侏羅紀(jì)搏擊俱樂部 第55期:在它們身邊要小心為妙

Camarasaurus also owed its success to a set of long,spoon-shaped teeth that, paleontologists came torealize, could defoliate entire trees.

圓頂龍成功的另一個原因是(牙齒露出5厘米，含牙根8厘米)它們長長的匙狀牙齒古生物學(xué)家已經(jīng)意識到這些牙能扯掉整棵樹的葉子。

The teeth in Camarasaurus actually interlock.

圓頂龍的牙齒實際上是相互扣住的。

They kind of tongue and groove almost one intoeach other.

一顆凸起進(jìn)入凹下的那顆這樣上下相扣。

They would have almost functioned like a serrated beak or a single large cutting surface.

它們的功能就像是鋸齒狀的鳥喙或是單側(cè)大型切割型面。

So they're probably stripping vegetation quite effectively.

所以它們吃光植物的效率可能很高。

The remains of three Camarasaurus found together in Wyoming in 1997 suggested that thesedinosaurs traveled in small herds.

1997年在懷俄明州一起發(fā)現(xiàn)的三具圓頂龍骨骸證明了這些恐龍小群活動。

But as the lakebed excavation continued, the mystery deepened.

不過隨著對湖床挖掘的進(jìn)行謎團(tuán)愈加撲朔迷離。

Something intriguing became evident.

很明顯有些事情很有意思。

Very few Camarasaurus bones were found.

這里沒找到多少圓頂龍的骨頭。

Why?

為什么呢?

The answer would be a vital clue.

其答案會是一條重要線索。

Really big animals, like Camarasaurus, would have been pretty reluctant to walk out to thelakebed.

像圓頂龍這樣龐大的動物一般不愿意走到湖床上面。

Their sheer mass and weight makes getting stuck a real possibility,

其體型重量很容易讓它們受困，

so unless it's an incredible drought and that was the only place to get water, they're probablygoing to keep their distance.

所以除非是干旱異常而且這里是唯一的飲水之地，它們對這種地方都會敬而遠(yuǎn)之。

That's why I think that so few remains of Camarasaurus were found at the Cleveland Lloyd site.

我覺得這就是為什么在克利夫蘭勞埃德石場發(fā)現(xiàn)的圓頂龍的骨架這么少。

As plant eaters, they were not natural aggressors.

它們是植食動物天生攻擊性不強。

When they encountered a predator, Camarasaurus most likely relied on their sheer mass toact as a deterrent.

當(dāng)它們遇到掠食者，圓頂龍最可能就是把龐大身軀當(dāng)成威懾物。

Any animal that weighs 15 to 20 tons is just going to be an absolute powerhouse to deal with.

重量達(dá)十五到二十噸的動物絕對力大無比，會很難對付。

Just stepping on potential predators would probably do them in.

僅僅踩上一腳就能干掉掠食者。

You'd want to be very careful around them.

在它們身邊可要小心為妙。

A large African elephant often weighs in 5 to 6 ton range.

一頭巨大的非洲象常常是五到六噸重。

These animals get up to 3,4 times that size easily.

這些動物很容易就能達(dá)到大象的三到四倍。

So we're already talking much stronger than an elephant.

所以它們要比大象有力得多。