Dinosaurs

[warpig1]

Following on from jojp's question, how long would a dinosaur live, presuming it died of natural causes and wasn't munched by another. Say for example a T-rex, have we any indication of their longevity?

[Clanad]

Up front, let me emphasize that no one knows for sure. Having said that, I visited recently, the university where I majored in Geology quite a few years ago, and had the distinct opportunity to discuss this issue with some graduate students and their lead professor. Latest studies actually focused on T-Rex since in the last few years, here in the western U.S., there have been a number of excellent fossil discoveries... in one case the Hell Creek formation in southeastern Montana and northeastern Wyoming provided the most complete example extent. Study of that and other examples indicates a probable life span of 30 to 40 years. There is speculation that some of the larger sauropods, like Apatosaurus, Brachiosaurus, et al may have lived to be 100 years old on average, discounting those suffering predation... Interesting question, as usual, warpig1...

[warpig1]

Thank you Clanad, would have gone for brachiosaurus but couldn't spell it! Just wondered as they are so big, thought it must have taken a certain length of time for them to gain maturity and procreate.

In saying that my grandad was 97 when he died and he was only 6'2", but then again he didn't go aroung chomping on his fellow humans ( well not that I know off!)

Seriously though given their size,it is just it must take a long time for them to mature.

Thanks again
warpig1

[burnhal]

I guess we could compare with what we have left today- a crocodiles lifespan is estimated as up to anything between 70 and 100 years. A komodo dragon is estimated at anything up to around 40 years.