They find an 800 kilo ostrich-like dinosaur, one of the largest of its kind

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Los ornithomimosaurs It was a group of dinosaurs physically similar (only physically) to ostriches: they had small heads compared to the rest of the body, long necks and limbs, and three phalanges on the front limbs. In addition, they were very successful: they spread between 130 and 66 million years ago in the territories that today are Asia, North America and Spain. In fact, the remains found here, specifically in Cuenca, still continue to reveal surprises. Now, the remains of two specimens found in North America add another piece to the puzzle of these dinosaurs, also known as the ‘bird-mimicking lizards’. The results have just been published in the journal ‘PLOS ONE’.

The study, led by Chinzorig Tsogtbaatar, of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, studied the new fossils, dating them to about 85 million years ago, a little-known period in the evolution of North American dinosaurs. By comparing the proportions of these fossils and the growth patterns of the bones, the authors determined that the fossils probably represent two different species of ornithomimosaurs, one relatively small and one very large. As large as the specimen probably weighed more than 800 kilos, even though it was still growing when it died. This makes it one of the largest known species of its kind.

Small dinosaurs living next to giants

These fossils provide valuable information about the dinosaur ecosystems of the Late Cretaceous of eastern North America, an area and a period still with many questions.

Paleohistological cross-sections of selected elements of (A) large-bodied and (B) medium-bodied individuals of Eutaw ornithomimosaurs, and (C) relative body size of Eutaw ornithomimosaurs within known ornithomimosaur taxa over geologic time

Tsogtbaatar and others

On the other hand, they also shed light on the evolution of ornithomimosaurs: giant body sizes and multiple species living side by side are recurring trends for these dinosaurs in North America and Asia. It is hoped that further study will clarify the reasons behind the success of these life strategies.

The authors add: “The coexistence of medium- and large-bodied ornithomimosaur taxa during the Santonian of Late Cretaceous North America not only provides key insights into the diversity and distribution of North American ornithomimosaurs from the Appalachian landmass, but also it also suggests broader evidence for multiple species of ornithomimosaur dinosaurs co-inhabiting the Late Cretaceous ecosystems of Laurasia.”



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