Baryonyx Ate Fish and Listened to Tom Petty

Dr. Emily Rayfield, a researcher at the University of Bristol has pioneered methods using computer modeling to determine dinosaur physiology. Research by Dr. Rayfield just published in the Journal of Vertebrate Palaeontolology sheds new light on the feeding habits of Baryonyx, which had a body similar to meat eating dinosaurs but now appears to have been better adapted for eating fish.

Fascinating footage of a Baryonyx skull spinning around in circles, apparently proving something important.

Using a CT scan, Dr. Rayfield was able to determine that Baryonyx's skull bent and stretched more like that of a gharial, an Indian fish eater similar to the crocodile but with a narrow snout. It also had two enormous hand claws which may have been well suited to gaffing. This suggests that Baryonyx was designed to eat fish, kind of like a much larger, terrifying reptilian version of the Gorton's Fisherman with rows of sharp twisted teeth. Computer rendering below:

Trust the Gorton's Fisherman...

Perhaps even more fascinating than Dr. Rayfield's research was my own discovery of the baffling world of dinosaur "tribute" videos on YouTube... (more below the fold)

Baryonyx is hardly T-Rex but a YouTube search reveals no less than five distinct tribute videos created in her honor. These consist of image montages, including hand drawn pictures by children, set to a stunningly bizarre and diverse range of music. There are a few of these for practically every commonly known and not so commonly known dinosaur. It would appear that the Baryonyx elicits very different emotional responses from its fan base, from Rascal Flats to James Blunt and the Star Wars theme song.

This intriguing subculture, where passions for the long dead ankylosaurus meet the pop-punk musical stylings of Blink 182, clearly has some serious time on their hands. I wonder if this is how home schooled kids rock out...

For your viewing pleasure

Baryonyx rocking out to Rascal Flats aka Baryonyx as interpreted by a 13 year old girl from the MidWest

This video supports the theory that Baryonyx went extinct due to terrible taste in music.

Baryonyx on Tatooine