Until recently, Tyrannosaurus Rex’s representation in paleontology and popular culture portrayed it with menacing, protruding teeth, like those of modern crocodiles. This image contributed to the fierce and intimidating view we had of this predator prehistoric.
This conception, reinforced by iconic films such as “Jurassic Park“, in the 1990s, marked the minds of millions of people and left them with a terrifying image of the T. Rex.
Tyrannosaurus Rex would be very different from what we know
New research challenges this representation. Scientists now argue that the Tyrannosaurus rexin fact, had lips that covered and protected its teeth when its mouth was closed, similar to the scaly lips of lizards.
Image: La Tercera/Reproduction
This means that its appearance was less threatening than previously imagined and more lizard-like than a ferocious predator.
To support this surprising theory, the research team examined a tooth taken from the jaw of a Daspletosaurus, a close relative of Tyrannosaurus Rex. They used a diamond-bladed saw to cut the tooth, allowing them to examine how it wore down over the creature’s life.
Analysis revealed that the tooth enamel was worn away evenly on both sides, a pattern that differs from the bites of crocodiles, which do not have lips.
This uniform wear suggests that the dinosaursincluding T. Rex, had lips that protected their teeth, as tooth enamel lasts longer when it remains moist.
Additionally, scientists compared the size of the teeth of T. Rex and related dinosaurs to the size of their skulls with that of modern lizards.
Surprisingly, they found that dinosaur teeth were no larger relative to skull size than those of modern labia lizards. This reinforces the idea that their lips covered them, making their mouths more similar to those of lizards than crocodiles.
This revolutionary discovery is changing our understanding of the anatomy and appearance of Tyrannosaurus Rex and reinforcing the idea that paleontological science still has many mysteries to unravel.
