The tyrannosaurs that inhabited the northern hemisphere of the planet during the late Cretaceous period (approximately 100 million years ago) could have been sociable animals and not solitary predators as previously thought. In fact, according to new research, these dinosaurs could have behaved similarly to wolves.
To carry out the research, the fossil remains of several dinosaurs of the same species found in the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument (United States) were analyzed. Thus, according to Celina Suarez, a professor of geosciences at the University of Arkansas, the fact that tyrannosaurs died together in the same place is key information about their behavior. In fact, these animals probably had a gregarious behavior (that is, they lived in community).
Investigation Development
The research team also had the collaboration of scientists from the United States Office of Land Management, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Colby College University (United States) and James Cook University (Australia) . Also, according to the researchers, up to five tyrannosaurs have been found in the same area, indicating that the group died together. Thus, as research progressed, scientists discovered that dinosaurs died in groups during a seasonal flood event.
Additionally, using carbon and oxygen isotope analysis, as well as concentrations of soil elements within the bones and rocks, the researchers found a chemical fingerprint of the site . Therefore, they concluded the fossils found belonged to the same area and that they had not been dragged from other places.
On the other hand, in addition to tyrannosaurs, they also found seven different species of turtles, numerous species of fish and two other types of dinosaurs, although apparently they did not all die together as happened with tyrannosaurs. Now, researchers are focused on analyzing the bones of tyrannosaurs, to determine with a greater degree of certainty the social behavior of these curious dinosaurs.
Doubts in the scientific community
For some scientists, this Canadian place is an isolated case with unusual circumstances. Therefore, they consider that it does not represent the usual behavior of tyrannosaurs. However, fossil remains of groups of tyrannosaurs have also been found in Montana, so the researchers again raised the possibility that they were social.
However, the scientific community has not reached a firm conclusion, as the social behavior of this species is still being analyzed.
