dino-files:

Name: Deinonychus
Pronounced: Die-Non-E-Cuss
Classification: Theropod
Sub-family: Dromaeosaurid
Temporal Range: Early Cretaceous (115-108 Mya)
Length: 3.2 metres
Height: 1.1 metres
Weight: 70kg
Movement: Bipedal
Feeding Type: Carnivore

Information:
- Discovery: The first remains of Deinonychus were discovered in 1931 by famous palaeontologist, Barnum Brown. The fossil was discovered in Montana, USA; but at the time Brown was more concerned with excavating the remains of the ornithopod, Tenontosaurus. During his report of the dig, Brown noted that along with the remains of Tenontosaurus his team had recovered the remains of a small carnivorous dinosaur. He made preparations for the remains of this dinosaur to be described and put on display, but he never finished his work. It wasn’t until 1964 when researcher John Ostrom discovered a large number other fossils, that were the same as the one discovered by Barnum Brown; that Deinonychus was officially described and named. In addition a large number of fossilised egg shells were discovered around the original Deinonychus specimen; and they have since been proven to be those of Deinonychus and thus the first identified dromaeosaurid dinosaur egg.
            Deinonychus is a member of the dromaeosaurid group of dinosaurs. It is closely related to the smaller, Velociraptor although it lived long before its more famous relative, nearly 25 million years in fact.

- Statistics: Deinonychus was a fairly large dromaeosaurid dinosaur, growing to lengths of around 3 metres; much larger than its close relatives; Velociraptor (1.9m), Tsaagan (2m) and Saurornitholestes (1.8m). Recent estimates have suggested it would have weighed around 70kg. The skull of Deinonychus measured around 41cm in length and had powerful jaws which were lined with around seventy curved, blade-like teeth.

- Description: Deinonychus is one of the most important dinosaurs in regards to the argument that some dinosaurs were warm blooded. Dinosaurs have always been compared to modern-day reptiles (which are cold-blooded); however smaller dinosaurs such as Deinonychus were built to be fast and agile. Such a lifestyle requires the need for a faster metabolism, which is provided via being warm-blooded. In addition, the egg shells discovered around the original specimen of Deinonychus were arranged in such a way, it suggested that Deinonychus would have brooded (sat on) its eggs. This would suggest that Deinonychus used body heat transfer as a mechanism for egg incubation; which would require a warm-blooded lifestyle, similar to modern-day birds. While there is no direct evidence to support the placement of feathers on Deinonychus, it is presumed, that like its dromaeosaurid relatives, it would have supported a feather coat.
            Many palaeontologists believe that Deinonychus was a pack animal. Evidence for this comes from the frequent remains of Deinonychus being found around Tenontosaurus fossils. Tenontosaurus was a large ornithopod dinosaur and a single Deinonychus would have found it extremely difficult to take down an adult Tenontosaurus; suggesting packs of Deinonychus would have hunted larger prey animals. It is belived that Deinonychus used the large sickle-claw on its foot for stabbing prey, rather than slashing open flesh in a single stroke (which was previously suggested). The claw itself varies in length and curvature in nearly all individuals; however no real reasoning for this has been proposed. It has been suggested that the difference in size and shape of the sickle-claws could be due to individual, sexual or age-related variations. There is recent anatomical and footprint evidence proving that this claw was held off the ground while Deinonychus walked on its third and forth toes.
            In addition the tail of Deinonychus was constructed in a similar way to other members of its family group with each tendon overlapping several vertebrae, making the tail rigid and only allowing movement at the base. It is theorised that this stiff tail would have acted as a counterbalance when running and turning at speed. Deinonychus itself is often regarded as a fairly speedy animal, however recent research has suggested that the small foot-tibia ratio proposes that Deinonychus was not particularly fast in comparison to other dinosaurs. The research concluded that the legs of Deinonychus represented a balance between running adaptations needed for an agile predator and stress-reducing features to compensate for its unique sickle-claw. 

fuckyeahdinoart: Bambiraptor feinbergorum by *kyoht

fuckyeahdinoart:

Bambiraptor feinbergorum by *kyoht

discoverynews: Shaggy T. Rex Cousin Was Heftiest Feathered Dino    A 3,086-pound shaggy tyrannosaur was the world’s largest known feathered animal — living or extinct — according to a paper in the latest issue of Nature. The newly unearthed tyrannosaur, named Yutyrannus huali or “beautiful feathered tyrant,” lived about 125 million years ago in northeastern China. The over 29-foot-long non-avian dinosaur, represented by three specimens, is considerably smaller than its infamous relative T. rex, but some 40 times the weight of the largest previously known feathered dinosaur, Beipiaosaurus. keep reading

discoverynews:

Shaggy T. Rex Cousin Was Heftiest Feathered Dino   

A 3,086-pound shaggy tyrannosaur was the world’s largest known feathered animal — living or extinct — according to a paper in the latest issue of Nature.

The newly unearthed tyrannosaur, named Yutyrannus huali or “beautiful feathered tyrant,” lived about 125 million years ago in northeastern China. The over 29-foot-long non-avian dinosaur, represented by three specimens, is considerably smaller than its infamous relative T. rex, but some 40 times the weight of the largest previously known feathered dinosaur, Beipiaosaurus.

keep reading

fuckyeahdinoart: australovenator by ~atrox1 Palaeoart done right

fuckyeahdinoart:

australovenator by ~atrox1

Palaeoart done right

theropod: Mick Ellison’s Microraptor reconstruction, based on new evidence that it sported iridescent black plumage.   Gorgeous. I love the way that our perception and knowledge of dinosaurs is evolving.

theropod:

Mick Ellison’s Microraptor reconstruction, based on new evidence that it sported iridescent black plumage.  

Gorgeous. I love the way that our perception and knowledge of dinosaurs is evolving.

dailyfossil: Mei  When: Early Cretaceous (~125 million years)  Where: Liaoning, China What: Mei is a paravian dinosaur. Paraves is the clade comprised of birds and two families of non-avian dinsaurs; Troodontidae and Dromaeosauridae. As Mei is a fairly basal member of the troodontids, it is not very far removed from the common ancestor of all paravians. Its bird-like heritage can be easily seen in this extraordinary articulated fossil shown above. This specimen was found in a sleeping pose, which is very much like the resting posture of many modern birds, with the legs folded underneath the body and the head folded back and resting on the shoulder.  It is this pose that gives the taxon its full name:  Mei long, which translates to ‘sleeping dragon’. This animal is a sub-adult, determined via the ends of its bones not yet being fused, and would be roughly 21 inches (~53 cm) long, if it was not curled up as it is.    The find of a basal troodontid in this pose gives us far more information than just when the sleeping posture was adapted by this clade. It has been determined that modern birds commonly sleep like this to preserve their body heat, covering up the areas that are most prone to radiating heat. If Mei long  and its kin were not ‘warm blooded’ than there would be no benefit to sleeping in this pose. Thus, this provides another compelling bit of evidence that the ‘warm bloodedness’ of modern birds was present in their mesozoic non-avian relatives.  Sleeping dragon

dailyfossil:

Mei 

When: Early Cretaceous (~125 million years) 

Where: Liaoning, China

What: Mei is a paravian dinosaur. Paraves is the clade comprised of birds and two families of non-avian dinsaurs; Troodontidae and Dromaeosauridae. As Mei is a fairly basal member of the troodontids, it is not very far removed from the common ancestor of all paravians. Its bird-like heritage can be easily seen in this extraordinary articulated fossil shown above. This specimen was found in a sleeping pose, which is very much like the resting posture of many modern birds, with the legs folded underneath the body and the head folded back and resting on the shoulder.  It is this pose that gives the taxon its full name:  Mei long, which translates to ‘sleeping dragon’. This animal is a sub-adult, determined via the ends of its bones not yet being fused, and would be roughly 21 inches (~53 cm) long, if it was not curled up as it is.  

 The find of a basal troodontid in this pose gives us far more information than just when the sleeping posture was adapted by this clade. It has been determined that modern birds commonly sleep like this to preserve their body heat, covering up the areas that are most prone to radiating heat. If Mei long  and its kin were not ‘warm blooded’ than there would be no benefit to sleeping in this pose. Thus, this provides another compelling bit of evidence that the ‘warm bloodedness’ of modern birds was present in their mesozoic non-avian relatives. 

Sleeping dragon

crownedrose: Theropod Of The Day: Baryonyx walkeri→ Photo above from Wikipedia.→ T.O.T.D. posts written by crownedrose. A member of the Spinosauridae family, Baryonyx (meaning “heavy claw”) is a specimen which sometimes is confused with the better known dinosaur, Spinosaurus aegyptiacus. It was first discovered back in the 1980s in England by an amateur palaeontologist who saw a claw sticking out of the side of a pit! How lucky and cool is that?! Here’s some other information below on what we know about Baryonyx. ⁌ Baryonyx walkeri lived during the Early Cretaceous Period, roaming parts of what is now the United Kingdom and Europe. With a crocidilian-like snout, three digit claws (one being a massive thumb claw), and perhaps measuring over 30 feet long, Baryonyx was one of the few theropods known to diet on fish a majority of the time. ⁌ Let’s talk about that head for a moment. The structure is very different compared to large theropods - more like what you see in crocodiles - which leads us to believe this skull was specifically evolved for a certain type of prey. Just look at that elongated skull! Baryonyx had a lot of cone-shaped teeth (over 90!), and two third’s of those teeth were set in the lower jaw. Also, the roots were longer than the visible teeth you see sticking out of the jaws! Then there’s my favourite feature in the Spinosauridae family: that notch in the maxilla. Just like crocodiles, this special formation is a great tool used to keep prey from escaping. ⁌ If you study the head, you’ll notice the nasal opening is farther back on the skull compared to other theropods - and as it is theorised for the Spinosauridae family that they’d leave the tip of their mouths in the water, awaiting prey to lingering a bit to close. For Baryonyx, we’ve found scales and remains of fish (Lepidotes) and even Iguanodon remains in the stomach area of Baryonyx. Pretty awesome, right?! Whenever remains of a dinner are found in a dinosaur’s cavity, this truly gives us great insight on their diets. Finding these remains as well are rare, so every find is precious. ⁌ Did you know that we do not have a full skeleton for any one Spinosauridae family member? Baryonyx was found with around 70% of its skeleton, and Suchomimus is the most completely known, which has helped us to “build” what other spinosaurids could have looked like. Irritator for example is only known by a partial skull and a few bits and pieces. ⁌ Suchomimus is thought to perhaps be Baryonyx due to the similarity between vertebrae, but some are skeptic of this theory. With more fossils found, more evidence, and more research, one day we’ll be able to settle any colliding thoughts. ⁌ Baryonyx has this awesome and massive claw as the thumb on its forelimbs, which could have been to help stab/grasp prey. ⁌ Baryonyx, like other spinosaurids, have been found to have lived a semiaquatic life, due to the testing of stable isotope ratios in the teeth, finding similarities in what is found in turtles and crocodiles. This helps the theory of their diet to be composed of  (mainly) fish, along with living in a different kind of habitat, co-existing with other large theropods would be less-dramatic. Again, everyone, thanks for dealing with my hectic schedule and waiting for my next T.O.T.D. post! The past week has been very busy and full of events/lectures with some of the top palaeontologists out there - so think of my time away from Tumblr as beneficial to the upcoming T.O.T.D. posts seeing as all your favourite dinosaurs (and non-dinos) were discussed! If anyone would like more information on any dinosaurs (esp. theropods) or Baryonyx, just send me a message! These posts are meant to give you guys known and not-so-known information written short and simple, so if you want more info on theropods talked about in these posts, just let me know. I’m always willing to answer questions on theropods for the curious minds out there. I hope you all have enjoyed reading this, and be sure to keep a look out for future T.O.T.D. posts! Theropod Of The Day Links: Have a theropod you definitely want covered or have a question? T.O.T.D. tag with all posts. Master list linking to which dinosaurs have been posted. One of my favourite dinosaurs.

crownedrose:

Theropod Of The Day: Baryonyx walkeri
→ Photo above from Wikipedia.
→ T.O.T.D. posts written by crownedrose.

A member of the Spinosauridae family, Baryonyx (meaning “heavy claw”) is a specimen which sometimes is confused with the better known dinosaur, Spinosaurus aegyptiacus. It was first discovered back in the 1980s in England by an amateur palaeontologist who saw a claw sticking out of the side of a pit! How lucky and cool is that?! Here’s some other information below on what we know about Baryonyx.

⁌ Baryonyx walkeri lived during the Early Cretaceous Period, roaming parts of what is now the United Kingdom and Europe. With a crocidilian-like snout, three digit claws (one being a massive thumb claw), and perhaps measuring over 30 feet long, Baryonyx was one of the few theropods known to diet on fish a majority of the time.

⁌ Let’s talk about that head for a moment. The structure is very different compared to large theropods - more like what you see in crocodiles - which leads us to believe this skull was specifically evolved for a certain type of prey. Just look at that elongated skull! Baryonyx had a lot of cone-shaped teeth (over 90!), and two third’s of those teeth were set in the lower jaw. Also, the roots were longer than the visible teeth you see sticking out of the jaws! Then there’s my favourite feature in the Spinosauridae family: that notch in the maxilla. Just like crocodiles, this special formation is a great tool used to keep prey from escaping.

⁌ If you study the head, you’ll notice the nasal opening is farther back on the skull compared to other theropods - and as it is theorised for the Spinosauridae family that they’d leave the tip of their mouths in the water, awaiting prey to lingering a bit to close. For Baryonyx, we’ve found scales and remains of fish (Lepidotes) and even Iguanodon remains in the stomach area of Baryonyx. Pretty awesome, right?! Whenever remains of a dinner are found in a dinosaur’s cavity, this truly gives us great insight on their diets. Finding these remains as well are rare, so every find is precious.

⁌ Did you know that we do not have a full skeleton for any one Spinosauridae family member? Baryonyx was found with around 70% of its skeleton, and Suchomimus is the most completely known, which has helped us to “build” what other spinosaurids could have looked like. Irritator for example is only known by a partial skull and a few bits and pieces.

⁌ Suchomimus is thought to perhaps be Baryonyx due to the similarity between vertebrae, but some are skeptic of this theory. With more fossils found, more evidence, and more research, one day we’ll be able to settle any colliding thoughts.

⁌ Baryonyx has this awesome and massive claw as the thumb on its forelimbs, which could have been to help stab/grasp prey.

⁌ Baryonyx, like other spinosaurids, have been found to have lived a semiaquatic life, due to the testing of stable isotope ratios in the teeth, finding similarities in what is found in turtles and crocodiles. This helps the theory of their diet to be composed of  (mainly) fish, along with living in a different kind of habitat, co-existing with other large theropods would be less-dramatic.

Again, everyone, thanks for dealing with my hectic schedule and waiting for my next T.O.T.D. post! The past week has been very busy and full of events/lectures with some of the top palaeontologists out there - so think of my time away from Tumblr as beneficial to the upcoming T.O.T.D. posts seeing as all your favourite dinosaurs (and non-dinos) were discussed! If anyone would like more information on any dinosaurs (esp. theropods) or Baryonyx, just send me a message! These posts are meant to give you guys known and not-so-known information written short and simple, so if you want more info on theropods talked about in these posts, just let me know. I’m always willing to answer questions on theropods for the curious minds out there. I hope you all have enjoyed reading this, and be sure to keep a look out for future T.O.T.D. posts!

Theropod Of The Day Links:

One of my favourite dinosaurs.


rhamphotheca:

Velociraptor’s Last Meal Reavealed

by Jeanna Bryner

A lightweight Velociraptor dinosaur may have chowed down on the carcass of a much larger flying reptile not long before meeting his own demise some 75 million years ago.

The evidence comes from a pterosaur bone discovered in the gut of the skeletal remains of what was likely a Velociraptor mongoliensis that lived in what is now the Gobi Desert in Mongolia. The fossil, the first pterosaur bone to be found inside dinosaur guts, was discovered in 1994 but not fully analyzed and detailed in a scientific publication until now.

Velociraptor was known to have fearsome sickle-shaped talons on the second toe of each foot; it kept these talons off the ground like foldable switchblades. Past research has shown these theropod dinosaurs used their talons to slash live prey and hook them to keep them from escaping.

The new study, which says the pterosaur may have been dead before the predator found it, adds to research suggesting the fierce carnivores wouldn’t turn their back on a free meal, either. A study published in 2010 reported the discovery of a Velociraptor frozen in time, scavenging the corpse of a larger dinosaur…

(read more: Live Science)    

(top illustration by Brett Booth, bottom photo: David Hone)

That illustration is awesome. I love fossils that can distinctly show real life at the time, not just a corpse.

fuckyeahdinoart: Velociraptor from DR by ~Swordlord3d

fuckyeahdinoart:

Velociraptor from DR by ~Swordlord3d

theropod:

T. Rex Has Most Powerful Bite of Any Terrestrial Animal Ever

(Photograph by Ira Block; model by Brian Cooley)

Research at the University of Liverpool, using computer models to reconstruct the jaw muscle of Tyrannosaurus rex, has suggested that the dinosaur had the most powerful bite of any living or extinct terrestrial animal.

The team artificially scaled up the skulls of a human, alligator, a juvenile T. rex, and Allosaurus to the size of an adult T. rex. In each case the bite forces increased as expected, but they did not increase to the level of the adult T. rex, suggesting that it had the most powerful bite of any terrestrial animal.

Previous studies have estimated that T. rex’s bite had a force of 8,000 to 13,400 Newtons, but given the size of the animal, thought to weigh more than 6,000kg, researchers suspected that its bite may have been more powerful than this. Liverpool scientists developed a computer model to reverse engineer the animal’s bite, a method that has previously been used to predict dinosaur running speeds.

An animal’s bite force is largely determined by the size of the jaw muscles. Using their computer models, researchers tested a range of alternative muscle values, as it is not precisely known what the muscles of dinosaurs were like. Even with error margins factored in, the computer model still showed that theT. rex had a more powerful bite than previously suggested.

The smallest values predicted were around 20,000 Newtons, while the largest values were as high as 57,000 Newtons, which would be equivalent to the force of a medium sized elephant sitting down on the ground.

Researchers also found that the results for the juvenile T. rex had a relatively the weaker bite than the adult T. rex, even when size differences and uncertainties about muscle size were taken into account. The large difference between the two measurements, despite the error margins factored in, may suggest that T. rex underwent a change in feeding behaviour as it grew.

Dr Karl Bates, from the University’s Department of Musculoskeletal Biology, said: “The power of the T. rex jaw has been a much debated topic over the years. Scientists only have the skeleton to work with, as muscle does not survive with the fossil, so we often have to rely on statistical analysis or qualitative comparisons to living animals, which differ greatly in size and shape from the giant enigmatic dinosaurs like T. rex. As these methods are somewhat indirect, it can be difficult to get an objective insight into how dinosaurs might have functioned and what they may or may not have been capable of in life.

“To build on previous methods of analysis, we took what we knew about T. rex from its skeleton and built a computer model that incorporated the major anatomical and physiological factors that determine bite performance. We then asked the computer model to produce a bite so that we could measure the speed and force of it directly. We compared this to other animals of smaller body mass and also scaled up smaller animals to the size of T. rex to compare how powerful it was in relative terms.

“Our results show that the T. rex had an extremely powerful bite, making it one of the most dangerous predators to have roamed our planet. Its unique musculoskeletal system will continue to fascinate scientists for years to come.”

T. rex  is recovering from its Horner-popularised “just a scavenger” shame!

rhamphotheca:

feeols: Pedopenna (meaning “foot feather”), an early 4-winged dinosaur.

geologise: New evidence suggests Archaeopteryx dressed in black. Scientists have found a way to uncover feathered dinosaurs’ true colors, and one of the first creatures to come under inspection is none other than Archaeopteryx — an iconic but mysterious theropod believed by many to be the “missing link” between dinosaurs and birds. Now, by examining a single, exceptionally well-preserved feather, one group of paleontologists believes it has the evidence it needs to weigh in on the color of Archaeopteryx’s prehistoric plumage. This bird, say the researchers, wore black. By comparing the patterns of melanosomes contained within the Archaeopteryx feather (seen above) with the those found in the plumage of 87 similar, modern bird species, the researchers were able to determine that the feather was almost certainly black. What’s more, the researchers say Archaeopteryx’s melanosomes would have provided its wings a structural advantage, as well. “If Archaeopteryx was flapping or gliding, the presence of melanosomes would have given the feathers additional structural support,” said Ryan Carney, an evolutionary biologist at Brown and the paper’s lead author. “This would have been advantageous during this early evolutionary stage of dinosaur flight.” Read the full article at io9. SO AWESOME

geologise:

New evidence suggests Archaeopteryx dressed in black.

Scientists have found a way to uncover feathered dinosaurs’ true colors, and one of the first creatures to come under inspection is none other than Archaeopteryx — an iconic but mysterious theropod believed by many to be the “missing link” between dinosaurs and birds.

Now, by examining a single, exceptionally well-preserved feather, one group of paleontologists believes it has the evidence it needs to weigh in on the color of Archaeopteryx’s prehistoric plumage. This bird, say the researchers, wore black.

By comparing the patterns of melanosomes contained within the Archaeopteryx feather (seen above) with the those found in the plumage of 87 similar, modern bird species, the researchers were able to determine that the feather was almost certainly black. What’s more, the researchers say Archaeopteryx’s melanosomes would have provided its wings a structural advantage, as well.

“If Archaeopteryx was flapping or gliding, the presence of melanosomes would have given the feathers additional structural support,” said Ryan Carney, an evolutionary biologist at Brown and the paper’s lead author. “This would have been advantageous during this early evolutionary stage of dinosaur flight.”

Read the full article at io9.

SO AWESOME

theropod: Irritator challengeri

theropod:

Irritator challengeri

volkspirate-jim: Mircroraptorhttp://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/dinosaur/2011/11/non-avian-dinosaur-eats-avian-dinosaur/  More palaeoart like this please!

volkspirate-jim:

Mircroraptor

http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/dinosaur/2011/11/non-avian-dinosaur-eats-avian-dinosaur/ 

More palaeoart like this please!


feeols:

Pedopenna (meaning “foot feather”), an early 4-winged dinosaur.

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