Question

3
Studies of T. rex skulls also indicate that the dinosaur was a carnivore that hunted. The teeth were shaped like daggers that were as large as bananas. They had edges like saw blades, perfect for cutting and ripping through meat and bone. Scientific tests on the jawbone reveal that it likely had the crushing power of 3,000 to almost 7,000 pounds per square foot. The structure of both the teeth and the jaw indicate that T. rex would have been a powerful weapon against its prey. In fact, researchers often find teeth missing and broken when they discover T. rex skulls. Many scientists believe that this could be due to the sheer force in which T. rex attacked its targets.

4
Other studies of T. rex skulls also support the idea that it was a predator. They reveal that the eye sockets were angled forward and the top of the snout was relatively narrow. This facial structure probably means that T. rex was able to focus fairly well on its prey. It also likely had good depth perception, necessary for hunting.

5
Evidence of T. rex’s behavior can also be found in the fossils of other dinosaurs during the same time period. Paleontologists have studied fossils of typical prey. There are some signs of partially healed T. rex bite marks in the bone.

6
There is no doubt that Tyrannosaurus rex was a formidable predator. It used its eyes, legs, jaws, and teeth to hunt and kill prey. Evidence proves that T. rex was a powerful force to be reckoned with while it roamed this planet!

Tyrannosaurus Rex: A Scavenger of Its Time
1
Tyrannosaurus rex is a well-known dinosaur from the Cretaceous Period, existing about 75 million years ago. It is characterized by its small arms, long tail, and huge teeth. Many people think of T. rex as a ferocious carnivore that spent its days hunting and killing prey. In fact, evidence suggests it was not at all a predator that killed, but instead a scavenger that fed on dead animals it found.

2
In the early 1900s, researchers began to suggest that T. rex was a scavenger, but the idea did not become popular until famous paleontologists such as Jack Horner supported it. The belief is well founded on fossil evidence.

3
One of the biggest arguments for T. rex being a scavenger is that it probably could not run. Fossil studies show that the long thigh bones were massive. T. rex would have greatly harmed itself if it fell while running. In addition, some researchers suggest that the leg bones could not have supported enough muscle to allow fast running. There is no track evidence of footprints showing that it ran. Even if it had been able to run, many scientists believe that it could have reached speeds of only 10 to 20 miles per hour based on its body structure. Its legs were just too large. These speeds would have hardly been fast enough to catch most prey.

4
Studies of T. rex skulls also show that it was likely a scavenger. Specifically, the teeth and jaw were designed for biting hard. The jaw closed with an extremely powerful force that was able to crush bones. The saw-like teeth also cut through bone. T. rex skulls that have been discovered often have missing and broken teeth, suggesting that Tyrannosaurus bit into something hard, such as bone. And tests done on fossilized dung from a T. rex show bone fragments. All of this evidence suggests that T. rex was designed to crush and eat bones, a common part of a scavenger’s diet.

5
Other studies of T. rex skulls also support the idea that it was a scavenger. Tyrannosaurus had small eyes based on the size of the eye sockets in the skulls. Predators usually have large eyes to find prey. Also, the nasal passages in the skulls are huge, perfect for smelling rotting flesh from miles away.

6
But perhaps the most appealing reason for believing T. rex was a scavenger is the idea that dinosaurs likely evolved into birds. T. rex was one of the largest meat eaters of its time. Some of the largest meat-eating birds today are scavengers, such as condors and other vultures.

7
It is easy to think of Tyrannosaurus rex as the fearsome predator we have read about and seen in Hollywood movies. But evidence shows that T. rex was likely just a scavenger searching the planet for meat that other animals left behind.


Read the question and type your response in the box provided. Your response will be saved automatically.
Using information from both passages, write an argumentative essay in which you explain whether T. rex was a predator or a scavenger. In your essay, be sure to

Introduce and state your topic;
Include facts or evidence to develop and support your topic;
Write a good concluding sentence or sentences.

Answer 1

Answer:

Tyrannosaurus rex the perfect scavenger

Answer 2

Tyrannosaurus Rex was a true scavenger because:

1. It used to feed on the meat of dead animals and the rotting carcasses of animals killed by other predators long ago.

2. It's leg muscles were not well developed enough to run behind smaller prey and catch them. This shows that it was not a born killer.

3. It's teeth and jaws were designed to crush bones which are a common part of the diet of scavengers. Thus, it was a scavenger.