Source-Phys.org
A groundbreaking study published in the scientific journal Ecology and Evolution has unveiled new insights into the maximum potential sizes of dinosaurs, specifically focusing on the carnivorous Tyrannosaurus rex. Through advanced computer modeling, Dr. Jordan Mallon from the Canadian Museum of Nature and Dr. David Hone from Queen Mary University of London have produced estimates suggesting that the T. rex might have been up to 70% heavier than previously thought based on fossil evidence.
The researchers highlight the immense fascination surrounding the massive sizes of dinosaurs, which often leads to debates about which species were the largest. Due to the limited number of specimens for most dinosaur species, it is rare to include the largest individuals that ever existed within current size ranges. This study aims to address the question of just how large the largest dinosaurs could have been and whether it’s likely that we will ever discover these colossal individuals.
Methodology and Findings
To tackle this question, Mallon and Hone employed computer modeling to assess a population of T. rex, incorporating variables such as population size, growth rate, lifespan, and the incompleteness of the fossil record. T. rex was chosen for its familiarity and well-estimated details. The model accounted for body-size variance at adulthood, using examples from living alligators due to their significant size and close kinship with dinosaurs.
The findings indicate that the largest known T. rex fossils probably represent the top 1% of body size. However, to discover an individual in the top 0.01% (one-in-ten-thousand), scientists would need to excavate fossils at the current rate for another thousand years. The models suggest that the largest possible T. rex might have been 70% more massive than the largest known specimens, potentially reaching 15 tonnes compared to the current estimate of 8.8 tonnes, and 25% longer, measuring 15 meters instead of 12 meters.
These estimates, while based on models, align with the patterns observed in the discovery of giants in modern species, indicating that larger dinosaurs likely existed but have yet to be found. Dr. Hone notes that some isolated bones and fragments hint at the existence of even larger individuals than those currently documented.
T-rex Are Actually Huge!! Recent News Sizes of Dinosaurs Are Massive After New Data Proves Us Wrong
Implications and Future Research
The study adds significant weight to ongoing debates about the largest fossil animals. Many of the largest dinosaurs in various groups are known from only a single good specimen, making it difficult to determine if these represent typical sizes for their species. This research suggests that the chances of paleontologists finding the absolute largest individuals of any given species are incredibly slim. Consequently, the enormous skeletons displayed in museums around the world likely do not represent the very largest individuals of those species.
Dr. Jordan Mallon commented on the study’s implications, stating, “Our study suggests that, for big fossil animals like T. rex, we really have no idea from the fossil record about the absolute sizes of dinosaurs might have reached. It’s fun to think about a 15-tonne T. rex, but the implications are also interesting from a biomechanical or ecological perspective.”
This study not only stirs the imagination with the possibility of even more massive dinosaurs but also underscores the importance of continuous excavation and research to uncover the true extent of these prehistoric giants.
Also Read: New Dinosaur Species Unearthed in England: Comptonatus Chasei Identified
