Dinosaurs

Spinosaurus aegyptiacus skeleton

0

An article published in the journal “Cretaceous Research” reports the discovery of hundreds of teeth of Spinosaurus aegyptiacus in the ancient Kem Kem river system, along the border between today’s Morocco and Algeria. A team of researchers collected about 1,200 fossil teeth in an ancient river bed in today’s Morocco, and analysis revealed that nearly half of them were of Spinosaurus aegyptiacus. Their conclusion is that it’s evidence that about 100 million years ago, in the Cretaceous period, this dinosaur was well adapted to aquatic life, a confirmation of the thesis supported by a growing number of paleontologists.

Sauropod fossil embryo

0

An article published in the journal “Current Biology” reports the study of a fossil embryo of titanosaur dating back to about 80 million years ago, in the Cretaceous period, that came from Argentina. A team of researchers led by Dr. Martin Kundrat used sophisticated techniques to study it. The egg around it was dissolved by applying very carefully an acid preparation, and at that point, the embryo was scanned at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble, France, which made it possible to create a three-dimensional reproduction. The examination offers new insight into the development of sauropods, the large group of herbivorous dinosaurs, and particularly their skulls, indicating that at least titanosaurs had stereoscopic vision and a horn like rhinos that was lost in adulthood.

Sinlhouette of Lusovenator santosi with the available bones

0

An article published in the “Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology” reports the identification of a carnivorous dinosaur that lived in today’s Portugal between 153 and 145 million years ago, in the Jurassic period. A team of researchers led by Dr. Elisabete Malafaia of the Portuguese University of Lisbon named it Lusovenator santosi and attributed it to the Carcharodontosauria group, part of the larger group of allosaurs, carnivorous dinosaurs that were superpredators in their ecosystems. This species is very ancient within its group and its discovery offers some new information on the first phase of these dinosaurs’ diversification, which is currently poorly known due to the scarcity of fossils.

Aratasaurus museunacionali fossil

0

An article published in the “Scientific Reports” journal announces the discovery of a new species of carnivorous feathered dinosaur that lived in today’s Brazil about 104 million years ago, in the Cretaceous period. A team of paleontologists named it Aratasaurus museunacionali and attributed it to the group of coelurosaurs. The examination of the few available bones of the uncovered specimen indicates that it was a juvenile, but its length already exceeded three meters. An interesting conclusion is that the new species according to the researchers is a close relative of Zuolong salleei, a dinosaur that lived in today’s China about 160 million years ago, in the Jurassic period.

Silhouette of Overoraptor chimentoi with the bones found

0

An article published in the journal “Science of Nature” reports the identification of a new species of dinosaur with characteristics similar to birds that lived about 90 million years ago, in the Cretaceous period, in today’s Patagonia, Argentina. A team of researchers led by Matias Motta named it Overoraptor chimentoi, a name that reminds more of predatory dinosaurs than birds. In fact, some of its characteristics are typical of that type of dinosaur, with legs suitable for running and a claw similar to that of Velociraptor on its second toe. Instead, its arms have characteristics much closer to bird wings, and this suggests that it’s one of the species closest to birds among the various known raptors.