A study published Monday shows that pups of tyrannosaurs were the size of a Border Collie when they took their first steps — despite their ability to grow up to 40 feet.
A team of paleontologists made this discovery by examining the first known fossils of tyrannosaur embryos.
«These bones are the first window into the early life of dinosaurs and they teach us the size and appearance of young tyrannosaurs,» said University of Edinburgh paleontologist Greg Fonston. The current situation.
The researchers, led by Funston, used the fossilized remains of a small jawbone and claw, discovered in Montana and Alberta, Canada, and conducted a 3D scan to analyze the bones.
Their findings indicate that the carnivorous creatures — cousins of the T-Rex dinosaurs that lived more than 70 million years ago — were only 3 feet tall when they hatched.
That would make them about the size of a common dog breed — and much larger than the baby dinosaurs that have been seen hatching in movies like «Jurassic Park».
“Hatching tyrannosaurs were among the largest animals to ever hatch from an egg,” Vanston said Wrote in a blog post About the search.
His team also estimated that tyrannosaur eggs were about 17 inches long — a finding the researchers said could help identify such eggs more easily in the future and gain a deeper insight into the creatures’ nesting habits.
Further analysis showed that dinosaurs were born with distinct physical features, including a «clear chin» — which makes them appear «remarkably like their parents,» which can weigh up to 8 tons when they become adults, the researchers said.
Funston wrote: «These are only the first clues to understanding small dinosaurs, but we now know where to look, and what to look for.»
studying Has been published In the Canadian Journal of Geosciences and included researchers from the universities of Alberta, Calgary, Montana and Chapman of California.
