日韩午夜精品视频,欧美私密网站,国产一区二区三区四区,国产主播一区二区三区四区

 

Scientists discover dinosaur with venomous teeth

0 CommentsPrint E-mail Xinhua, December 22, 2009
Adjust font size:

A team of Chinese and U.S. paleontologists have discovered a species of dinosaur, living some 125 million years ago in northeast China, could deliver poison via its fangs to help it hunt down its prey.

Scientists discover dinosaur with venomous teethProf. Gong Enpu, of China's Northeastern University, who led the team, told Xinhua on Tuesday that the discovery held clues to how organisms have evolved to produce toxic substances.

Gong and his colleagues including paleontologist Larry Martin found that the dinosaur, Sinornithosaurus had unusually long grooved teeth on its upper jaw, similar to modern rear-fanged snakes and lizards.

They also found a place on the lateral surface of the dinosaur's upper jaw that could have housed a venom gland.

During their research, the length of the teeth puzzled Gong and his colleagues.

"The teeth are too long if the dinosaur just grabbed and swallowed its prey," Gong said. "... it seems not to have inserted its teeth deeply into its prey to kill it."

The paleontologists suggest the dinosaur had such long teeth to penetrate its prey's thick layer of feathers.

"The dinosaur probably fed on birds," Gong said. "Because the teeth were long enough to pierce through a bird's feathers and slice into the skin so the poison could enter the blood."

The venom was probably not deadly but stopped its prey from attacking or escaping, he said.

Sinornithosaurus is considered a close relative to birds. It was a relatively small dinosaur with a body no longer than a meter in length. The first fossil of it was found in 1996, giving fresh evidence to the theory that birds evolved from dinosaurs.

Gong's research was initially designed to trace the origin of bird's flying ability, but accidentally discovered the venomous teeth.

Print E-mail Bookmark and Share

Comments

No comments.

Add your comments...

  • User Name Required
  • Your Comment
  • Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
Send your storiesGet more from China.org.cnMobileRSSNewsletter
主站蜘蛛池模板: 延庆县| 石首市| 关岭| 青神县| 雷山县| 东乌珠穆沁旗| 诏安县| 和硕县| 清远市| 平江县| 石台县| 射洪县| 古田县| 河北省| 梧州市| 永春县| 仲巴县| 长沙县| 富蕴县| 呼和浩特市| 天水市| 汝南县| 霍州市| 舟曲县| 长沙市| 永宁县| 汽车| 洪湖市| 余干县| 樟树市| 涿鹿县| 平湖市| 石阡县| 六盘水市| 新兴县| 岗巴县| 玉田县| 苍山县| 彝良县| 丽水市| 丰城市|