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In recent years, several new dinosaur species have been discovered around the world. Some of the most notable discoveries include the Patagotitan, which is believed to be the largest dinosaur ever discovered, and the Borealopelta, a well-preserved armored dinosaur. Other recent discoveries include the Halszkaraptor, a bizarre dinosaur with duck-like features, and the Mansourasaurus, a new species found in Egypt. These discoveries continue to provide valuable insight into the evolution and diversity of these fascinating prehistoric creatures.
Due to the success of the popular movie Jurassic Park in the 1990s, interest in dinosaurs has increased dramatically. This has led to many new discoveries of these extinct animals. In fact, over 100 new dinosaur species have been named since 1990.
Many new dinosaur species have been found in western North America, with the most complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton ever discovered in South Dakota. This discovery, known as “Sue,” attracted worldwide attention. In addition, the discovery of the vertebrae of Argentinosaurus in Patagonia revealed one of the largest plant-eaters ever known, possibly over 100 feet in length.
China and Mongolia have yielded the most new dinosaur discoveries, including the first feathered dinosaurs found in Liaoning, China. This discovery has strengthened the theory of a connection between dinosaurs and birds, as over 100 anatomical features have been found to be shared between meat-eating dinosaurs and birds.
The Discovery of “Sue”
In 1990, Susan Hendrickson discovered fossilized dinosaur bones on a ranch near Faith, South Dakota. Her employer, Peter Larson, identified the bones as belonging to a Tyrannosaurus rex, and they began to excavate the site. They found the most complete skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus rex ever discovered, which was over 90% complete, including a five-foot-long skull. Larson purchased the skeleton for $5,000 and named it “Sue” after Hendrickson. He believed it to be a large female dinosaur.
Williams and the Sioux tribe had second thoughts about the ownership of the bones after the find received tremendous publicity. The Sioux tribe believed that they could be the legal owners of the fossil and requested the involvement of the US Government. The FBI seized “Sue” from the Institute during the legal struggle and locked it away at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology until the dispute was resolved. The government declared Williams as the legal owner and returned the fossil to him after discovering legal irregularities that resulted in Larson’s imprisonment. Williams auctioned “Sue” through Sotheby’s in New York City, and it was sold for $8.36 million to the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. The museum prepared “Sue” for public display, and it went on permanent display in 2000.
In Liaoning Province, farmers discovered exquisitely preserved fossil birds of a new species, Confuciusornis, in 1994. The fossils were found in fine-grained Early Cretaceous sedimentary deposits near Sihetun village, and many were so well preserved that their feathers could be seen. The Chinese government considers the thriving market for exporting the fossils out of China illegal smuggling. In 1996, the complete skeleton of a three-feet-long theropod named Sinosauropteryx prima was found at Sihetun. The dinosaur closely resembled Compsognathus and had brushy structures along the neck, back, and tail, which most scientists believe to be feathers, making it the first feathered non-avian dinosaur ever found.
In Liaoning, more feathered dinosaurs were found after Sinosauropteryx, including Protarchaeopteryx, Caudipteryx, Sinornithosaurus, Beipiaosaurus, and Microraptor, all with large and powerful hind legs and hands with big claws, but none had wings. These discoveries support the theory that birds are theropod dinosaurs that evolved the ability to fly. Interestingly, the feathered theropods found in Liaoning represent various theropod families, suggesting that the origin of feathers is not closely linked to the origin of birds, and other lines of theropod dinosaurs may have had feathers, including Tyrannosaurus rex.
South America has a rich collection of dinosaur fossils dating from the middle of the Triassic Period to the end of the Cretaceous Period. Paleontologists have been able to piece together the Early Cretaceous epoch in South America, which is not well-known elsewhere. Most of the newly discovered South American Early Cretaceous dinosaurs are sauropods, including Andesaurus, Argentinosaurus, Dicraeosauridae, Amargasaurus, and Rayososaurus. These sauropods were related to their African counterparts and could have walked from one continent to the other. Amargasaurus had tall vertebral spines along the back of its neck, which may have been covered with webs of skin, while Rayososaurus had single spines that could have given the animal a tall ridge along its back. Both were standard size sauropods, measuring about 50 to 60 feet long.
Agustinia, a bizarre sauropod with a double row of moveable plates and spines resembling those of Stegosaurus, is believed to be a possible relative of the rebbachisaurids and has not been found anywhere else in the world. Giganotosaurus, a theropod larger than Tyrannosaurus, is the largest known meat-eating dinosaur, measuring up to 50 feet long and discovered in the same time and place as the gigantic Argentinosaurus. Irritator, a man-sized fish-eating theropod, was found in a lagoonal deposit in Brazil and is related to the much larger African spinosaur Suchomimus.
New types of Early Cretaceous dinosaurs in North America were discovered in Lower Cretaceous rock strata in Utah and Arizona. These dinosaurs are more similar to Early Cretaceous dinosaurs in Europe and Asia than those in Africa or South America. The discoveries included two armored dinosaurs, Gastonia and Animantarx, with the latter being the first dinosaur found by tracing the radioactivity of its fossilized bones. Utahraptor, a six-foot-long carnivorous dinosaur, had “killer claws” over a foot long and may have been covered in feathers. Other Early Cretaceous plant-eating dinosaurs found in North America included Zuniceratops, the world’s earliest known horned dinosaur with well-developed brow horns, and Eolambia, an ornithopod dinosaur close to the ancestry of the later duckbilled dinosaurs.
Africa was largely unexplored territory for dinosaurs until the 1990s, with only a few dinosaur-bearing localities previously discovered by various expeditions. American paleontologists organized expeditions to some of these localities in the 1990s and returned with more material from previously known dinosaurs and fossils of previously unknown dinosaurs, mostly from the Early Cretaceous age.
The French discovered the first remains of Carcharodontosaurus (teeth) in the 19th century, with teeth and jaw fragments being unearthed throughout the Sahara Desert by French and German dinosaur digs in the 20th century. It wasn’t until the 1990s that an American expedition, led by Paul C. Sereno, discovered a good partial skeleton and skull, providing the first comprehensive view of this mysterious giant carnivorous dinosaur. Carcharodontosaurus was closely related to South America’s Giganotosaurus and was roughly the same size as Tyrannosaurus (40 to 45 feet). Additionally, the American expeditions discovered two new meat-eating dinosaurs, Afrovenator and Deltadromeus, with Afrovenator being about 30 feet long and Deltadromeus being similar in size but more slender.
The Spinosaurus aegyptiacus, a spectacular dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous period, was first discovered by German expeditions to Egypt before World War I, but no more fossils of this species have been found. However, a few of its smaller Early Cretaceous relatives, with much shorter spines on their backs, have been discovered in Morocco by French and American expeditions. These include Sigilmassasaurus, Cristatusaurus, and Spinosaurus maroccanus, with Suchomimus being known from a relatively complete skeleton. Spinosaurs are currently being re-examined, and Suchiomimus may belong to the same species as one of the previously named spinosaurs. A hallmark of spinosaurs is their elongated, narrow snout with slender teeth, which strongly resembles the snouts and teeth of modern fish-eating crocodiles of India, leading experts to believe that spinosaurs were primarily fish-eaters.
American expeditions also discovered new African sauropods, including Malawisaurus, a primitive titanosaur from Malawi; Jobaria, a large but primitive sauropod similar to Cetiosaurus from the Jurassic of Great Britain; and Nigersaurus, a peculiar medium-sized sauropod that may be related to the rebbachisaurids. Nigersaurus had rows of hundreds of teeth packed in its jaws like the dental batteries of duckbilled dinosaurs. While Malawisaurus material had been discovered as early as 1928, it wasn’t until better fossils were found in the early 1990s that it was identified as a new type of dinosaur. Lurdusaurus, a large, heavily built but otherwise standard iguanodontid, was also discovered in the same area as the sail-backed ornithopod Ouranosaurus by the French expedition to the Niger Republic in 1972 and was described and named in 1999.
During the Mesozoic era, Antarctica had a fairly mild climate in which dinosaurs and other Mesozoic animals and plants thrived. It also acted as a land bridge that connected southern Africa, Madagascar, India, and Australia. However, the massive Antarctic ice pack and frigid temperatures make it extremely challenging to collect dinosaur fossils there. Nonetheless, a few scattered dinosaur fossils have been discovered in Antarctica, including Cryolophosaurus, a theropod that was 26 feet long and had a unique, flat crest on its head between the eyes, shaped like two ruffled potato chips stuck together side by side. A significant portion of its skull was recovered, providing a good idea of what this dinosaur looked like. Along with Cryolophosaurus were the bones of an unnamed prosauropod, possibly the type of dinosaur that Cryolophosaurus hunted. Both dinosaurs lived during the Early Jurassic epoch.
Dinosaurs in Madagascar during the Late Cretaceous Period
In the late 19th century, British and French paleontologists discovered dinosaur fossils in Madagascar. These fossils were incomplete and included bones from Jurassic and Cretaceous sauropods (brachiosaurid and titanosaurid) and theropods. In 1926, a tooth fossil was discovered and identified as belonging to a new species of Stegosaurus, while the theropod was named Majungasaurus by the French. Later, in 1979, a thickened skull bone was described as a pachycephalosaur named Majungatholus. Although a few more scrappy dinosaur bones were found in Madagascar, this was essentially where dinosaur paleontology of Madagascar stood until the mid-1990s.
In 1996, American expeditions to Madagascar discovered Late Cretaceous dinosaur bones, including two types of titanosaurids (still unidentified), a large theropod, a new type of small to medium-size theropod with distinctive forward-protruding front teeth, a small bird-like theropod with large wing-like forelimbs that was likely a good flier, and a “true” bird named Vorona. This new material helped resolve some doubts about Madagascar dinosaurs. The stegosaur tooth was found to belong to a peculiar kind of crocodile, while the pachycephalosaur turned out to be a theropod with a bumpy, thickened skull roof and a short snout. Majungatholus was found to be closely related to the South American horned theropod Carnotaurus, with a single thick knob on top of its head instead of a pair of horns. The name Majungasaurus had to be discarded due to the lack of identifying material.
In early 2001, the small theropod with forward-protruding front teeth was named Masiakasaurus. It is believed to be related to the small theropod Noasaurus from South America, and some speculate that it was a fish-eater. The small bird-like theropod, Rahonavis, is the most interesting fossil found during these expeditions. Although it was classified as a bird, its feet closely resemble those of dromaeosaurids, and its forelimbs have the bones of bird wings and little bumps where feathers might have been attached, making it a genuine link between small theropod dinosaurs and “true” birds. Further study and more specimens are needed to resolve the relationship between theropods, birds, and Rahonavis.
FAQ
What are some recent dinosaur discoveries?
In 2020, a new species of dinosaur was discovered in Argentina. The species, called Bajadasaurus pronuspinax, had spines on its neck that curved forward. In 2019, a dinosaur fossil was found in Japan that had four wings. The species, called Ambopteryx longibrachium, is believed to have been able to glide through the air. In 2018, a new species of dinosaur was discovered in South Africa. The species, called Ngwevu intloko, had a short snout and was a plant-eater. These are just a few examples of recent dinosaur discoveries.
Why are these discoveries important?
These discoveries are important because they provide new information about the diversity of dinosaurs that existed. The more we learn about dinosaurs, the more we can understand about their evolution and the world they lived in. Additionally, these discoveries can help us understand how dinosaurs interacted with each other and their environment.
How are these discoveries made?
Most dinosaur discoveries are made by paleontologists who search for fossils in areas where they are likely to be found. These areas include rock formations that are millions of years old and were once part of the earth’s surface. After a fossil is found, it is carefully excavated and taken to a laboratory where it is studied in detail.
What tools do paleontologists use to make these discoveries?
Paleontologists use a variety of tools to make dinosaur discoveries. Some of these tools include hammers, chisels, brushes, and sieves. They also use technology, such as CT scans and 3D printing, to create digital models of fossils and study them in greater detail.
How do scientists determine the age of fossils?
Scientists determine the age of fossils using a variety of methods. One common method is radiometric dating, which measures the amount of radioactive isotopes in a fossil to determine its age. Another method is stratigraphy, which involves analyzing the layers of rock surrounding a fossil to determine its age.
What can we learn from dinosaur fossils?
Dinosaur fossils can tell us a lot about the physical characteristics of dinosaurs, such as their size and shape. They can also give us insight into their behavior and how they interacted with each other and their environment. By studying dinosaur fossils, we can learn about the evolution of life on Earth and how it has changed over time.
How did dinosaurs become extinct?
There are several theories about how dinosaurs became extinct. One theory is that a large asteroid impact caused a massive environmental change that wiped out the dinosaurs. Another theory is that volcanic activity caused a series of environmental changes that led to their extinction. Some scientists believe that a combination of these factors, along with other factors such as climate change and disease, led to the extinction of the dinosaurs.
Are there any living descendants of dinosaurs?
Yes, birds are considered to be the living descendants of dinosaurs. Birds share many physical characteristics with dinosaurs, such as feathers and hollow bones. In fact, some scientists believe that birds are actually a type of dinosaur.
Can we bring dinosaurs back to life?
Currently, it is not possible to bring dinosaurs back to life. However, scientists have been able to extract DNA from dinosaur fossils, which could potentially be used to clone dinosaurs in the future. However, there are many ethical and practical concerns associated with cloning dinosaurs, and it is unclear whether it will ever be feasible.
What is the largest dinosaur ever discovered?
The largest dinosaur ever discovered is currently believed to be Patagotitan mayorum, which was found in Argentina in 2014. The dinosaur was estimated to be about 122 feet long and weighed around 77 tons. However, there were likely other dinosaurs that were even larger that have not yet been discovered.
What is the smallest dinosaur ever discovered?
The smallest dinosaur ever discovered is believed to be the species called Microraptor. This dinosaur was about the size of a crow and had feathers on its arms and legs that allowed it to glide through the air. Other small dinosaurs include Compsognathus, which was about the size of a chicken, and Sinosauropteryx, which was about the size of a turkey.
What is the most famous dinosaur?
The most famous dinosaur is arguably Tyrannosaurus rex, or T. rex. This dinosaur is known for its large size, powerful jaws, and fearsome appearance. T. rex lived during the late Cretaceous period, about 68 to 66 million years ago, and is one of the last dinosaurs to have existed before the mass extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs.
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