How Dinosaurs Grew From Hatchlings to Adults

240-million-year-old fossils indicate how dinosaurs grew from hatch...

Posted: 05 Apr 2016 03:29 PM PDT

Paleontologists have found that muscle-scarred fossil leg bones of one of the closest cousins of dinosaurs that lived approximately 240 million years ago can shine new light on a large unknown: How early dinosaurs grew from hatchlings to adults. The findings are surprising: dinosaurs and their close relatives had much more variation in growth patterns then ever expected, and this variation does not appear to be related to differences between males and females.

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Permalink Reply by Stephen on April 6, 2016 at 3:35pm

Evolution has thrown up some weird and wonderful animals over time. Fantastic.

Permalink Reply by _Robert_ on April 6, 2016 at 5:54pm

One of the most successful of all the dinos was this humble creature, the Lystrosaurus.

Permalink Reply by _Robert_ on April 6, 2016 at 6:08pm

I'll add that to my bucket list. I have a growing collection of fossils, in fact I tiled my kitchen sink wall with real fish/shrimp/bee fossils. Boy does that ever start up some conversations !!!

Permalink Reply by _Robert_ on April 6, 2016 at 9:30pm

I really like the shrimp, it's from Lebanon

Permalink Reply by _Robert_ on April 6, 2016 at 9:37pm

Thanks! My house is kinda eccentric.

Permalink Reply by _Robert_ on April 6, 2016 at 9:33pm

My china cabinet has a bunch of extinct shark's teeth, including a 6" Megeladon

Permalink Reply by _Robert_ on April 6, 2016 at 9:46pm

You can see the enamel wear on that big tooth as that giant shark attacked whales, or a wading behemoth, LOL. This other one has a nice tan color from the minerals that fossilized it. I keep a giant Spinosaurus tooth at work, helps me keep perspective when things get crazy.

Permalink Reply by Stephen on April 6, 2016 at 10:19pm

What a smashing idea Robert. Must be a great talking point.

Permalink Reply by Reg The Fronkey Farmer on April 6, 2016 at 8:25pm

I went to see the Titanosaur exhibition in the American Museum of Natural History in February. There are plenty of other fossils there, including some that trace the evolution to modern birds.

Permalink Reply by Stephen on April 6, 2016 at 10:26pm

What a great idea, a sleepover in the Natural History Museum.