The mighty Tyrannosaurus Rex may have had smaller eyes to help with its bite, according to research published in Communications Biology.
In researching the eyes and skull structure of the Tyrannosaurus Rex, the team created a muscle-driven bite scenario, pulling from models of the T-Rex and its eyes. Additionally, 410 specimens were analysed, and it was found that meat-eating species typically had smaller, keyhole-shaped eye holes in their skulls.
When we talk about the bite being more powerful, what we mean is that the Tyrannosaurus Rex’s smaller eye sockets led to alleviated biting stress when it came to chowing down on a delicious dinosaur lunch, when compared to models of dinosaurs with bigger eye sockets.
“The quantification of orbit shape across Archosauromorpha shows a wide variety of morphologies but also that the majority of species retained a circular orbit,” the study reads.
“These morphologies are beneficial in mitigating and dissipating feeding-induced stresses and require only little investment in reinforcing the bony structure of the skull.
“Conversely, the development and maintenance of large circular orbits and corresponding eyes would be physiologically costly and likely outweigh potential benefits for visual acuity.”
This study indicates differences in ancient animals, largely giving us another difference between herbivores and carnivores.
Which is interesting, right? Carnivores benefited more from having the crushing power of a strong jaw more than having big eyes, which benefit herbivores when looking out for predators.
“This finding parallels the evolutionary trends and diversification of body plans and concomitant occupation of ecological niches in dinosaurs more generally. While circular orbit shapes are retained in most herbivores and smaller species, as well as in juveniles and early ontogenetic stages, large carnivores adopted elliptical and keyhole-shaped orbits,” the research adds.
So, while the Tyrannosaurus Rex had tiny arms, it had an incredibly strong bite.
I’m rebranding as a dinosaur guy.
You can read the study in Communications Biology.