the tyrannosaurus rex Dinosaur kings are an instantly recognizable iconic species — and according to a new study, as many as 1.7 billion of these beasts roamed the Earth before their unfortunate encounter with an asteroid.
It takes a lot of grinding to figure that out, everything from life expectancy to sexual maturity to a number t-rex The eggs that survive must be counted and factored in to arrive at an estimate.
While 1.7 billion is undoubtedly a large number, it is about 800 million dinosaurs less than the estimate from the 2021 study. The latest analysis is based on the latest information we have about dinosaur growth and reproduction, and appears to be the most accurate.
“Contrary to my model, generation time as well as life expectancy, total reproductive rates and individual reproductive values calculated from the previous model are in sharp contrast to our current understanding of the biology of t-rex And from other theropods, He writes Evolutionary ecologist Eva Grebler of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz in Germany.
“Their values also differ with those of extant reptiles, birds, and large mammals. All these shortcomings of the previous model favor the assessment of individual and population characteristics of t-rex and other extinct species using my model.”
Before we slam the previous estimate, it is worth remembering that it was the first of its kind and still contains a lot of valuable data. However, this new research was used Updated models to t-rex survival and maturity rates.
Simply put, new accounts indicate a lower value t-rex Survival rate, fewer generations in total, and lower amount of egg laying. We have a beautiful decent data It is these factors based on detailed fossil studies and comparisons with modern species that scientists believe retained some of the traits of dinosaurs.
Griebeler tested her model against data on 23 different species found among reptiles, birds, and mammals and found that it predicted population numbers better than the previous model. This indicates that it should work for tyrannosaurus rex also.
The good news is that one of the authors behind the 2021 estimate, University of California, Berkeley paleontologist Charles Marshall, approves of the new work: he said. live science that the last number was “more realistic”.
In addition to reaching that huge 1.7 billion figure, the research also suggests that we’ve found a tiny percentage of t-rex remains. Why this proportion is so small—and where all the other bones are located—is a question for future study.
Gribler suggests that her model—which focuses on maximum lifespan, age of sexual maturity, and maximum annual offspring numbers—could also help estimate population numbers for other extinct species.
All these shortcomings of the previous model favor the assessment of individual and population characteristics t-rex and other extinct species using my model,” He writes grippler.
Research published in Paleontology.
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