Large predatory dinosaurs like mighty ones Tyrannosaurus Rex They developed different shapes of eye cavities to handle high biting forces, according to a new study.
While the orbit is just a circular hole in the skull that houses the eyeball in many animals, scientists including those at the University of Birmingham in the UK say this is quite different in larger carnivores, including predatory dinosaurs such as T-Rex
The new research published Thursday in the magazine Communication biologyAnd the It suggests that the unusual oval or oval eye sockets found in the skulls of these predatory dinosaurs may have evolved to help the skull absorb shock when it attacked prey.
In the study, scientists, including Stefan Luttenschlager of the University of Birmingham, observed the shape of the eye sockets of more than 400 different dinosaurs and closely related species such as crocodiles.
They used computer simulations and stress analysis to test what purpose these unusual shapes of eye sockets might have served.
Based on the analysis, the researchers say that while the skull with a circular eye socket was more susceptible to severe stress during the bite, if it was replaced by other forms of the eye socket, the pressure was significantly reduced.
These different shapes of eye sockets allowed predators such as Tyrannosaurus Rex Scientists suspect it developed high biting forces without compromising the stability of the skull.
The researchers also found that most plant-eating species and young individuals have circular eye sockets. Only large predatory dinosaurs adopted other shapes, such as oval, keyhole, or eighth-shaped eye sockets.
“The results show that only a few dinosaurs had oval or keyhole-shaped sockets. But they were all large, carnivorous dinosaurs with a skull length of 1 meter (3.3 feet) or more.”
In these species, the eyeball occupied only the upper part of the eye socket. It also resulted in a relative reduction in the size of the eye compared to the size of the skull.”
Researchers believe that the evolution of narrow eye cavities may have reduced the space available for the eyeballs within the skulls of large dinosaurs, increasing the space available for jaw muscles and “increasing the strength of their skulls.”
They say this adaptation may have helped them bite harder at the expense of accommodating larger eyes.
The scientists also looked at what would have happened if the eye had increased in size at the same rate as the length of the skull.
In this case they say that the eyes Tyrannosaurus Rex It could have reached 30 cm in diameter and weighed about 20 kg.
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