The results of research have been published that refutes the theory of the collapse of dinosaur biodiversity, which has been debated for over 40 years. Among the hypotheses on the cause of the extinction of the dinosaurs, the impact of an asteroid is the most probable, but some scholars believe that the biodiversity of the dinosaurs had already been destroyed before.
On the 26th, a research team from Oklahoma State University in the United States released a fossil analysis report on a new dinosaur species, Eoneophron infernalis, raising the possibility that dinosaurs maintained species diversity until the end of the Cretaceous period.
The fossil of Eoneophron infernalis, nicknamed the chicken from hell, came from the Hell Creek Formation, which extends from Wyoming to South Dakota, in the United States. The fossil of this dinosaur, which appears to have lived in the late Cretaceous period, consists of four leg bones, including a femur, a tibia and two metatarsal bones.
Eoneophron infernalis drawn by a paleontological illustrator. It is a new species of Caenagnathus from the Hell Creek Formation in the United States. <사진=오클라호마주립대학교 공식 홈페이지·Zubin Erik Dutta>
At the beginning of the investigation, the research team thought that the owner of the fossil was a juvenile of an existing dinosaur excavated from the corresponding layer. A research official said: “The fossil thought to be a companion to the chicken-like Caenagnathus is an avian type with long legs and a short tail,” adding: “So far, research has shown that Caenagnathus existed during the period of Hell Creek”. Formation period.” “His only companion is Oviraptorosaurus.”
He added: “The fossil we observed was quite small, so it clearly appeared to be a juvenile specimen of the feathered dinosaur Oviraptorosaurus.” He added: “Since analysis of the age of the fossil revealed that it was an adult, the possibility that the fossil was an unknown entity arose.”
The team concluded that the fossil was an unknown companion of the feathered theropod Caenagnathus. It was estimated to weigh between 200 and 340 kg, and because it resembled a chicken, it was called Pharaoh’s Dawn Chicken from Hell.
Eoneophron infernalis fossil analyzed this time <사진=오클라호마주립대학교 공식 홈페이지>
The research team emphasized that this discovery allows us to reasonably assume that dinosaur biodiversity in the late Cretaceous period was not interrupted. This is because, following the re-examination of small fossils thought to be descendants of a certain dinosaur, new species such as Eoneophron infernalis were discovered.
An investigating official said: “As a result of re-examination of fossils in the Hell Creek Formation, two new species of Caenagnathus have been discovered. One is a modern grizzly bear and the other is similar in size to a human. “Everything shows that there were more Caenagnathus associates around the Hell Creek Formation,” he said.
This official pointed out, “Until now, scholars have known that Caenagnathus, which existed at Hell Creek, was a single species,” and added, “This discovery raises the possibility that the biodiversity of late Cretaceous dinosaurs did not collapse.” .
Journalist Lee Yoon-seo lys@sputnik.kr
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