The Tyrannosaurus Rex, or Terex, has always been a favorite of scientists and lovers of extinct crawlers, despite the horror of being a predator.
The distinctive shape of the Tyrx, specifically his unique short hands, seems to have drawn the attention to the giant object and prompted explorers to seek wisdom and function for this unique reptile appearance.
The latest study suggested that the hands of Terex allowed him to hold his prey and keep it close to his mouth, making it easier for him to eat.
The study, which includes "distant relatives" of the extinct animal, suggests that complex elbow joints, such as in Terex, allow for much more movement than any mammal can achieve.
Researchers from the University of Stockton, New Jersey, arrived at the post, after a study in which the team studied turkey arm movements and the American crocodile.
This allowed them to analyze movements that could be carried out with the help of soft tissues, such as muscles and ligaments, which are often missing in fossils.
Using a modern X-ray technique to examine the skeletal muscle, the team concluded that the elbow joint might be able to perform complex movements.
"These animals may have been able to rotate the palm of the hand back and forth in such a way that the palm of the hand is facing the chest when the elbow is flexed," researchers Christopher Langle and Matthew Bonan told the Science Life website.
"It is likely that such movement (the rotation of the forearm and the hand towards the chest) may allow predatory dinosaurs to bring the prey nearby," the team member said.
It is noteworthy that the study of the movement of dinosaurs on the basis of fossils alone, has been a great challenge to scientists over the years, sometimes leading to a misunderstanding of the ways in which the work of their bodies.
