Scientists discovered a new species of feathered dinosaur. The dinosaur, related to the infamous velociraptor, paid attention to its mother and ate its vegetables. The new species would appear to be one of the missing puzzle pieces in the history of dinosaurs.
Scientists think Falcarius utahensis, a type of therizinosaur(feathered dinosaurs) was a key player in the evolutionary shift of some dinosaurs from carnivores to herbivores. Their whole body appeared to be making the shift and not just a noticeable increase in fiber content either.
“We know that the first dinosaur was a small-bodied, lightly built, fleet-footed predator. Early on, two major groups of dinosaurs shifted to plant-eating, but we have virtually no record of those transitions,” said researcher Scott Sampson from the Utah Natural History Museum.
“With Falcarius, we have actual fossil evidence of a major dietary shift, certainly the best example documented among dinosaurs. This little beast is a missing link between small-bodied predatory dinosaurs and the highly specialized and bizarre plant-eating therizinosaurs.”
The little dinosaur was found at a dig about 2 years ago near the Utah town of Green River. The dinosaur was about 4 feet tall and 16 feet long. He also could’ve eaten both meat and vegetables. Something my mother always suggested too. Scientists are still working on what exactly it for sure though.
Under closer examination, Dr. Kirkland said, the Falcarius fossils showed “the beginnings of features we associate with plant-eating dinosaurs.” The teeth were not the sharp, bladelike serrated teeth of the typical predator, but smaller and adapted for shredding leaves. “I doubt that this animal could have cut a steak,” he said.
John Stith is a staff writer for murdok covering technology and business.
