms and connective tissue would have served as load-bearing reinforcement to support the massive body of Deinosuchus out of water. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 424–444. The bone-crunching bite of Tyrannosaurus Rex was like no other, according to a study released on Wednesday that solidifies the fabled carnivore's reputation as the most fearsome of dinosaurs. This force would be akin to having a medium-size elephant sit on you. In: Titus AL, Loewen MA, eds. Dunkleosteus was a fish that flourished worldwide. These species persisted into the late Cretaceous Period, about 65 million years ago. [4][15] These deeply pitted osteoderms have been used to suggest that, despite its bulk, Deinosuchus could probably have walked on land much like modern-day crocodiles. [15], Numerous additional specimens of Deinosuchus were discovered over the next several decades. [22] Deinosuchus fossils are most abundant in the Gulf Coastal Plain region of Georgia, near the Alabama border. Additional fragments were discovered in the 1940s and were later incorporated into an influential, though inaccurate, skull reconstruction at the American Museum of Natural History. [19] A Deinosuchus osteoderm from the San Carlos Formation was also reported in 2006, so the giant crocodilian's range may have included parts of northern Mexico. "At this bite force, Beelzebufo would have been capable of subduing the small and juvenile dinosaurs that shared its environment," the University of Adelaide's Dr Marc Jones, one of … T. rex didn’t have the ability to clamp its jaws to crush bones, like some mammals do today. reptile     Cold-blooded vertebrate animals, whose skin is covered with scales or horny plates. The publication, as well as Science News magazine, are published by the Society for Science, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) membership organization dedicated to public engagement in scientific research and education. (in biology) An open region pocketlike structure surrounded by tissues. "[29] Deinosuchus is generally thought to have employed hunting tactics similar to those of modern crocodilians, ambushing dinosaurs and other terrestrial animals at the water's edge and then submerging them until they drowned. A single bite could deliver a force up to 34,000 newtons, they now estimate. 1719 N Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036. Meeting: P.M. Gignac and G.M. Most were quite fragmentary, but they expanded knowledge of the giant predator's geographic range. It may have also fed upon sea turtles, fish, and other aquatic and terrestrial prey. (A pascal measures pressure, or the amount of force applied on an area.). While the speed and anatomy of the two dinosaurs seem somewhat comparable, the jaw power of the T-rex was probably a lot greater. Gignac and Erickson described their findings on October 20 here, in New Mexico, at the annual meeting of the Society for Vertebrate Paleontology. As for its bite force, it was revealed that Tarbosaurus had a bite force of around 8,000 to 10,000 pounds per force, meaning that it could possibly crush bone like its North American relative, Tyrannosaurus. [10][13], The osteoderms (scutes) covering the back of Deinosuchus were unusually large, heavy, and deeply pitted; some were of a roughly hemispherical shape. The duo also measured the bite strength of living dino relatives. (v.) To attack and eat another species. They also predicted how much pressure the dinos’ teeth could exert at their tips. Some … paleontology     The branch of science concerned with ancient, fossilized animals and plants. newton     A unit of force named for Sir Isaac Newton, a 17th century English physicist and mathematician. [2][19], Since the discovery of the earliest fragmentary remains that will come to be known as Deinosuchus, it was found that it was a relative of crocodiles, going as far as placing it in the same family (crocodylidae) in 1954, this assignment was mostly supported by dental features,[11] but was overturned in 1999 when the finding of new specimens from Texas and Georgia helped place Deinosuchus in a phylogenetic analysis, finding it in a basal position within the clade Alligatoroidea along with Leidyosuchus. [2] Each premaxilla contained four teeth, with the pair nearest to the tip of the snout being significantly smaller than the other two. To access those goodies, some animals crunch through the dense outer protective layer of bone. [38], The species pertaining to Deinosuchus since the resurrection of the generic name in 1979 have been traditionally recognized as D. rugosus from Appalachia and the larger D. hatcheri/riograndensis from Laramidia, characterized by differences of the shape of their osteoderms and teeth. They also showed that the dinos’ teeth could exert intense pressure at their tips. At the Top of the Grand Staircase: The Late Cretaceous of Southern Utah. From these, the researchers estimated the chomping force of a T. rex bite. annual     Adjective for something that happens every year. Despite its inaccuracies, the reconstructed skull became the best-known specimen of Deinosuchus, and brought public attention to this giant crocodilian for the first time. [16] This was later corroborated when it was noted that most known specimens of D. rugosus usually had skulls of about 1 meter (3.3 ft) with estimated total lengths of 8 meters (26 ft) and weights of 2.3 metric tons (2.5 short tons). [8] The bite force of Deinosuchus has been estimated to be 18,000 N (1,835 kgf; 4,047 lbf)[2] to 102,803 N (10,483 kgf; 23,111 lbf). nutrient     A vitamin, mineral, fat, carbohydrate or protein that a plant, animal or other organism requires as part of its food in order to survive. [6][7], Modern saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) have the strongest recorded bite of any living animal, with a maximum force of 16,414 N (1,673.8 kgf; 3,690 lbf) for a 4.59 meters (15.1 ft) specimen . Dr Bates, a musculoskeletal biologist, and his researchers, generated computer models of the jaw of T. rex. It is named for Blaise Pascal, the 17th century French scientist and mathematician. North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, "A systematic review of the giant alligatoroid, "Insights into the Ecology and Evolutionary Success of Crocodilians Revealed through Bite-Force and Tooth-Pressure Experimentation", "The ontogeny of bite-force performance in American alligator (, "A gigantic crocodile from the Upper Cretaceous beds of Texas", 10.1671/0272-4634(2005)025[0354:FDABSO]2.0.CO;2, "First report of the hyper-giant Cretaceous crocodylian, "Late Campanian Southern Dinosaurs, Aguja Formation, Big Bend, Texas", 10.1666/0022-3360(2001)075<0208:LCSDAF>2.0.CO;2, 10.1669/0883-1351(2003)018<0080:BR>2.0.CO;2, "Anatomy of the skull and braincase of a new, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Deinosuchus&oldid=998652598, Late Cretaceous crocodylomorphs of North America, Late Cretaceous reptiles of North America, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 6 January 2021, at 11:32. (2013) noted that D. rugosus is dubious due to its holotype teeth being undiagnostic, and recommended using Deinosuchus hatcheri for Deinosuchus material from Laramidia, while stressing that cranial Deinosuchus material from Appalachia has not been described.[41]. The duo also measured the bite strength of living dino relatives. The lizard-hipped line are believed to have led to the saurichians, such as two-footed theropods like T. rex and the lumbering four-footed Apatosaurus (once known as brontosaurus). [11] Colbert restated this hypothesis more confidently in 1961: "Certainly this crocodile must have been a predator of dinosaurs; otherwise why would it have been so overwhelmingly gigantic? These factors come together to present Tyrannosaurus as the best candidate for the top of the list. [15] The teeth described by Emmons were thick, slightly curved, and covered with vertically grooved enamel; he assigned them a new species name, P. [5] In 2003, Christopher A. Brochu agreed that Deinosuchus "probably dined on ornithopods from time to time. Saltwater Crocodile (4,000 PSI) "Don't worry, being eaten by a crocodile is just like going to sleep—in … [32] Deinosuchus would probably have used the robust, flat teeth near the back of its jaws to crush the turtle shells. François Therrien, a paleoecologist at the … Paul Gignac and Gregory Erickson teamed up to figure this out. anatomy     See (adj. [4][10], The large size of Deinosuchus has generally been recognized despite the fragmentary nature of the fossils assigned to it. Its armored flesh was nearly impervious to any of its enemies and it had a tremendous bite force. Fossil evidence suggests tyrannosaurs, including T. rex, somehow pulverized the bones of their prey. Fossils have also been found in northern Mexico. Sometimes known as the saltwater crocodile of prehistoric times, it had the strongest bite force in the world at approximately 23,000 PSI (1,617 KG/CM2). Excavation at the site, carried out by W.H. tyrannosaur     A line of meat-eating dinosaurs that began during the late Jurassic Period, about 150 million years ago. Their descendants eventually split into two lines. For comparison, a crocodile has a bite force of about 3700 pounds a square inch. (A newton is a measure of force.) force     Some outside influence that can change the motion of a body, hold bodies close to one another, or produce motion or stress in a stationary body. Albuquerque, New Mexico. [15][36] Better cranial material was also found; by 2002, David R. Schwimmer was able to create a composite computer reconstruction of 90% of the skull. [19] All known specimens of Deinosuchus were found in rocks dated to the Campanian stage of the Late Cretaceous period. Erickson. Post was not sent - check your e-mail addresses! Most do so by clamping their jaws together to crush the bone. [18] This classification was bolstered in 2005 by the discovery of a well-preserved Deinosuchus brain case from the Blufftown Formation of Alabama, which shows some features reminiscent of those in the modern American alligator,[37] Deinosuchus, however, was not a direct ancestor of modern alligators. They also studied crocodiles, which are dinosaurs’ closest living relatives. That pressure could reach up to 3 billion pascals, the scientists estimate. This length was used in conjunction with a regression equation relating skull length to total length in the American alligator to estimate a total length of 10.6 meters (35 ft) for this particular specimen. Young vs. old These ancient reptiles lived from about 250 million years ago to roughly 65 million years ago. © Society for Science & the Public 2000–2021. [20] David Schwimmer has said Deinosuchus fossils have been found in South Carolina and Delaware as well, but none of them from those two states have been formally described. These advantages may have helped the predator get the most out of its prey. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A powerful bite, strong teeth and repeated crunching. One study indicated Deinosuchus may have lived for up to 50 years, growing at a rate similar to that of modern crocodilians, but maintaining this growth over a much longer time. prey     (n.) Animal species eaten by others. Scientists who work in this field are known as anatomists. [15], The American Museum of Natural History incorporated the skull and jaw fragments into a plaster restoration, modeled after the present-day Cuban crocodile. Browse Questions & Answers > Reptiles (Including Dinosaurs) and Amphibians Bite force in spinosaurids. [25], In 1954, Edwin H. Colbert and Roland T. Bird speculated that Deinosuchus "may very well have hunted and devoured some of the dinosaurs with which it was contemporaneous". They also studied crocodiles, which are dinosaurs’ closest living relatives. This closeup shows the bite of Sue, a. T. rex could crush bones thanks to that bite strength and the shape of its teeth, the scientists say. [3] This proposal was endorsed by Lucas et al. The original estimate from 1954 for the type specimen of the then-named "Phobosuchus riograndensis" were based on a skull of 1.5 meters (4.9 ft) and a lower jaw of 1.8 meters (5.9 ft) long, reconstructed with similar proportions to the Cuban crocodile giving a total estimated length of 15 meters (49 ft). According to Schwimmer, the growth ring patterns observed could have been affected by a variety of factors, including "migrations of their prey, wet-dry seasonal climate variations, or oceanic circulation and nutrient cycles". [30] A 2014 study suggested that it would have been able to perform a "death roll", like modern crocodiles. Founded in 2003, Science News for Students is a free, award-winning online publication dedicated to providing age-appropriate science news to learners, parents and educators. [19] In the Aguja Formation of Texas, where some of the largest specimens of Deinosuchus have been found, these massive predators probably inhabited brackish-water bays. That means he specializes in fossils of animals with backbones. This leads scientists to use indirect methods such as statistical analyses, and comparisons to skeletons of extant species with varying shapes and size, which makes it difficult to gain objective insights i… It lived on both sides of the Western Interior Seaway, and was an opportunistic apex predator in the coastal regions of eastern North America. Despite its large size, the overall appearance of Deinosuchus was not considerably different from that of modern crocodilians. This group includes amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals and most fish. Enter your e-mail address above. 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THE GIST - T. rex has the strongest bite force on record for any terrestrial animal. However, this view was not universally supported and Schwimmer (2002) recognized just one species, Deinosuchus rugosus, with the differences found between the two species explained as the result of the larger size of the western morph. He developed what became known as Pascal’s law of pressure. [8] It has been argued that even the largest and strongest theropod dinosaurs, such as Tyrannosaurus, probably had bite forces inferior to that of Deinosuchus. "At this bite force, Beelzebufo would have been capable of subduing the small and juvenile dinosaurs that shared its environment," says Dr Jones. dinosaur     A term that means terrible lizard. When the huge carnivorous dinosaur took a bite, it did so with an awe-inspiring force equal to the weight of three small cars, enabling it to crunch bones with ease. In fact, scientists estimate that it could have generated up to 8000 pounds of bite force per square inch on its prey. [3] All the teeth were very thick and robust; those close to the rear of the jaws were short, rounded, and blunt. [9], Deinosuchus had a secondary bony palate, which would have permitted it to breathe through its nostrils while the rest of the head remained submerged underwater. T. rex would also chomp over and over in the same spot to break bones. There are many different types of fossils: The bones and other body parts of dinosaurs are called “body fossils.” Things like footprints are called “trace fossils.” Even specimens of dinosaur poop are fossils. Most red blood cells, infection-fighting white blood cells and blood platelets form within the marrow. The massive pressure from those teeth helped create cracks that weakened bones. [11] Because it was not then known that Deinosuchus had a broad snout, Colbert and Bird miscalculated the proportions of the skull, and the reconstruction greatly exaggerated its overall width and length. The researchers found that the tip of the dinosaur's teeth could exert pressures of 431,000 pounds per square inch. Donald Baird and Jack Horner later assigned the Big Bend remains to Deinosuchus, which has been accepted by most modern authorities. This is what allowed Tyrannosaurus rex to pulverize the bones of its prey. [21] There is also a report describing a possible Deinosuchus scute from Colorado. Most researchers also believe that Tyrannosaurus would have a bite force beyond that of any other terrestrial animal known to date. [23], The distribution of Deinosuchus specimens indicates these giant crocodilians may have preferred estuarine environments. Credit: Misaki Ouchida Knowledge of Deinosuchus remains incomplete, but better cranial material found in recent years has expanded scientific understanding of this massive predator. They would have consumed marine turtles, large fish, and smaller dinosaurs. Two holes in the premaxilla in front of the nares are present in this genus and are unique autapomorphies not seen in other crocodilians, but nothing is known at present regarding their function. From these, the researchers estimated the chomping force of a T. rex bite. So how did they crush those bones? Deinosuchus had an alligator-like, broad snout, with a slightly bulbous tip. Instead, most modern reptilian predators swallow bones whole to get at the nutrients. READ Which Country Has Highest Forest Cover? 2013. Question from: Gabe; Hello biologists, I had the occasion to read one mention of an unpublished document from Dr Sakamoto where was predicted a bite force for Baryonyx walkeri. All descended from egg-laying reptiles known as archosaurs. Are you ready? predator     (adjective: predatory) A creature that preys on other animals for most or all of its food. They appear to have been adapted for crushing, rather than piercing. But their teeth didn’t fit together like mammals’ do. These specimens were described by Edwin H. Colbert and Roland T. Bird in 1954, under the name Phobosuchus riograndensis. [14], A 1940 expedition by the American Museum of Natural History yielded more fossils of giant crocodilians, this time from Big Bend National Park in Texas. Deinosuchus (/ˌdaɪnəˈsjuːkəs/) is an extinct genus of crocodilian related to the modern alligator that lived 82 to 73 million years ago (Ma), during the late Cretaceous period. A reasonably well-preserved skull specimen discovered in Texas indicated the animal's head measured about 1.31 meters (4.3 ft), and its body length was estimated at 9.8 meters (32 ft). Deinosuchus has often been described as the largest crocodyliform of all time. Utterback, yielded further fossils, including additional osteoderms, as well as vertebrae, ribs, and a pubis. - The large, meat-eating dinosaur's biting force was between 35,000 to 57,000 Newtons. Deinosuchus fossils have been described from 10 U.S. states, including Texas, Montana, and many along the East Coast. Although Deinosuchus was far larger than any modern crocodile or alligator, with the largest adults measuring 12 meters (39 ft) in total length, its overall appearance was fairly similar to its smaller relatives. According to Erickson, a full-grown Deinosuchus "must have seen several generations of dinosaurs come and go". The publication, as well as. Weekly updates to help you use Science News for Students in the learning environment. The bite force of Deinosuchus has been estimated to be 18,000 N (1,835 kgf; 4,047 lbf) to 102,803 N (10,483 kgf; 23,111 lbf). [14][15] Deep pits and grooves on these osteoderms served as attachment points for connective tissue. That’s the conclusion of a new analysis of the giant predator’s chomp. When these specimens were examined, it became clear that they belonged to a large crocodilian and not a dinosaur; upon learning this, Hatcher "immediately lost interest" in the material. This was a completely different growth strategy than that of large dinosaurs, which reached adult size much more quickly and had shorter lifespans. [15][35] The genus name Phobosuchus, which was initially created by Baron Franz Nopcsa in 1924, has since been discarded because it contained a variety of different crocodilian species that turned out to not be closely related to each other. Holland assigned these specimens to a new genus and species, Deinosuchus hatcheri, in 1909. However, other crocodyliforms such as Purussaurus, Rhamphosuchus, and Sarcosuchus may have equaled or exceeded it in size. Free educator resources are available for this article. Register to access: Already Registered? magazine, are published by the Society for Science, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) membership organization dedicated to public engagement in scientific research and education. Bite Force Research Reveals Dinosaur-Eating Frog Sep. 20, 2017 — Scientists say that a large, now extinct, frog called Beelzebufo that lived about 68 million years ago in … Irmis RB, Hutchison JH, Sertich JJW, Titus AL. It hunted in the water where the giant theropods could not go. Opinion remains divided as to whether these two populations represent separate species. [11][12] The secondary palate and procoelous vertebrae are advanced features also found in modern eusuchian crocodilians. To see how forcefully T. rex … (2006),[39] but was criticized by other authors,[21][24][29] and an SVP 2010 abstract Schwimmer reported new fossils of specimens from both sides of the interior seaway that indicated that the differences between the two morphs were not just size related, teeth from large eastern specimens retained the common characteristics of other specimens of the region and osteoderms from small specimens of the western morph were no different from those of large ones, supporting the specific separation of the two morphs, D. rugosus and D. The process of forming fossils is called fossilization. rugosus. Another large tooth that likely came from Deinosuchus, discovered in neighboring Sampson County, was named Polydectes biturgidus by Edward Drinker Cope in 1869. [34] Later discoveries showed that Polyptychodon was actually a pliosaur, a type of marine reptile. These osteoderms were initially attributed to the ankylosaurid dinosaur Euoplocephalus. The best known member of these species: the late Cretaceous’ Tyrannosaurus rex, a 12-meter (40 foot) long top predator of its time. For that, they studied birds — the only living dinosaurs. Carolyn Gramling is the earth & climate writer. Snakes, turtles, lizards and alligators are all reptiles. That’s more than twice the bite strength of a croc, the strongest living chomper. The dinosaurs of the Mesozoic Era obviously didn't brush their teeth or floss. It has been argued that even the largest and strongest theropod dinosaurs, such as Tyrannosaurus, probably had bite forces inferior to that of Deinosuchus. The biomechanics behind extreme osteophagy in Tyrannosaurus rex. Its bite force was around 4,032 pounds per square inch. However, estimates of how large it really was have varied considerably over the years. Instead, it used its powerful bite and strong teeth to pulverize the bones of its prey. The king of dinosaurs could bite down with a force of 7,800 pounds-force (34,522 newtons), a force equal to the weight of three small cars, the researchers found. All rights reserved. This opossum-sized mammal had pound-for-pound, the strongest bite force of any mammal ever recorded and could eat a wide variety of foods, including snails and small dinosaurs.

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