ID :
41243
Sat, 01/17/2009 - 18:17
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/41243
The shortlink copeid
New dinosaur species named after Indian origin scientist
New Delhi, Jan 17 (PTI) A previously unknown species of
dinosaurs found in the Gobi desert has been named after an
Indian-origin scientist who made available a virtually
complete skull in his possession for scientific scrutiny.
American paleontologists Clifford Miles and Clark Miles,
who studied the skull with a bull-like appearance with flared
nostrils, described it as belonging to a new genus and species
of ankylosaurid.
Ankylosaurids are armoured dinosaurs that evolved about
125 million years ago and were found in North America, East
Asia and Europe.
Indian-origin scientist V S Ramachandran bought the
skull from a Japanese fossil collector and displayed it at the
Victor Valley Museum, California.
The US scientists at the Western Paleontological
Laboratories in Utah named the new species as Minotaurasaurus
Ramachandrani, after Ramachandran made the skull available
to them.
Miles reported their findings in the latest issue of
Indian research journal Current Science.
The generic name 'Minotaurasaurus' means 'man-bull
reptile' in Latin. The species has been named so because of
the bull-like appearance of the skull which was found in the
Gobi desert.
The paleontologists believe that the 30cm long skull
represents a new dinosaur that grew to about 4.2 metres in
length from a family of extinct reptiles called ankylosaurid.
The ankylosaurids had thick armoured plating of fused
bone often interspersed with a variety of spikes and lumps.
Some species even had armoured eyelids.
The specimen studied by Miles has complete triangular
skull and highly ornamented nasal which give the skull a
bull-like appearance with flaring nostrils making it one of
the most ornamental dinosaurs discovered yet.
Studies indicates that the animal was not fully grown
and, therefore, it is likely that larger animals could be
discovered soon.
The teeth of the dinosaur are leaf shaped with each one
bearing vertical striations (series of ridges) dividing the
crown surface into eight cusps.
If validated, then this distinct species might join a
handful of other Indian name bearing dinosaurs species like
Barapasaurus tagorie, Kotasaurus yamanapalliensis, found in
Andhra Pradesh and Rajasaurus narmadensis in Gujarat. PTI RN
PMR
dinosaurs found in the Gobi desert has been named after an
Indian-origin scientist who made available a virtually
complete skull in his possession for scientific scrutiny.
American paleontologists Clifford Miles and Clark Miles,
who studied the skull with a bull-like appearance with flared
nostrils, described it as belonging to a new genus and species
of ankylosaurid.
Ankylosaurids are armoured dinosaurs that evolved about
125 million years ago and were found in North America, East
Asia and Europe.
Indian-origin scientist V S Ramachandran bought the
skull from a Japanese fossil collector and displayed it at the
Victor Valley Museum, California.
The US scientists at the Western Paleontological
Laboratories in Utah named the new species as Minotaurasaurus
Ramachandrani, after Ramachandran made the skull available
to them.
Miles reported their findings in the latest issue of
Indian research journal Current Science.
The generic name 'Minotaurasaurus' means 'man-bull
reptile' in Latin. The species has been named so because of
the bull-like appearance of the skull which was found in the
Gobi desert.
The paleontologists believe that the 30cm long skull
represents a new dinosaur that grew to about 4.2 metres in
length from a family of extinct reptiles called ankylosaurid.
The ankylosaurids had thick armoured plating of fused
bone often interspersed with a variety of spikes and lumps.
Some species even had armoured eyelids.
The specimen studied by Miles has complete triangular
skull and highly ornamented nasal which give the skull a
bull-like appearance with flaring nostrils making it one of
the most ornamental dinosaurs discovered yet.
Studies indicates that the animal was not fully grown
and, therefore, it is likely that larger animals could be
discovered soon.
The teeth of the dinosaur are leaf shaped with each one
bearing vertical striations (series of ridges) dividing the
crown surface into eight cusps.
If validated, then this distinct species might join a
handful of other Indian name bearing dinosaurs species like
Barapasaurus tagorie, Kotasaurus yamanapalliensis, found in
Andhra Pradesh and Rajasaurus narmadensis in Gujarat. PTI RN
PMR
