Earliest Tyrannosaur fossils uncovered
10 February 2006
by Carina
Lee
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A new species of Tyrannosaur fossil has been revealed in the northwestern Chinese province of Xinjiang. It is believed that these fossils are at least 160 million years old, some two times older than the T.Rex. Xing Xu of the Institute of Paleontology led this discovery. Although only 3 metres in length, the reptile in question possessed a long beak-like face, powerful legs, nasal crest, and a ferocious set of teeth. By discovering this creature's remains, scientists have named it the most primitive known member of the T. Rex family. Mark Norell from the American Museum of Natural History, who studied the findings, explains to Nature News "This fills in a big blank about Tyrannosaurs. With samples from only one continent, you don't have a good picture." Norell also explains to Nature News that "The presence of a nasal crest is particularly interesting because it is so similar to the head ornaments carried by many of today's birds." There is an evolutionary linkage between both birds and carnivorous dinosaurs, such as the Tyrannosaurs. The evolutionary family that both these reptiles come from is known as the theropods. |
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