Science

Ankylosaurs Used Their Tail Clubs Not Just Against T. Rex!

Ankylosaurs :

Among big teeth, claws, spikes, and colossal mass, the tail club was one of the deadliest weapons of the dinosaurs that ruled the earth millions of years ago.

Evolution had gifted armored dinosaurs like Ankylosaurs with nature’s sledgehammer, a bony mass at the end of the tail that had the power to break the bone of a T. rex.

Since the fossil of Ankylosaurs was first discovered in the 1900s, it was believed that the tail club was only used by the Ankylosaurs to defend themselves from predators.

However, the new fossil findings by a group of scientists suggest that it wasn’t only to deter the predators but also to challenge themselves for dominance and mating rights.

These dinosaurs were built like tanks covered in hard bony plates with a rockhard club at the end of their (Ankylosaurs) tail.


More for you:

> Homo Naledi Used Fires Underground 236,000 Years Ago…?
> Clam Resurrected from Extinction…!
> Search For Aliens; NASA Sets Up a New Squad


Initially, paleontologists believed that the tail club was only used to defend themselves from predators like T. rex due to the lack of strong supportive evidence.

“This natural sledgehammer has long been considered by both scientists and artists as a defensive weapon against predators,” said paleontologist Victoria Arbour, Royal British Columbia Museum, Canada, in a report.

The team of paleontologists found proof of the tail club’s other uses from a fossil that was excavated in 2017.

The studies revealed the fossilized armored dino (Ankylosaurs) had five broken spikes on its sides clustered in a particular part of the body.

The injuries on the fossil lacked any bite or scratch marks. The research report was published in Biology Letters. It stated that the injuries were consistent with tail clubbing.

These armored dinosaurs’ tail clubs began as tiny clusters at the tip. The matured Ankylosaurs used their tail clubs to spar with each other for territory, food, and mating rights just like today’s herbivores.

“Ankylosaurs are often portrayed as stupid, lone dinosaurs. The studies show that they probably had much more complex behaviors than we give them credit for,” Arbour added.

Chetan Raj

I'm a writer, entrepreneur, and traveler obsessed with technology, travel, science, and the world we are living in. I realized the value of 'true knowledge' for the 1st time in my graduation which is one of the many reasons to create this magnificent platform...

Recent Posts

Ebola Outbreak in Africa Sparks Global Alarm as WHO Warns Crisis Could Get Worse

The deadly "Ebola outbreak" spreading across parts of Central and East Africa has triggered renewed… Read More

6 days ago

SpaceX IPO Could Become Largest in History as BlackRock Eyes Massive $10 Billion Investment

SpaceX is once again dominating global financial headlines as reports suggest investment giant BlackRock is… Read More

2 weeks ago

Nintendo Shares Crash After Switch 2 Price Hike Sparks Fears Over Weak Game Lineup

Nintendo shocked investors after its shares plunged nearly 7% in Tokyo trading, as concerns mounted… Read More

3 weeks ago

Bacteria That Defy Medicine: Inside the Ancient World of Drug-Resistant Microbes

Deep beneath the desert surface of Lechuguilla Cave lies a hidden ecosystem that is reshaping… Read More

4 weeks ago

James Bond Game Leak Sends Shockwaves Across the Gaming Industry

The gaming world has been rocked by an unexpected leak involving the highly anticipated 'James… Read More

2 months ago

Kia EV3: How Kia’s Affordable Electric Vehicle Could Reshape the U.S. EV Market

South Korean automaker "Kia" is making a bold move to revive electric vehicle demand in… Read More

2 months ago