Articles tagged with Theropods
Researchers found a well-preserved feather in a 66-million-year-old dinosaur coprolite, shedding light on why birds survived the mass extinction. The feather's features suggest a middle ground between ancient and modern bird feathers, potentially explaining why one group of birds, Neornithes, survived.
Researchers have found a new species of dinosaur, Jian changmaensis, which is believed to be the missing predator that hunted early birds. The dinosaur had long feathers on its front and back limbs, giving it four 'wings' that may have been used for gliding.
Tiny forelimbs in meat-eating dinosaurs, including T. rex, were linked to strong skulls and jaws used for attacking large prey. The study found a correlation between reduced forelimb size and skull robustness, suggesting that tiny arms evolved as a byproduct of powerful heads.
A new study reveals that young sauropods were a key food source for Late Jurassic predators, with adults unable to care for their eggs and offspring. The research team mapped out a 'food web' of the time, finding that sauropods had a significant impact on their ecosystem.
Paleontologists have identified a new species of dinosaur from Triassic fossil beds in South Wales, using modern digital scanning techniques. The fossil jawbone was correctly identified after being on display for over 125 years.
Researchers found that a specific wrist bone, called pisiform, appeared in bird ancestors millions of years earlier than previously thought. This discovery suggests that the integration of this bone into the wrist was crucial for stabilizing wings during flight, tying arm musculature to wrist motion.
A University of Queensland-led research team used advanced digital modelling techniques to reconstruct the Phoenix Trackway, a 70-meter-long set of footprints made by a two-legged predator. The study reveals the dinosaur walked at a steady 5.3 km/h, stood 1.13 meters tall, and weighed up to 292 kilograms.
A new study in PLOS One reveals over 130 dinosaur footprints on the Isle of Skye, providing insight into their distribution and behavior. The trackways suggest large theropods like Megalosaurus and sauropods like Cetiosaurus strolled through ancient subtropical lagoons.
Fossil discovery in Australia rewrote the evolutionary history of theropod dinosaurs, revealing a predator hierarchy unique to Cretaceous Australia. The findings showcase the world's oldest known megaraptorid fossils and the first evidence of carcharodontosaurs in Australia.
Research led by the University of Southampton reveals a whole community of meat-eating dinosaurs, including tyrannosaurs, spinosaurs and Velociraptor-like theropods, in sediments dating back to 135 million years ago. The discovery sheds light on the diversity of theropod groups in southern England during this time period.
A discovery of 18 theropod tracks and four ornithopod tracks in the Wonthaggi Formation reveals that large carnivores roamed polar environments, feeding on prey like smaller dinosaurs, fish, and turtles. The finds confirm that a variety of dinosaurs lived and walked on the ground where their bones were found.
A new theropod dinosaur, Alpkarakush kyrgyzicus, has been discovered in Kyrgyzstan with a unique 'eyebrow' feature. The species belongs to the metriacanthosaurids and is closely related to large predatory dinosaurs of East Asia.
A new study suggests that some dinosaurs, such as theropods and ornithischians, may have developed endothermy around 180 million years ago. This adaptation allowed them to be highly active and sustain activity over longer periods, leading to faster growth and increased offspring production.
A new study using a combination of traditional and machine learning techniques found a previously unknown theropod species in the famous Kem Kem beds of Morocco. The analysis confirmed the presence of Noasauridae, a rare group of small theropods with long necks.
The Komodo Dragon's teeth develop and replace rapidly, with up to five replacement teeth per position in its jaws. This allows it to quickly respond to prey capture or injury, making it an ideal model for studying theropod dinosaur life history and feeding strategies.
A new species of tyrannosaur, Tyrannosaurus mcraeensis, has been identified as the closest known relative of Tyrannosaurus rex. Analysis suggests it lived between 71 and 73 million years ago, five to seven million years before T. rex.
A recent scientific study explores the bite marks left on ancient bones of sauropod dinosaurs like Diplodocus and Brontosaurus by carnivorous theropod dinosaurs. The study found that 68 sauropod bones from the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation bear unmistakable bite traces attributed to theropods.
A recent simulation study suggests that giant dinosaur carcasses could have been a key food source for Jurassic predators like Allosaurus. The researchers found that scavenging large carrion was more profitable than hunting, indicating that carnivores in such ecosystems might have evolved specialized traits to exploit these resources.
A new species, Fujianvenator prodigiosus, exhibits a bizarre assembly of morphologies shared with other avialans, troodontids, and dromaeosaurids. The discovery provides insight into the early evolution of birds and their ecological adaptations.
Researchers discovered that the early avian bauplan was shaped by natural selection driven by powered flight, with forelimb evolution constrained to basic 'blueprint' needed for flight. The study found avialan-like limb proportions established earlier in forelimbs than hindlimbs in theropod history.
The study found fossils of beetle larvae in intimate contact with dinosaur feathers, suggesting a symbiotic relationship where the beetles fed on the feathers. The discovery provides insight into coevolution between vertebrates and arthropods over 500 million years, revealing rare evidence of their interaction.
Researchers found that endotherms have well-developed turbinates and larger nasal cavities than ectotherms, helping to cool their brains. This discovery sheds light on the evolution of nasal cooling in warm-blooded animals from their theropod dinosaur ancestors.
A research team from Germany, Austria, Canada, and the USA analyzed Troodon eggshells using a new method, revealing that they were produced at temperatures of 42°C and 30°C. The findings suggest that Troodon females laid eggs in communal nests, similar to modern ostriches.
Researchers discovered that theropod dinosaurs, including T. rex and Velociraptor, had scaly lips similar to those of lizards, contradicting popular depictions. The study found that dinosaur teeth were not unusually large and were comparable in size to modern lizard teeth when adjusted for skull size.
Researchers at the University of Tokyo found that a specialized wing structure called the propatagium evolved in non-avian dinosaurs, paving the way for modern birds to fly. The discovery, based on statistical analyses of arm joints, helps fill gaps in knowledge about bird flight origins.
Researchers found no relationship between growth rate and body size in theropod dinosaurs, with some giants growing slowly and smaller ones rapidly. This study opens the door to future investigations into how animals regulate their growth.
Researchers found that smaller dinosaurs grew rapidly, while larger ones grew slowly, challenging the idea that growth rate determines body size. The study also discovered that changes in growth timing can impact traits such as offspring size and susceptibility to predators.
Researchers from Ohio University and the University of Southampton reconstructed the brains and inner ears of two British spinosaurs to gain insight into their interaction with their environment. They found that the olfactory bulbs were not particularly developed and the ear was attuned to low-frequency sounds.
A study in Patagonia has uncovered fossils of theropod dinosaurs, including megaraptors with large sickle-like claws, and bird species from two distinct groups. These finds shed light on the diversity of ancient life in Patagonia before the mass extinction event.
Researchers used dental microwear texture analysis to infer feeding habits of large theropods, including T. rex and Allosaurus. The study found that these dinosaurs did not eat bones as frequently as thought, with juveniles having a different feeding behavior.
A new egg species, Ramoprismatoolithus okurai, has been identified from Early Cretaceous fossil eggshell fragments found in Japan. The analysis of the eggshell fragments and impressions suggests an affinity with the troodontids, a group of small non-avian theropod dinosaurs.
Researchers have found that spinosaurid dinosaurs had rapid tooth replacement, with up to three generations of teeth developing simultaneously. This trait likely contributed to their overabundance in Cretaceous sites.
A new species of large-bodied meat-eating dinosaur, an abelisaurid theropod, has been found in the Bahariya Oasis of Egypt's Western Desert. The discovery provides the first known record of this group from a middle Cretaceous-aged rock unit, and sheds light on the biodiversity of Cretaceous dinosaurs in Egypt and northeastern Africa.
Scientists have described a new species of therizinosaurid from Japan, shedding light on the function and evolution of their fearsome claws. The discovery indicates that therizinosaurs existed in Asia over a longer timescale than previously known and were adapted to coastal environments.
A new study has found that most dinosaurs were warm-blooded, contrary to long-standing debate. By analyzing molecular waste in fossilized bones, researchers inferred dinosaur metabolic rates and found they were generally high.
Researchers analyzed an abnormal trackway of six theropod dinosaur footprints in Spain, dating to around 129 million years ago. The tracks show evidence of an injured innermost toe and abnormal gait as the dinosaur compensated for its injury.
Researchers found physical differences in femur, dental structures across specimens suggesting re-categorization into three groups or species. Two new species, T. imperator and T. regina, are proposed based on analysis of 37 Tyrannosaurus specimens.
A new spinosaurid dinosaur from Portugal's early Cretaceous period had a distinctive crocodile-like skull and a spiny back. The species, which lived over 125 million years ago, may have been a wading fish-eater, adding to our understanding of spinosaurid evolution.
A rare dinosaur embryo discovered in southern China exhibits a bird-like posture before hatching, suggesting that oviraptorosaurs may have developed avian-like postures late in their incubation. This finding challenges current understanding of non-avian theropod behavior and opens up new avenues for research.
A 72-66-million-year-old dinosaur embryo discovered in a fossilized egg is found to have a bird-like posture, similar to modern bird embryos. The discovery suggests that these postures may be an evolutionary precursor to the tucking behavior seen in modern birds.
Sauropod dinosaurs were restricted to warmer, drier habitats than other dinosaur types, which could thrive in Earth's polar regions. The researchers found that sauropods' range was more limited during colder periods, suggesting a unique physiology closer to being 'cold-blooded'.
Researchers found that theropods strengthened their jaws through time, with expanding rear jaw portions and evolving different jaw shapes depending on diet. This allowed them to exploit a wider range of food items and minimized bone fracture risk.
A 'raptor-like' dinosaur was actually a timid, long-necked herbivore, according to recent reanalysis of fossil footprints found in an Australian coal mine. The Prosauropod, a plant-eating dinosaur with legs about 1.4 metres tall and a body length of six metres, is the earliest evidence of its kind in Australia, marking a 50-million-yea...
Scientists have discovered two new species of spinosaurid dinosaurs on the Isle of Wight, providing significant insights into the UK's spinosaurid population. The newly found fossils, including Ceratosuchops and Riparovenator, measure around nine meters in length and suggest a diverse ecosystem with multiple predators.
A new study found that the tiny desert-living dinosaur Shuvuuia had extraordinary vision and owl-like hearing for nocturnal life in the Mongolian desert. The team measured the size of the eyes and inner ears of over 100 bird and dinosaur species, revealing that Shuvuuia's lagena was almost identical in relative size to today's barn owl.
A study published in Biology Letters reveals that ancient synapsids, such as gorgonopsians and Dimetrodon, shared serrated tooth structures with theropod dinosaurs. These findings suggest that convergent evolution led to similar adaptations in these distinct groups of predators.
Gorgonopsians, a lineage more related to humans than dinosaurs, evolved the first complex tooth serration made of enamel and dentine, discovered in a new Harvard-led study. This finding indicates that gorgonopsians developed this specialized structure early in amniote evolution.
Researchers compare microstructure and composition of five Mexican dinosaur eggs to determine the unknown eggshell's species. The study finds that the unknown sample closely resembles ornithopod shells, supporting hypothesis it belongs to the hadrosaur family.
A team of scientists discovered that scansoriopterygids, a group of bat-winged theropod dinosaurs, were capable of clumsy gliding due to their unique wing shape. Despite their gliding abilities, they were unable to achieve powered flight and eventually became an evolutionary dead-end.
Two small dinosaurs, Yi and Ambopteryx, had bat-like wings but struggled to fly, instead gliding between trees. Their unique wing membranes allowed them to glide, but not powered flight. The study supports that dinosaurs evolved flight in multiple ways before modern birds evolved.
Researchers discovered that Yi and Ambopteryx, two small dinosaur species from Late Jurassic China, evolved the ability to glide but were poorly capable of powered flight. They relied on gliding as an escape mechanism to stay out of danger while struggling to compete with other tree-dwelling dinosaurs and early birds.
The publication provides a comprehensive overview of pennaraptoran theropods, covering their fossil record, systematics, anatomy, and early flight studies. Key findings include the identification of key avian traits that originated deep within theropod evolution and the discovery of unique reproductive strategies.
Researchers found that powered flight potential evolved at least three times in theropods: once in birds and twice in dromaeosaurids. This challenges the traditional view of bird origins, presenting a more complex picture of experimentation with wing-assisted locomotion.
An international study reconstructs powered flight potential in theropod dinosaurs, finding it evolved at least three times. Many ancestors of bird relatives experimented with wing-assisted locomotion before flight evolved.
A new study reveals a nest of exceptionally small non-avian theropod egg fossils in Japan, providing insights into Early Cretaceous ecosystems. The Kamitaki Egg Quarry yielded over 1300 fossil eggs, mostly belonging to the newly discovered Himeoolithus murakamii genus.
Researchers found high frequencies of theropod bite marks on large-bodied sauropods, armored Mymoorapelta, and other dinosaurs at the Mygatt-Moore Quarry site. The data suggests an ecosystem where dinosaur remains lay out for months, providing a food source for multiple predators and scavengers.
A PLOS study found nearly 29% of Jurassic bones bore theropod bites, with most targeting herbivores but some theropods feeding on each other. Scavenging may have been a response to food scarcity in stressed ecosystems.
Research finds giant T. rex relied on low-energy walking due to their massive size, contrary to previous focus on running speeds for theropod dinosaurs. The study analyzed limb proportions, body mass, and gaits of over 70 species, suggesting a trade-off between speed and efficiency in theropods.
A new study by University of Maryland researchers suggests that long legs evolved among the biggest dinosaurs to help them conserve energy and go the distance while searching for prey. The study found that larger dinosaur species with longer legs needed less energy to move, giving them an advantage in terms of efficiency.
The Kem Kem Group, a region famous for its Jurassic-era fossils, is reviewed in this comprehensive monograph. The study describes the paleoenvironments and fauna of the area, including massive theropod dinosaurs and sail-backed Spinosaurus.