Ankylosaurs battled each other as much as they fought off T.
rex.
Scientists from the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), Royal BC Museum, and North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences have found new evidence for how armored dinosaurs used their iconic tail clubs.
The exceptional fossil of the ankylosaur Zuul crurivastator has spikes along its flanks that were broken and re-healed while the dinosaur was alive—injuries that the scientists think were caused from a strike by another Zuul’s massive tail club.
This suggests ankylosaurs had complex behavior, possibly battling for social and territorial dominance or even engaging in a “rutting” season for mates.
The research is published in the journal Biology Letters.
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The 76-million-year-old, plant-eating dinosaur, part of the Royal Ontario Museum’s vertebrate fossil collection, is named after the fictional monster “Zuul” from the 1984 movie “Ghostbusters.” Initially the skull and tail had been freed from the surrounding rock, but the body was still encased in 35,000 pounds of sandstone.
Foreign Battled each other as much as they Fought off T-Rex scientists from the Royal Ontario Museum ROM Royal BC Museum And North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences have found new evidence for how Armored dinosaurs use their iconic tale Clubs the exceptional fossil of the Ankylosaurus zulkarivastator has spikes Along its flanks that were broken and Re-heeled while the dinosaur was alive Injuries that the scientists think were Caused from a strike by another zuul's Massive tail Club this suggests and Kilosaurs had complex Behavior possibly Battling for social and territorial Dominance or even engaging in a running Season for mates the research is Published in the journal biology letters To stay up to date with latest top Stories make sure to subscribe to this YouTube channel by clicking the button Above this video the 76 million year old Plant-eating dinosaur part of the Royal Ontario Museum's vertebrate fossil Collection is named after the fictional Monster Zuul from the 1984 movie Ghostbusters in initially the skull and Tail had been freed from the surrounding Rock but the body was still encased in 35 000 pounds of sandstone after years Of work the body was revealed to have Preserved most of the skin and bony Armor across the entire back and flanks
Giving a remarkable view of what the Dinosaur looked like in life zuul's body Was covered in bony plates of different Shapes and sizes and the ones along its Sides were particularly large and spiky Interestingly the scientists noticed That a number of spikes near the hips on Both sides of the body were missing Their tips and the bone and horny sheath Had healed into a blunter shape the Pattern of these injuries was more Consistent with being the result of some Form of ritualized combat or jousting With their tail clubs and probably Wasn't caused by an attacking Predator Like a Tyrannosaur because of where they Were located on the body I've been Interested in how ankylosaurs used their Tail clubs for years and this is a Really exciting new piece of the puzzle Says let author Drive Victoria Arbor Curator of paleontology at the Royal BC Museum and former nserc postdoctoral Fellow at the Royal Ontario Museum we Know that ankylosaurus could use their Tail clubs to deliver very strong blows To an opponent but most people thought They were using their tail clubs to Fight Predators instead ankylosaurs like Zul may have been fighting each other Zul's tale was about 3 meters 10 feet Long with sharp spikes running along its Sides the back half of the tail was Stiff and the tip was encased in huge
Bony blobs creating a formidable Sledgehammer-like weapon Zuul Kuravistator means Zuul the destroyer of Shins and not to the idea that tail Clubs were used to smash the legs of Bipedal Tyrannosaurs the new research Doesn't refute the idea that tail clubs Could be used in self-defense against Predators but shows that tail clubs Would also have function for Intra-species combat a factor that more Likely drove their evolution today Specialized animal weapons like the Antlers of deer or the horns of Antelopes have evolved to be used mostly For fighting members of the same species During battles from mates or territory Years ago Arbor had put forward the idea That ankylosaurs might have clubbed each Other in the flanks and that broken and Healed ribs might provide evidence to Support this idea but ankylosaur Skeletons are extremely rare making it Hard to test this hypothesis the Completely preserved back and tale of Zuul including skin allowed for an Unusual glimpse into the lives of these Incredible armored dinosaurs the fact That the skin and armor are preserved in Place is like a snapshot of how Zuul Looked when it was alive and the Injuries Zuul sustained during its Lifetime tell us about how it may have Behaved and interacted with other
Animals in its ancient environment said Dr David Evans temerty chair and curator Of vertebrate paleontology at the Royal Ontario Museum the remarkable skeleton Of Zuul was found in the Judith River Formation of Northern Montana Foreign
