Feathers In Tyrannosaurids

[Tyrannoraptor]

Thanks for the link

Interesting, of course we still can't be sure about that, hopefully somebody will find the evidence in the future so we'll know for sure.

I might go for the combo of both scales and feathers - I don't think T. rex having plumage on its snout is particulary likely, feathers need to be maintained and it would have a difficult time trying to clean them with its tiny arms.

And I couldn't picture a non-terrifying T. rex in my head, feathers or not, it was still a massive animal

[Auspex]

I can see there having been filamentous integuments on many/most dinosaurs, but I would be surprised if they approached the complexity of structure found in a bird's vaned feathers; there is just no ecological need for it. Even among the extant secondarily flightless birds, the "feathers" have become quite simplified.

[Tyrannoraptor]

I think I'm gonna go with the scales/proto-feathers combo, with proto feathers (which would be more hair-like, except from the longer quills on top of the dinosaur's neck) covering the neck and back end of the skull. Snout will deffinitely be scaly for the most part. I figured I could try a "feathery" reconstruction, since there are more than plenty scaly ones out there (but I can give that a go later too).

Either way, it's a meanacing creature, and this drawing is starting to look so. I'm not a professional paleo-artist, I've only done 3 paleo related drawings so far (Carcharodontosaurus head reconstruction, Allosaurus head reconstruction and T. rex skull) but I'll do my best to make it as detailed and life-like as I can. I didn't draw a lot before, so it's all more challenging.

Maybe I should make another thread for paleo art related stuff...

Edit: Changed my mind, I'll try the classic, scaly reconstruction first, because the only solid evidence we have so far seems to point to that. I'm not saying some plummage is impossible, but so far it's all just speculative, and there's some 60 million years between Yutyrannus and T. rex.

Edited July 25, 2012 by Tyrannoraptor

[Tyrannoraptor]

While googling for some T. rex pics (to use as a reference for my reconstruction) I stumbled on this page, which has 2 photos of T. rex skin imprints: http://www.zbrushcentral.com/showthread.php?166404-%28Stan-Winston%29-T-Rex-Work-in-Progress/page3

Does anyone here know if those pics are legit? And if so, do they really indicate possible presence of fur-like feathers?

[Auspex]

...do they really indicate possible presence of fur-like feathers?

No, I see no reason there to conclude that.

[Tyrannoraptor]

No, I see no reason there to conclude that.

I couldn't figure out why the poster of the two pics said so. It looks just like bumpy scales to me. But then again, I am not an expert.

I'll try to replicate that scaly skin pattern on my drawing, at least on some parts, perhaps on the under part of the neck. I'm giving extra attention to details this time around. I will post the picture as soon as it's finished, but this might take a while...