Researchers Identify First Baby T. rex Foot Bone, Estimating 15-30 Eggs per Clutch
Updated
Updated · Fox Weather · Jul 21
Researchers Identify First Baby T. rex Foot Bone, Estimating 15-30 Eggs per Clutch
3 articles · Updated · Fox Weather · Jul 21
Summary
A tiny third metatarsal pulled from misidentified fossil collections has been identified as the first known baby T. rex foot bone, giving scientists their smallest confirmed Tyrannosaurus specimen.
Nick Longrich and colleagues recognized the bone after ruling out other theropods and noting its porous texture, a hallmark of an immature dinosaur; the findings were published in Biology.
The bone suggests T. rex hatchlings were about the size of a small cat and likely mobile soon after hatching, foraging largely on their own while receiving limited parental care.
Using the new specimen with earlier hatchling teeth evidence, the team estimated typical T. rex clutches at 15 to 30 eggs, with larger clutches of 50 to 100 possible despite high mortality.