Paleontologists - 2014 Bashny.Net

In 2014 in paleontology has been made a whole series of surprising discoveries. Some of them have given rise to heated scientific debate, and something even led scientists to think about the revision of the whole concept.





1. The ancestor of lions, tigers and bears

In January 2014, a research team led by Floreal Sol announced the opening of a new species of ancient mammals. Dormaalocyon latouri dwelt on this planet about 55 million years ago. According to the scientists, it is from this animal occurred modern large predators such as lions, tigers and bears.

So convincingly based on the position of scientists conducted their extensive work includes the analysis of more than 250 fossilized teeth, jaws and ankles found in the area of ​​Belgium. Results of studying the bones become a small animal model that represents "a cross between a squirrel and a puma" and vesivshego 450-900 grams. Most likely, this animal prefers to live in trees and eat insects and small animals.



2. The largest flying animals

Huge bone and skull Pelagornis sandersi were discovered 31 years ago in South Carolina. Once the skeleton of a winged creature was collected by scientists, it became obvious that no modern bird does not correspond to such an impressive scale. Finally, in July 2014 the specialists stated that Pelagornis sandersi is the largest ever existed flying bird.

Scientists believe this species lives on earth 25-28 million years ago. He possessed a wingspan of 6-7 meters. Skeleton of ancient birds can now be seen in the museum's collection of Charleston.



3. The most bizarre species of pterosaur

In August 2014, Brazilian scientists announced that they have found a previously unknown species of pterosaurs, Caiuajara dobruskii. They found in the Cretaceous Desert 47 individuals of this species of different ages. Such a rich find - an exceptional achievement for paleontologists because, as a rule, the bones of pterosaurs can be found only in the form of scattered small fragments.

The most striking feature of the species is the bony formation on the head. These unusual pterosaurs have extremely large triangular ridges, makes them look like some demonic toucans. Rounded depressions in the outer surface of the jaw emphasized unique appearance.



4. One of the first known science of predators

Presented in the study in 2014 individuals of the recently discovered species Lyrarapax unguispinus lived in the area of ​​modern China 521 million years ago. Their bones were found in Yunnan. Like most ancient predators, these creatures looked like a cross between a lobster and a worm of about 10-13 cm. The peculiarity of this species is the amazing development of its muscular structure, gastrointestinal tract and brain. The emergence of such a complexly organized beings makes scientists think about the revision of the entire taxonomy of species of ancient animals.



5. New species herbivore proving that dinosaurs were covered in feathers

Until July 2014, scientists believed that only carnivorous dinosaurs had feathers, but the study of the recently discovered species of dinosaur Kulindadromeus zabaikalicus forced them to change their position. This ancient dinosaurs lived 169-144 million years ago in what is now Siberia. With a growth of about 90-110 cm, relatively small forelimbs and beaked snout with teeth adapted for eating plants, it moves on powerful hind legs. But the most important feature of this creature was his plumage. Analyzing the structure of the integument of this species, the study authors concluded that feathers were common to all dinosaurs, both predators and herbivores.



6. Fish and refutes the notion of the size of ancient animals

Silurian period began about 443 million years ago and lasted for about 26 million years. Sea scorpions were the main predators of the era, and then the fish just started to develop the skeletal system and the jaw, while not yet significant in view of the ecological hierarchy.

A new study challenges the following picture Silurian through the study of fossilized bones kind Megamastax amblyodus, there were large vertebrate fish that time. This creature grows about 1 meter in length and possessed jaws size 10-13 inches. The discovery of this species leads scientists to the conclusion that there was a big fish in a process of evolution much earlier than previously thought.



7. The first dinosaur found in northern South America

At least four types of fossils Laquintasaura venezuelae were found recently in the Venezuelan Andes, which gives its members the status of the first dinosaurs northern regions of South America. A small dinosaur with a so-called skeleton organization ornithischian lived about 200 million years ago, walked on its hind legs, holding the tail in the air and eat plants and perhaps insects and small animals. A study of this kind will enable scientists to shed light on the role of ornithischian dinosaurs in the evolution of ancient dinosaurs in general, as well as the populations of the South American continent in particular.



8. The largest land predator in Europe

Graduate student of the New University of Lisbon Christoph Hendricks unexpectedly discovered a whole new look Megalosaurus. Torvosaurus gurneyi, whose height reached 10 meters, had desyatisantimetrovymi teeth and was probably covered with a light fuzz or stubble.

Torvosaurus gurneyi proved the largest carnivorous dinosaur that lived in Europe about 150 million years ago. Based on the proximity of its structure with the North American Torvosaurus, scientists express more confidence in the validity of the hypothesis of the connection time of the American continent with Europe in the late Jurassic period.



9. Chetyrehkryly dinosaur

In July 2014, paleontologists from America, China and South Africa announced the discovery of a new group of ancient predator with two pairs of wings. Changyuraptor yangi, fossils have been found in northeastern China, lived about 125 million years ago.

This creature is exceptional in almost every way that makes it extremely valuable to scientists wishing to follow the evolution of the ability to fly the ancient animals. All of its 130-inch body was covered with feathers, the tail reaches 30 cm and extra feathering on the legs, probably allowed to control the flight, if it was possible. Now scientists are just trying to establish whether this dinosaur could fly freely.



10. Miniature Tyrannosaurus

Dinosaur Nanuqsaurus hoglundi, having an increase of almost half of Tyrannosaurus rex, but otherwise very similar to it, quickly earned the nickname "pygmy Tyrannosaurus." This species was found on the north coast of Alaska in 2006, but until 2014, scientists believed that fragments of fossils belong to one of the known species of tyrannosaurs. Nanuqsaurus hoglundi lived about 70 million years ago in a very harsh environment such as climate, contemporary Alaska, and this can probably be explained by the evolutionary changes that have led to a reduction in its size.

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