Page 111 - The Dinosaur Book and Other Wonders of the Prehistoric World (DK-Smithsonian)
P. 111
Struthiomimus
The toothless jaws Cutting edge
Heterodontosaurus by a sharp beak.
were probably covered
The massive, spiked teeth Tyrannosaurus
were stronger than the slender
blades of typical meat-eaters.
These thick, strong
teeth were used for
cracking through bone.
Heterodontosaurus had
long canine teeth at the front but
flattened chewing teeth at the back.
The teeth were rooted in big
jaw bones, strong enough to
cope with struggling prey.
Daspletosaurus
JAW MOVEMENT
Meat-eating dinosaurs did not have to These small
chew their food, so their jaws did not muscles opened
Duriavenator their teeth together. But the jaws did need very big muscles.
need to move in complex ways to grind
the jaw.
to be strong—especially those of
The jaw was
bone-crunching tyrannosaurs, which
snapped shut by
were equipped with huge muscles to
give them a massively powerful bite.
Different types of teeth suited different types of through bone, while the birdlike
prey. Velociraptor had bladelike teeth, ideal for Struthiomimus had no teeth at all. It may have
attacking and eating other dinosaurs, but the eaten plants, small animals, or both. Unusually,
pointed teeth in the jaws of Baryonyx were Heterodontosaurus had several different types
adapted for catching slippery fish. The massive of teeth, which may have enabled it to eat both
spikes of Tyrannosaurus were perfect for biting animals and plants. 109
US_108-109_Cutting_edge.indd 109 10/04/18 3:34 PM

