There's a long going debate whether Theropod dinosaurs had lips.
In particular Tyrannosaurids.
And were they able to seal their lips with their jaw closed up.
I made a quick rough rig with my Tyrannosaurus model and a skull underneath.
For the purpose of this test I modified the skin over the dentary to be able to produce the lip seal upon jaw closure.
The result is lots of excess tissue that would be required to match both lips and form a seal.
For me personally it seems rather inefficient from the biomechanical and evolutionary standpoint.
I do not hold a degree in paleontology or any other scientific discipline.
I'm not entirely sure whether I count as paleoartist to begin with.
I do love dinosaurs and subjects related to dinosaurs.
I spent years making dinosaurs in clay, wire, tape and silicone, drawing them on paper, painting them with number of techniques.
Now for the past 13 years I continue doing this via digital tech. producing 3d models and illustrations.
I love reading about dinosaurs and paleontological research.
I care about continuous efforts from the profession to get to the bottom of so many questions that come up with each new discovery.
I care about the efforts of getting us closer to how dinosaurs looked like and behaved.
I have a critical and sceptical mind.
I'm not sentimental about how dinosaurs looked like in my childhood or Jurassic Park.
I respect the old, I welcome new.
With all that out the way let me go back to the topic.
Personally I am not convinced of the lip seal theory.
Mostly because there aren't any palpable findings to this point in time, as far as I'm aware, that could sway me to adopt the "sealed lip" image in Tyrannosaurids.
Some other theropods probably had it.
With regards to Tyrannosaurids, I'm more likely to believe they might've had upper lip/skin sheet, or a keratinous structure resembling a birds beak. But no lip tissue covering the dentary.
The entire speculation spins(more or less) around one pivotal detail.
Dinosaur teeth.
The question; would dinosaur teeth survive prolonged and continuous periods of being dry and exposed to sunlight, in case there was no lip tissue to protect the teeth enamel, and thus the teeth itself from decaying?
There are some facts that challenge these questions that are proposing lip seal theory.
One being crocodile teeth. Crocodile teeth are able to withstand extreme droughts and heat for weeks and months at a time.
Elephant tusk is another example.
Then there's the fact that dinosaurs replaced their teeth like sharks do.
With some of these facts laid out above new questions come up.
If dinosaurs lacked lips, how did their teeth survive being dry trough most of dinosaur lives?
Did dinosaur teeth require moisture at all to remain healthy?
Maybe dinosaurs had such salivary glands that were able to produce just enough moisture within their jaws to keep the teeth from falling over the threshold.
Maybe the climate played part in this. Climate was more humid back then, but could environmental humidity be so effective to protect dinosaur teeth?
Along with many unknowns there is the unknown of tongue which could also play vital role in the dinosaur oral physiology.
To conclude, I'm not saying either or. I'm not saying Tyrannosaurids lacked lips or had lips.
In case of any lip tissue, I'm more prone to believe Tyrannosaurids had some type of skin sheet that overlapped the upper row of teeth.
Personally, I'l just remain sceptical about the whole lip seal idea until we are presented with more irrefutable facts.
Until that day, I'l probably keep reconstructing Tyrannosaurids with no lip, or partial upper lip only that I'm beginning to adhere to.
Unless a patron with a specific fantasy about Pamela Andersonesque theropod shows up and pays me to do it ;).
Негізгі бет Theropod lips, yes or no?
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