New Fossil

Courtesy of T Abele:

I recently read an article that was found in “science news.” The name of this article was called “New Fossil Helps Solidify Dino Origins.” This article was recently published this month on December 11,2009. This articles focuses on a recent discovery pertaining to dinosaur fossils.

There were fossils of a dinosaur species that were discovered here in the United States. The species was a small carnivorous dinosaur. The fossils were found in New Mexico. The name of the group that this species belonged to was believed to be called a “theropod dinosaur.” A paleontologist at the University of Austin, Texas predicted that this dinosaur lived about two hundred thirteen million years ago; this scientist was Sterling J. Nesbitt. She claims that these fossils were left in perfect shape underground.

The measurements of this animal are quite small. The height is only seventy centimeters tall and the length of this species is two meters long. In the article the scientist compared the dinosaur to the size of a small Labrador retriever.
The scientist believes this dinosaur could have been known as “herrerasaurus.” This is a name of a dinosaur. This would have fit the description of belonging to the theropod group. A well-known Dinosaur that belongs to this group is the “T-rex.”

The article also talks about Pangaea. Pangaea is the ancient supercontinent, compromising all the present continents joined together, which began to break up about two hundred million years ago. Sterling Nesbitt says this dinosaur originally came from South America. The location of this fossil was found in New Mexico, but when Pangaea existed it would have been connected to South America. South America is where many of the dinosaurs originated from until the breakup of Pangaea. Theropods, sauropods, and ornithschians were all groups of dinosaurs that originated from Pangaea about two hundred and thirty million years ago. Sterling Nesbitt believes dinosaurs have spread all throughout different ecosystems for over one hundred and sixty five million years. She also said this was done in order for dinosaurs to dominate territories.

This article related to something we learned in earth science. We learned all about Pangaea and how this super continent split over time. I chose this article because I was very interested in learning about Pangaea; it was one of my favorite chapters.