Scientists Found The Real Reason T. rex Had Tiny Arms May Have Nothing to Do With Its Size
The Daily Galaxy • • general
Key Points:
- A new study by UCL and University of Cambridge researchers suggests that giant predatory dinosaurs like T. rex evolved tiny arms because they relied more on powerful jaws, leading to forelimb reduction over time.
- Analysis of 82 theropod species revealed a strong evolutionary pattern: dinosaurs with smaller forelimbs had more robust skulls and stronger bite forces, with T. rex having the most heavily built skull among those studied.
- The study found that tiny arms evolved independently in multiple carnivorous dinosaur groups, including tyrannosaurids, abelisaurids, and carcharodontosaurids, indicating this trend was not exclusive to the largest predators.
- Different dinosaur groups reduced their forelimbs in distinct ways; for example, abelisaurids lost more hand and lower arm parts, while tyrannosaurids showed more uniform forelimb shrinkage, suggesting multiple evolutionary pathways to similar outcomes.