Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Science
Related: About this forumI WOULDN'T WANT TO KISS ONE...
T. rex May Have Had LipsT. rex may have had lips. Yes, you read that right. Lips.
Robert Reisz, a paleontologist at the University of Toronto, is challenging the long-standing image of meat-eating theropod dinosaurs such as T. rex. Specifically, Reisz suggests that theropods' teeth were not bared all the time, extending outside their mouths and fully visible whether their jaws were open or closed. Rather, these teeth were kept hidden, covered by scaly lips, he said in a presentation May 20 at the Canadian Society of Vertebrate Paleontology's annual meeting in Ontario. [Gory Guts: Photos of a T. Rex Autopsy]
Reisz told Live Science in an email that he had always been bothered by the typical "permanent smile" portrayal of theropod dinosaur teeth. He first looked to the closest living relatives of theropod dinosaurs crocodiles for clues about tooth exposure.
At first glance, it could seem like the expectation for large theropods to have exposed teeth was on the right track. Crocodiles' teeth are covered by gums for about one-quarter of their length, but lips are absent and the tooth crowns are permanently exposed, Reisz explained.
However, if you look closer at tooth structure, a different story might emerge, he noted in his
presentation.
The hard enamel of animals' teeth has low water content, and is typically kept hydrated by saliva. Without lips to keep moisture in and prevent the teeth from drying out, the tough enamel would become brittle and more prone to damage and wear, Reisz told Live Science.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/t-rex-may-have-had-lips/?utm_content=bufferf4d3d&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
6 replies, 2227 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (14)
ReplyReply to this post
6 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
I WOULDN'T WANT TO KISS ONE... (Original Post)
yuiyoshida
Jun 2016
OP
haikugal
(6,476 posts)1. Nothing better than a big toothy grin!! Thanks Yuiyoshida!! K&R!!!
yuiyoshida
(41,831 posts)2. you're welcome
dou itashimashite!
valerief
(53,235 posts)3. Well, the females always did anyway.
LongTomH
(8,636 posts)4. Well, there's a bar and grill in KC that serves 'chicken lips', and dinosaurs are supposed........
.....to be related to birds!
Waiter, I'll have the T-Rex lips platter, with fries, please!
Califonz
(465 posts)5. Fried dinosaur lips
Come on, genetic engineering, I'm hungry!
Fumesucker
(45,851 posts)6. Speciesist!
Now I'm thinking of a T Rex that looks like Mick Jagger.