Buzz
Although dinosaurs disappeared millions of years ago, they continue to captivate our imaginations. Our quest to uncover more about these ancient creatures is relentless. Even in 2016, we made significant discoveries—some of which filled in gaps, while others have challenged our previous assumptions.
10. A Newly Discovered Horned Dinosaur
While the discovery of new dinosaur species is not uncommon, this particular specimen stands out due to its unusual features. It was a horned dinosaur, resembling the well-known triceratops, but classified as a completely new genus. Officially named Spiclypeus shipporum, the dinosaur is also referred to as Judith, after the Judith River Formation in Montana, where it was uncovered.
What sets Spiclypeus apart is the distinct arrangement of its horns and frill. The two horns positioned just above its eyes extend sideways, while the frill spikes that encircle its shield-like skull radiate outwards, curling forward as they approach the midline. Aside from its one-of-a-kind look, paleontologists hope that Judith will help bridge gaps in understanding the evolution of horned dinosaurs during the Late Cretaceous period in North America.
9. Dinosaur Courtship Behavior
While our understanding of what dinosaurs looked like is improving, their behavior remains an elusive topic. We can infer that they likely exhibited many behaviors seen in modern birds, though fossil evidence to confirm this is sparse. Nonetheless, a group of researchers believes they’ve uncovered evidence that at least one species of dinosaur engaged in ritual dances to attract a mate.
This behavior is called lekking—a phenomenon where a group of males congregates in one location and performs various rituals to attract females. It’s a common practice in numerous present-day species, particularly among birds. Paleontologists now believe they’ve identified dinosaur leks at several Cretaceous sites across Colorado.
The potential leks include large scrape marks, some spanning up to 2 meters (6.5 feet) in diameter. Nest scraping is a typical part of lekking behavior, and given the size and age of these marks, they likely could only have been made by dinosaurs, probably theropods. Finding nearby nesting colonies would further support this hypothesis.
8. The Largest Dinosaur Footprint on Record
Earlier this year, a Bolivian tour guide came across a massive footprint while traveling through the Maragua Crater, close to the Bolivian capital of Sucre. Unbeknownst to him, he had just uncovered a new record.
The footprint most likely belonged to an Abelisaurus, a large predator that was nearly as massive as the famous Tyrannosaurs. Measuring 115 centimeters (3.7 feet), it now holds the record as the largest footprint from a carnivorous dinosaur, surpassing the previous record of 110 centimeters (3.6 feet).
More significantly, this 80-million-year-old footprint alters the dinosaur timeline. Scientists once believed that massive dinosaurs had vanished from South America by the Late Cretaceous period, but this discovery shows they existed longer than previously assumed.
7. The Rise of T. Rex as the Apex Predator
A newly unearthed medium-sized dinosaur has helped piece together the evolutionary history of the tyrannosaurids, closing the gap between the early, basal tyrannosauroids and the massive apex predators like T. Rex that ruled the Cretaceous.
Fossil evidence shows that the earliest tyrannosaurs were small, nimble predators from the Middle Jurassic period. By the Late Cretaceous, they had evolved into some of the planet’s largest predators. Until now, there was a 20-million-year gap in the fossil record between these two groups. The new dinosaur, discovered in Uzbekistan, was about the size of a horse and already possessed the brain and inner ear features typical of tyrannosaurs.
Dating back approximately 92 million years, this small fossil indicates that tyrannosaurs experienced a rapid growth phase near the end of their reign. Scientists believe this burst was driven by heightened senses and intelligence, making them early and efficient hunters.
6. Dinosaurs Shared a Red Vision Gene With Birds and Turtles
A study published by the Royal Society explored the evolutionary history of a gene that allows birds and turtles to produce and perceive the color red. By tracing the gene’s lineage, scientists discovered that it is hundreds of millions of years old and was likely present in dinosaurs as well.
The gene in question is called CYP2J19. It produces red oil droplets in the retina, enhancing the ability to see the red spectrum. This gene also plays a role in creating red colors on animals' beaks, feathers, or shells, often used for attracting mates during courtship displays.
The gene dates back 250 million years, predating the split of turtles from the archosaur lineage. Since it has been present throughout the entire evolutionary history of birds, it’s likely that dinosaurs also possessed this gene. This suggests that certain dinosaurs might have had red pigmentation on their scales or feathers. An intriguing question remains: why did crocodilians lose this gene, despite probably having it at some point in their history?
5. Potential New Bird Ancestor Discovered
A newly discovered dinosaur species in China has provided valuable insights into one of the last dinosaur families to evolve prior to the catastrophic event 66 million years ago.
This group of dinosaurs was known as oviraptorosaurs. They were small, winged creatures often dubbed “chickens from hell.” The discovery was made during construction work in Ganzhou, where the fossil was nearly destroyed by a dynamite blast. Fortunately, scientists were able to recover an almost complete skeleton, dated to be between 66 and 72 million years old. The new species was named Tongtianlong limosus, which translates to “muddy dragon on the road to heaven.”
Fossil evidence shows that oviraptorosaurs were flourishing at the time of their extinction, with a remarkable diversification of species in the 15 million years leading up to the meteorite impact. Scientists associate oviraptorosaurs closely with birds, with some even considering them the true ancestors of birds, more so than archaeopteryx. Studying Tongtianlong limosus may help provide a definitive answer.
4. Dinosaurs as Social Creatures
A new study conducted by the University of Alberta challenges the long-standing idea that dinosaurs were solitary animals. This discovery stems from a bed of bones uncovered by paleontologists in the Mongolian desert more than a decade ago.
Upon analyzing the majority of the skeletons, scientists found that many of the bones belonged to a group of 18 Avimimus, an oviraptorosaur species that roamed Mongolia 70 million years ago. One of the researchers stated that this is the first evidence of dinosaurs forming flocks. However, considering the close relationship between oviraptorosaurs and birds, this behavior isn’t all that surprising. Given the scale of the bone bed, paleontologists anticipate uncovering hundreds more specimens in the coming years.
3. The First Ever Dinosaur Brain Sample
After years of analysis, researchers have determined that a small brown rock, initially discovered over ten years ago, is actually a fossilized piece of dinosaur brain. This represents the first-ever discovery of dinosaur brain tissue, as preserving brain matter is an extremely rare occurrence.
The fossil was uncovered in 2004 in Sussex, England. It survived because its original owner perished in a bog or a similar low-oxygen body of water, effectively preserving the brain in the acidic environment. Using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), scientists identified the membranes surrounding the brain, along with traces of blood vessels and collagen fibers.
The dinosaur in question lived during the Early Cretaceous Period, about 133 million years ago. The best estimate is that it was an Iguanodon or a closely related species of the giant herbivore. As expected, the researchers noted that the brain tissue shares similarities with that of modern birds and crocodiles.
2. Feathered Tail Trapped in Amber
The concept of feathered dinosaurs has sparked intense debate in recent years. Many still find it hard to accept, envisioning dinosaurs as the scaly monsters seen in books and films. However, a groundbreaking discovery made this year by a team of British, Chinese, and Canadian scientists changed that—a dinosaur tail preserved in amber, feathers intact.
While this is not the first time feathers have been found in amber, previous samples were either too small or too damaged to conclusively trace back to a specific animal. This new specimen, however, features eight vertebrae covered in feathers, and the absence of a fused pygostyle, which is characteristic of birds, led experts to confirm that this belonged to a dinosaur.
Lida Xing, the study's lead author, discovered the amber piece being sold at a market in Myanmar. Had it not been for her keen eye to recognize its true nature, it would have likely ended up as a decorative item in someone's home.
1. Dinosaurs Were Already Declining Before the Meteorite Impact
A collaborative study from the Universities of Reading and Bristol suggests that dinosaurs were already in decline for tens of millions of years before the Earth experienced the catastrophic meteorite impact that caused the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event.
This challenges the widely accepted view that dinosaurs reigned until the meteorite impact around 66 million years ago. By analyzing statistical data and fossil records, paleontologists have demonstrated that dinosaurs started their decline 50 million years before the impact. Sauropods, particularly the massive long-necked species, were the most affected, while theropods showed greater resilience to the various factors that likely contributed to their decline.
Although the study acknowledges the meteorite impact as the ultimate cause of the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs, it presents it as more of a final blow, with other ecological factors such as prolonged volcanic activity and shifting continents playing significant roles in their decline.
