Newly Discovered Dinosaur Implies Greater Prevalence of Feathers; Megalosaur Fossil Represents First Feathered Dinosaur Not
Closely Related to Birds
A new species of feathered dinosaur discovered in southern Germany is further changing the perception of how predatory
dinosaurs looked. The fossil of Sciurumimus albersdoerferi,which lived about 150 million years ago, provides the first
evidence of feathered theropod dinosaurs that are not closely related to birds.
the first feathered dinosaur Archaeopteryx was collected over 150 years ago. Theropods are bipedal, mostly carnivorous
dinosaurs. In recent years, scientists have discovered that many extinct theropods had feathers. But this feathering has
only been found in theropods that are classified as coelurosaurs, a diverse group including animals likeT. rexand birds.
Sciurumimus — identified as a megalosaur, nota coelurosaur — is the first exception to this rule. The new species also
sits deep within the evolutionary tree of theropods, much more so than coelurosaurs, meaning that the species that stem
from Sciurumimus are likely to have similar characteristics.
The fossil, which is of a baby Sciurumimus, was found in the limestones of northern Bavaria and preserves remains of a
filamentous plumage, indicating that the whole body was covered with feathers. The genus name ofSciurumimus
albersdoerferirefers to the scientific name of the tree squirrels,Sciurus, and means “squirrel-mimic”-referring to the
especially bushy tail of the animal. The species name honours the private collector who made the specimen available for
scientific study.
Sciurumimusis not only remarkable for its feathers. The skeleton, which represents the most complete predatory dinosaur
ever found in Europe, allows a rare glimpse at a young dinosaur. Apart from other known juvenile features, such as large
eyes, the new find also confirmed other hypotheses.
Adult megalosaurs reached about 20 feet in length and often weighed more than a ton. They were active predators, which
probably also hunted other large dinosaurs. The juvenile specimen of Sciurumimus, which was only about 28 inches in length,
probably hunted insects and other small prey, as evidenced by the slender, pointed teeth in the tip of the jaws.
– http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/07/120702210225.htm