Published 20:39 IST, January 2nd 2020
Research shows dwarf T-Rex dinosaurs 'Nanotyrannus' probably never existed
The latest study has shown that the dwarf version of T-rex probably never existed. Study revealed these were immature T-Rex individuals 13 to 15 years of age.
Advertisement
scientific world has been divided ever since discovery of Natyrannus, dwarf species of Tyransaurus rex in 1942. Scientists have argued very existence of species as many believed that Natyrannus never existed. latest study has shown that dwarf version of T-rex probably never existed and that it was immature Tyransaurus y mistakenly termed as Natyrannus.
Natyrannus or a smaller ult version of T-rex?
A study published in journal Science vances, led by Holly Woodward of Oklahoma State University confirmed that 2001 discovery of small Tyransaurus named Jane near town of Ekalaka in Montana revealed that fossil was of an immature individual and t an ult. Woodward performed microscopic analysis of samples from interior of Jane's tibia and femur bones and on bones from an animal named Petey. technique is kwn as paleohistology, a study of fossil remains.
Advertisement
Osteohistology revealed se were immature individuals 13 to 15 years of , exhibiting growth rates similar to extant birds and mammals, and that annual growth was dependent on resource abundance. results support synymization of “Natyrannus” into Tyransaurus and failed to prove that a smaller ult version of Tyransaurus really existed.
Advertisement
results in science journal stated, "For detailed, orientation-specific histology descriptions, refer to Supplementary Materials. In general, femur and tibia cortical bones of Jane and Petey can be classified as a woven-parallel complex. Vascularity and osteocyte lacuna density are uniformly high throughout. In femora, primary and secondary osteons surrounding vascular canals are frequently isotropic in transverse section and anisotropic in longitudinal section. Also in transverse section, femur primary tissue exhibits moderate anisotropy regionally and weak anisotropy locally, corresponding to a loose arrangement of mineralized fibers in parallel."
Advertisement
study helped fill gap with some kwledge that scientific world was lacking when it came to 20-year time period between a disaur's hatching and its childhood. Jane weighed one ton before it died and would have weighed under 10 tonnes as an ult if it would have reached phase of exponentially rapid growth.
Advertisement
20:39 IST, January 2nd 2020