An enormous, flesh-eating dinosaur has been discovered in a remote region of Inner Mongolia – well its remains anyway. The feathered dinosaur, called a Gigantoraptor stood on two legs at twice the height of a man, was eight metres (26ft) long, and had a head like a parrot's and scythe-like claws on the end of wings far too small to lift its 1.4-tonne weight off the ground.
The finding has astounded experts because carnivorous dinosaurs were thought to have become smaller as they grew more bird-like. Gigantoraptor erlianensis, which emerged towards the end of the era of dinosaurs, was far heavier than any other feathered dinosaur known.
Dr Xing Xu at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing reconstructed a partial skeleton from fragments of the beak, backbone, limbs, pelvis and shoulder blade. Announcing the discovery in the journal Nature today, the scientists write: "Gigantoraptor is remarkable in its gigantic size." Analysis of the bones placed it in the family of dinosaurs known as the Oviraptorosuarids, a group of feathered dinosaurs rarely weighing more than 40kg (88lb).
9 comments:
That creature looks like me. Long and scary.
Redwine the vinosaurus unethicus.
(your post only proves that no living creature can be a vegan)
Hah the vinosaurus evilus! Herbivores are meat eaters in denial!!
Tastes like Chicken. Pass the barbeque sauce and I'll toss Bebe the leftovers after I'm done.
Carnivourous species with the exception of shark taste lousy.
Youd better have a big Barbeque pit!
Gigantotoraptor, or 'fat hungry bastard' as he is more affectionately known, is the document controller in the office where I work.
Despite it's size, the Gigantoraptor doesn't look particularly scary in that illustration... in fact, it looks a wee bit camp.
Cool! Yet more evidence that wings initially had nothing to do with flight. So much for "intelligent design".
Redwine, I didn't know you were long. I did know you are scary. :)
I am not vegan but I am vegetarian. But it may surprise you that I would agree that humans did not evolve to be vegetarian; we are natural omnivores. Being vegetarian is a choice, and it's not for everyone. But if BBQ is all you would miss, let me tell you, they make some excellent veggie BBQ in Austin, TX... carnivores would not be disappointed.
I wonder if a cave man in a white loincloth and black bolero tie came up with a secret blend of 11 herbs and spices to cook a gigantoraptor? Dibs on the wings!
We have someone similar at work too Piseces. There must be one per office!
Now you mention it Roger, it looks like it should present a home makeover show!
Veggie BBQ? sounds good Steve! The not wife is a vegan and I give thanks for jewish dietary laws.. some of the work arounds are perfect for vegans (God blesss David Mintz!!!)
LOL ewbl, I wonder how big a bargain bucket ould be!
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