Discovering strange new species of toothless two-toed dinosaurs that looked like a giant parrot and lived 68 million years ago in the Gobi Desert
- Edinburgh researchers named the new species Oksoko avarsan
- It could reach about 6.5 feet long and wore a feathered and beak
- Most of its species – whites – have three fingers on the front limbs
- The first sign of a loss of number in the group, showing O. avarsan has undergone an adaptation
Discovered in Mongolia, a strange-looking, toothless dinosaur that has only two fingers and resembles a giant parrot.
Researchers from Edinburgh found multiple and complete skeletons of the new omnivorous species – called Oksoko avarsan – in the Gobi Desert.
O. avarsan – who lived about 68 million years ago – had grown to about 6.5 feet (two meters) in length and wore both feathers and a toothless beak.
The team said remarkably well-preserved fossils provided the first evidence of finger loss in the family of three-toed dinosaurs known as oviraptors.
The fact that a member of the sex can develop adaptations on the forelimbs indicates that the group can change its diet and lifestyles – allowing it to thrive.
Discovered in Mongolia, a strange-looking, toothless dinosaur that has only two fingers and resembles a giant parrot. In the photo, an artist’s impression of O. avarsan
Researchers from Edinburgh found multiple, complete, illustrated skeletons of the new omnivorous species – called Oksoko avarsan – in the Gobi Desert.
“Oksoko avarsan is interesting because the skeletons are so complete,” said research author and paleontologist Gregory Funston of the University of Edinburgh.
He added: “The way they were kept resting together shows that the juveniles wandered together in groups.”
“But most importantly, his two-toed hand prompted us to look at the way the hand and the front limb changed during the development of the ovaries – which had not been studied before.”
He added: “This has revealed some unexpected trends that are a major part of the puzzle of why Aviraptor diversified before the extinction event that killed dinosaurs.”
In their study, Dr. Funston and colleagues studied reduced size – and eventual loss – of the third finger of the ovary throughout their evolutionary history.
They found that the creatures’ forelegs changed dramatically, coinciding with migrations to new geographic regions – specifically those now known as North America and the Gobi Desert.
The team said remarkably well-preserved fossils provided the first evidence of finger loss in the family of three-toed dinosaurs known as oviraptors.
In their excavations, researchers discovered the fossilized remains of the four Oksukwu Avarsan events that appeared to be resting together.
It is very common for animals to be social when they are young.
The full results of the study have been published in the journal Royal Society for Open Science.
Researchers from Edinburgh found multiple and complete skeletons of the new omnivorous species – called Oksoko avarsan – in the Gobi Desert.
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