侏羅紀搏擊俱樂部 第155期:天生適合追逐獵物

The next key feature was a pair of short, but powerful arms.

下一個關鍵特征是它短而有力的前肢。

Although the arms of Albertosaurus were small compared to its overall body size, they were still packed in muscle.

盡管阿爾伯特龍的前肢與體型相比很小，它們也有發(fā)達的肌肉。

This meant that the arms were very strong, but their function is somewhat of a mystery.

這說明它的前肢非常強壯，不過其功能有點像個迷。

They may have been used to hold the prey as their mouth and teeth did the dirty work or they may have been used during reproduction.

它們也許在巨口利齒來完成殺戮時被用來抓住獵物，或者在繁殖的過程中有用。

Two long muscular legs were built to chase down prey.

兩條長而肌肉發(fā)達的腿天生適合追逐獵物。

Some biomechanical studies have estimated that Albertosaurus could have run at nearly 30 miles per hour - near the speed of a modern lion.

根據(jù)一些生物機械研究估計阿爾伯特龍能夠跑到時速接近30英里，和現(xiàn)代獅子的速度相當。

Albertosaurus probably was quite fast.In fact, although they lived a little bit different times it could've potentially outrun T-Rex.

阿爾伯特龍很可能非常迅速。事實上，盡管生活的時期有點不同，它可能比霸王龍要快。

I mean, it had quite long tibiae and quite long metatarsals too in comparison to the length of the femur, so, you know, a pretty fast animal.

跟它的股骨長度相比它有著相當長的脛骨和跖骨，所以是很快的動物。

Albertosaurus also had a long, tapered tail for easy maneuvering.

阿爾伯特龍還有漸縮的長尾，用來輕松操控。

That tail works as a counter balance, so they can swing their tail one way or the other while running and that helps them turn.

尾巴能起到平衡作用，在它們跑動時把尾巴擺到一側(cè)或另一側(cè)來幫助它們轉(zhuǎn)彎。

We even see that today in modern animals like big cats.

我們甚至能在現(xiàn)代動物比如大型貓科動物身上看到。

When big cats are running they swing their tail this way or that and that helps them turn much more quickly.

大型貓科動物奔跑時把尾巴甩到一邊或另一邊，這能讓它們轉(zhuǎn)彎的速度更快。

With these Tyrannosaur features, Albertosaurus was a master at adapting to different environments.

有了這些暴龍的特征，阿爾伯特龍成了適應不同環(huán)境的大師。

Most specimens of Albertosaurus we find are found only in one place in Alberta, which was a coastal plain.

我們發(fā)現(xiàn)的多數(shù)阿爾伯特龍標本都來自阿爾伯塔的一個地方，那里曾是海岸平原。

So we know that those dinosaurs lived in an environment very similar to what we see in the gulf states today or in northern Florida.

所以我們知道那些恐龍所生活的環(huán)境跟如今墨西哥灣的州或者弗羅里達北部都非常接近。

But we have other Albertosaurus specimens from Montana now that appear to be different species and they appear to have lived in environments that were much more inland.

不過我如今在蒙大拿也有另外的阿爾伯特龍標本，看起來像是另一物種，它們似乎生活的環(huán)境遠要更加深入內(nèi)陸。

Places that, at least seasonally, were very dry.

這些地方，起碼在某些季節(jié)，會非常干燥。

And so it may well be that although Albertosaurus lived in a wide variety of environments, in fact, it may have broken up into different species in those specific environments.

盡管阿爾伯特龍生活的環(huán)境各異，其實，它們可能在這些特定環(huán)境中分屬不同種類。

But there's another clue to how this predator lived.

但是還有一條說明這種掠食者如何生活的線索。

At a site in Canada called Dry Island Bone Bed, the discovery of multiple Albertosaurus skeletons showed that this predator hunted in packs.

加拿大的一處地點叫做干島骨床，這里發(fā)現(xiàn)了多具阿爾伯特龍骨架表明這種掠食者成群獵食。