Crocodiles Trump T. rex as Heavyweight Bite-Force Champions, New Study Shows
ScienceDaily (Mar. 30, 2012) — Paul M. Gignac, Ph.D., Instructor of Research, Department of Anatomical Sciences, Stony Brook University School of Medicine, and colleagues at Florida State University and in California and Australia, found in a study of all 23 living crocodilian species that crocodiles can kill with the strongest bite force measured for any living animal. The study also revealed that the bite forces of the largest extinct crocodilians exceeded 23,000 pounds, a force two-times greater than the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex.

Their data, reported online in PLoS One, contributes to the understanding of performance in animals from the past and provides unprecedented insight into how evolution has shaped that performance.

In “Insights into the Ecology and Evolutionary Success of Crocodilians Revealed through Bite-Force and Tooth-Pressure Experimentation,” the researchers detail their examination of the bite force and tooth pressure of every species of alligator, crocodile, caiman, and gharial. Led by Project Director Gregory Erickson, Ph.D., Professor of Biological Science at Florida State University, the study took more than a decade to complete and required a diverse team of croc handlers and scientists.

“Crocodiles and alligators are the largest, most successful reptile hunters alive today, and our research illustrates one of the key ways they have maintained that crown,” says Dr. Gignac.

Read the full article on Science Daily

So, guys, what do you think about this new research coming out? Not too long ago I had posted the article on T. rex having the largest bite-force, and now this gem has been published. My first gut feeling is a bit pensive, but who knows. The more we study, the more we’ll know about extinct and living species. If SUE just sprung to life out of the blue, then we could be a step closer to solving this, but right now my money’s sticking with the T. rex. Any thoughts?