Size comparison scale

[Grey]

But compared to Spinosaurus or Tyrannosaurus, which are more specialized and non-typical, like once remarked Hartman, Giganotosaurus corresponds basically to what people await from a huge carnivore, a giant set of jaws with knife-like teeth on a giant body on giants legs. This is also how I perceive it.

[theropod]

And imagining a T. rex that size or a Spinosaurus that's even bigger than it would be easier? I find that tought strange.
Also, what does is matter what most people perceive as stereotypical or not, when we obviously know better?

[Grey]

You always have to argue, even about not so important thoughts, that's what is all the time so boring with you.


scotthartman.deviantart.com/art/Big-honkin-theropod-of-the-southern-hemisphere-302541476

[Fragillimus335]

Aug 11, 2013 17:14:32 GMT 5 Grey said:

Excellent. Giganotosaurus remains one hell of a monster. This is sometimes hard to imagine such a large predatory animal once walked.

And also to imagine that there were almost surely some out there larger than this...how much larger we will never know!


And now for the next installment! Ankylosaurian diversity, Including the massive "Sauropelta sp." from the poison strip member, and pre-ankylosaurians, because they were needed to make the pic look decent.

[theropod]

That "Sauropelta sp." is the giant nodosaur you were talking about on deviantart?
A massive animal. Nodosaurs are often overlooked with a few exceptions (Gastonia, Edmontonia and perhaps Polacantus).

Grey: Really, what's your problem man? I try to understand your reasoning because it seems strange to me->You flame me. One of two stereotypes in discussions with you, please stop it!

[Fragillimus335]

Aug 11, 2013 21:28:57 GMT 5 theropod said:

That "Sauropelta sp." is the giant nodosaur you were talking about on deviantart?
A massive animal. Nodosaurs are often overlooked with a few exceptions (Gastonia, Edmontonia and perhaps Polacantus).

Grey: Really, what's your problem man? I try to understand your reasoning because it seems strange to me->You lash at me. One of two stereotypes in discussions with you.

Yes, it was originally thought to be a Sauropelta sp., but it is yet to be described. I've seen some grainy photos of the limb bones, but they seem to be larger than any other ankylosaurian so far.

[theropod]

How did you scale it?

[Fragillimus335]

Sauropodomorph diversity, including a 30m Futalognkosaurus standing in for Puertasaurus, and the giant Mamenchisaurus sinocanadorum.

[Grey]

Theropod, my reasoning is simple and explained in Hartman words, Giganotosaurus represents the typical giant theropod that people basically expect, compared to the "weirder" because more specialized Spinosaurus or Tyrannosaurus. It is the largest and most massive of the most classically shaped predatory dinosaurs. Tyrannosaurs by comparison, despite the fame, are anatomically very strange, that was the subject of an article by Holtz. You agree or not but there's no substance to discuss at length about.

Fragillimus, you know my approach, I agree that there was certainly fluctuating sizes but I certainly won't guess that there were much larger specimens without hard basis, because we can apply, or not, this to any extinct genera, which has all the time brought to massive overestimates (except in some cases, like the behemoth Alamosaurus)

This Giganotosaurus (I guess this is the one based on the isolated dentary) is already fair enough, it is gigantic and it is based on material that we know to exist !

[blaze]

Is that Ankylosaur from Poison Strip the one found by researchers from the Denver Museum of Natural History? If so I haven't been able to find any paper mentioning its giant size, did someone said so in the dml or something? or is it another find you're talking about?

[theropod]

Grey: But if it represents the "typical giant theropod", why do you find it so hard to imagine that big? Why more than a more exotic animal, like Spinosaurus?

That being said, I think most people would rather expect T. rex to be the "typical giant theropod", even tough, of course, such an animal doesn't exist (besides, Mapusaurus and Carcharodontosaurus are just as large or larger but look fairly similar to the untrained eye and they are alltogether every bit as specialized as tyrannosaurs).
What article by Holtz are you talking about?

[Grey]

Ah...no I was not saying Spinosaurus or T. rex are easier to imagine at all, it is basically hard to envision reastically a 8 tonnes bipedal predator, I was only focusing on the Giganotosaurus case, with its big head and massive body.

Yes people would expect Tyrannosaurus to be the typical theropod but Tyrannosaurus is actually oddly shaped when we look closely. That's a misconception to think this is a classic animal, it is actually only classic in the popular fame. But what people expect when imagining T. rex in fact possibly more corresponds to Giganotosaurus.

I think that was the point by Hartman and I perfectly agree.

I had posted the article by Holtz in a carnivora thread, I will try to found it again. BTW, Greg 'Mr Bean' Rhodes recognized my new account on it and banned me again poor douche...

[Grey]

Found it : archosaurmusings.wordpress.com/2011/10/19/guest-post-love-the-tyrant-not-the-hype/

[theropod]

Yes, that's likely true, most people think of T. rex as a Giganotosaurus without even realising.
Difficult to say why most don't realise the stuff that sets various theropod clades apart.

lol on the case of Hurdia, but I recall I had read that post.
Regarding your account, sorry to hear. Not surprising tough, I sensed it was you immediately.

[Fragillimus335]

Aug 11, 2013 21:36:34 GMT 5 theropod said:

How did you scale it?

Well a few reports said it was in the ~30 foot range, and when I scaled it from Sauropelta I got numbers between 9 and 9.5 meters, so ~9.25m long, and likely 6+ tons.