Parasites judged Tyrannosaurus rex to starvation
Patient: Sue, an approximately 30 year old Tyrannosaurus rex from the US state of South Dakota, where she lived 65 million years ago. Shows holes in the lower jaw.
Diagnosis: The holes appeared as a result of wounds after an infection of the parasite Trichomonas. In humans, this parasite is known to cause a venereal disease, but it also attacks birds in the throat and pharynx. American researchers makes the diagnosis when trying to find out about holes in one Tyrannosaurus rex jawbone comes from a bite or an infection. They compare the holes in 61 toothed jawbones from different specimens of Tyrannosaurus rex with holes in the jawbone from birds of prey affected by infections. Fifteen percent agree with the bite, while 15 other percent, including the holes in Sue’s jaw, match the holes that Trichomonas leaves behind.
Forecast: Sue was greatly bothered by the parasite. The infection was painful and in the mouth the parasite formed a waxy, yellow growth that caused three teeth to be deformed. Such outgrowths also occur in birds, including birds of prey, pigeons and chickens, a condition called yellow bud. It may have prevented Sue from eating, so she died of starvation.
–
