Dinosaurs: Is there any evidence that some of them might have been venomous?

Answer 1

Evidence of venomous dinosaurs comes from two sources: firstly, fossilized teeth (fangs), and secondly, DNA evidence of genes which encode toxins comparable to those used by venomous animals today.

Snakes, whether or not they spit their venom (like cobras) or inject it, have a modified incisor with a channel down its centre, through which poison passes from the poison duct, a modified salivary cland. In Mexico, there is fossil evidence of such fangs, dating back 70 to 80 million years (remember, dinosaurs "ruled" the Earth up to 65 million years ago). It is believed the dinosaurs to which these fangs once belonged was a group known as the theropods.

DNA evidence is less helpful, because what may be poisonous to one creature is no necessarilry poisonous to another. The example everyone knows of this is that Clown fish (or Nemo in "Finding Nemo"!!!) are unaffected by the poisonous tentacles of sea urchins. So even if we located a gene in DNA extracted from fossils, it would be very difficult to prove that it was useful to that creature as a toxin because it acted in an adverse way on protein within another dinosaur.

Ths upshot of this, is that fossilised fangs with channels in tend to be viewed as pretty conclusive evidence of venomous dinosaurs. Maybe soon, the DNA evidence will help to prove this beyond question.

Answer 2

No. You would have to find the venom sacks or some organ that secreted venom in the fossils or skeletons, and fossilization of soft tissue is VERY rare in dinosaurs. No evidence of venomous strutures has been found. Dinosaur DNA hasn't yet been found, and it wouldn't be a good proof of this.

Answer 3

it would be possible as previously stated but there could have been dinos with deadly bites similar to the komodo dragon who actually has no venom,

it's deadly bite come from the viral cocktail that is inherently in it's dirty mouth.

that could be a high possibility for smaller carnivores that didn't have jaws big enough for tearing chunks out of a larger dinosaur,

but then there were small carnivores that traveled in packs that could have had a kind of anesthetic that relaxed the dinosaur that was bitten, but when bitten by many it could have put it to sleep allowing the pack to follow it until it sleeps and then feed.

and of course there is also the possibility of spitters like in jurassic park,

though a majority of carnivores would fight their prey

these are all theories but they are all highly possible

Answer 4

Cannot say whether there is any evidence but there probably would had been some that are venomous.

Answer 5

None whatsoever.