Yes, ostriches have two-toed feet (most birds have four toes, some have three).
Another two-toed animal is of course the Two-toed Sloth (which has two toes on the forelimbs, three on the hind).
However, a better example of an animal with degenerate forelimbs is the Two-toed Amphiuma, a kind of aquatic salamander.
I believe there are other amphibians and reptiles that may have only two toes on some limbs. In these cases, the limbs are completely useless, and are in the process of being lost entirely. They don’t have much in the way of musculature or bone structure.
The odd thing about T. rex’s arms is that, although they were highly reduced, they were not degenerate in the sense of losing their musculature, joint structure, etc. They were apparently functional, in that they could be moved in the normal manner. What their function was (if any) is a mystery.
What’s the big deal with three-fingered extremities? Modern horses only have one finger per foot.
My favorite speculation on the forelimbs (which I didn’t hear from a paleontologist, so I have no idea whether it holds water) is that they used them to hold together while mating. I’m hard-pressed to visualize Tyranosaurus sex even with the aid of something to hold onto; without, well…
There’s a good picture of a pair of ostrich feet here. Note the lack of a third toe - simply a large toe moving forward from the leg, and a smaller one splayed out away from the body.
You were the one who brought up the subject of animals with two-digit limbs, and then doubted the ostrich as an answer. It’s impolite to bring up a question, then complain when it gets answered.
As to the other questions:
The OP has already been answered, to my satsifaction - no, a T-Rex is much too small.
As to the jumping, I’m not an anatomist nor an engineer. I can’t say where the skeletal structure of a given creature would have to be altered to change their standard mode of movement. I make it a habit of only answering questions I’m realatively sure of the answer to.
No one ridiculed anything you said. They might have been justified in doing so though, since you claimed ostriches had three toes when they do not even after several posters gave the correct information.
Horses had ancestors with four toes. All surviving horses have a single toe.
Correct. What was your point?
Who are your referring to here?
2muchTrivia, you are a guest, so you may not be familiar with how things work on this board and in this forum. If you don’t want to look stupid, it’s best not to say anything unless you actually know what you are talking about. These forums are frequented by many real experts in a wide range of topics. If you post something that is incorrect, you will likely be corrected in very short order, sometimes not as politely as has happened to you so far. If you are sensitive about being corrected, either be sure of your facts or don’t say anything. Also, if you do don’t want to be thought stupid, it’s a good idea to pay attention to spelling, grammar, and punctuation in your posts. Just saying.
I just checked my copy of Bakker’s The Dinosaur Heresies, and at least in that he does not claim that Tyrannosaurs or other carnosaurs had highly moveable lips like those of mammals. He does say that the pattern of blood vessels and nerves on the jaws indicates they had thin, slightly mobile lips like those of lizards, rather than being essentially lipless like crocodilians.
Here are some restorations showing T. rex with lizard-type lips:
I already addressed the “why not hop” question, 2MuchTrivia.
I think you may have misinterpreted my analogy about sumo wrestlers and basketball players. My point was that sumo wrestlers are often very strong, but their heavier body weight makes them less likely to be able to jump high or far in comparison to lighter and (comparatively) weaker basketball players. Further, the amount of stress that their joints and spine would have to endure to perform such feats would be incredible and would likely lead to injury. In addition to that, the anatomy of T.rex does not indicate a kangaroo-type posture or muscular structure.
