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SCIENCE-DINOSAUR
This photo illustration obtained January 13, 2011 researchers have discovered a new dinosaur, Eodromaeus, which lived during the dawn of the dinosaur era, about 230 million years ago. This small, two-legged runner from the late Triassic period is similar in some ways to its contemporary, Eoraptor, but it also shows significant differences that shed light on the early days of dinosaur evolution, a time we know relatively little about. After comparing the two dinosaurs, Ricardo Martinez and colleagues have concluded that Eodromaeus is an early ancestor on the theropod lineage, which includes the predatory dinosaurs. And, Eoraptor, generally considered a theropod as well, is in fact an early ancestor on the sauropod lineage, which includes the giant, long-necked herbivores. Eodromaeus had more theropod-like features in its skull, such as an opening near the end of the snout called the promaxillary fenestra, as well as other “derived” features in its trunk pelvis and limbs, the authors report. Eoraptor not only lacked those features but also had more sauropod-like features, including enlarged nostrils and an inset first lower tooth. Weighing only 10-15 pounds and about 4 feet in length from snout to tail tip, pint-sized Eodromaeus (“dawn runner”) was discovered in 230-million-year old rocks in the foothills of the Andes and lies very close to the ancestor of all meat-eating dinosaurs including Tyrannosaurus. AFP PHOTO/HO/Illustration by Todd Marshall
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AFP / Mediafax Foto |
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HO |
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13 Ianuarie 2011 |
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4272 x 2847 (899.72 KB) |
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