科学者らは、歯のないくちばしを持ち、2本足で直立歩行した古代のワニの近縁種の新種を特定した。この生物は「ラブジャスクス・エスペクタトゥス（Labrujasuchus expectatus）」と名付けられ、三畳紀後期に現在のニューメキシコ州に生息していた。
この発見は『Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology』誌に掲載された。研究チームはゴーストランチにあるヘイデン採石場から化石を発見した。ラブジャスクス・エスペクタトゥスは、現代のワニへとつながる主竜類の系統の中でもシュボサウルス科に属するが、二足歩行の獣脚類恐竜と似た身体構造へと進化した。
A newly described crocodile relative from the Late Triassic period began life walking on four legs before adopting a bipedal stance in adulthood, scientists say. The poodle-sized Sonselasuchus cedrus, unearthed in Arizona, reveals unusual growth patterns in ancient reptiles. Researchers detailed the findings in a study published this year.
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A crushed dinosaur fossil, long forgotten in a drawer, has been reconstructed by a Virginia Tech undergraduate, unveiling a new species of early carnivorous dinosaur. The specimen, named Ptychotherates bucculentus, belonged to the Herrerasauria group and lived near the end of the Triassic period. Its discovery suggests this ancient dinosaur lineage persisted until the end-Triassic extinction.
A 250-million-year-old fossil egg containing a Lystrosaurus embryo has provided the first direct evidence that mammal ancestors laid eggs. Discovered in South Africa, the find resolves a decades-old question about early mammalian reproduction following the End-Permian extinction. Researchers used advanced imaging to reveal the embryo's pre-hatching stage inside a soft-shelled egg.
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Scientists have determined that Nanotyrannus was a mature, separate species rather than a juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex. A new study analyzed a tiny throat bone from the original fossil, revealing growth patterns indicating adulthood. The findings, published in Science, challenge decades of debate over the dinosaur's identity.