Common avian infection plagued the tyrant dinosaurs.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Tyrannosaurus rex and other tyrannosaurid fossils often display multiple, smooth-edged full-thickness erosive lesions on the mandible, either unilaterally or bilaterally. The cause of these lesions in the Tyrannosaurus rex specimen FMNH PR2081 (known informally by the name 'Sue') has previously been attributed to actinomycosis, a bacterial bone infection, or bite wounds from other tyrannosaurids.

Methodology/principal findings

We conducted an extensive survey of tyrannosaurid specimens and identified ten individuals with full-thickness erosive lesions. These lesions were described, measured and photographed for comparison with one another. We also conducted an extensive survey of related archosaurs for similar lesions. We show here that these lesions are consisten

SUBMITTER: Wolff ED 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2748709 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature