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New Dinosaur Species Discovery In Utah Released
Posted by
ScuttleMonkey
on Wed Oct 03, 2007 01:40 PM
from the massive-masticator dept.
from the massive-masticator dept.
A new species of dinosaur discovered in Utah's Grand Staircase was only recently released to the public. Dubbed Gryposaurus Monumentensis (derived from a combination of "hook-beaked lizard" and a tip of the hat to the discovery location) scientists estimate this duck-billed dino could have had as many as 800 teeth in his massive mouth. "While the diet is unknown, given the considerable size of the creature, the massive teeth and jaws are thought to have been used to slice up large amounts of tough, fibrous plant material. The teeth may hold important clues the dinosaur's eating habits. The Utah museum plans to study the composition of the dinosaur teeth, which when compared to other plant-eating dinosaurs from the Kaiparowits Formation, will help researchers decipher differences in diet."
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800 teeth (Score:5, Funny)
Re:800 teeth (Score:4, Funny)
Parent
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More seriously, this is pretty darn interesting, especially since the "most similar looking" modern equivalent (Ornithorhynchus anatinus [wikipedia.org]) has no teeth whatsoever. Of course, real descendents don't literally have to look like their forebearers....
I guess the prehistoric Tooth Fairy worked overtime.
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But mostly.
released! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:released! (Score:5, Funny)
Fortunately, there are plenty of hills (and mountains) in Utah to run for. Our wives will be safe.
Parent
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Monument to Its Environment (Score:2)
This "new" dinosaur was found in a desert, near the Grand Staircase. Does the Staircase predate the death of these dinosaur
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I can't tell if you're illustrating a point or seriously asking a question, but in case it's a question, the answer appears to be:
Yeah, most of the stone was there, but it was nothing like it is today [wikipedia.org]
See especially the map on that page.
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This wasn't desert back then, though. The Cretaceous coastal plain was scrubland with scattered forest. Flowering plants and grasses were replacing older conifers and other more primitive fauna. Hadrosaurs are known to have eaten pine branches from stomach remains. They did
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Grass! (Score:3, Informative)
There is actually some logic to this: grass had not evolved while the Dinosaurs were around. There are now not many places on the planet where there is no grass except where nothing grows so volcanoes and deserts are logical locations. This was mentioned in the "Making of Walking With Dinosaurs" as one of the biggest problems with finding good filming locations.
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The scale of Anonymous Cowards' ability to just create shit from shinola is epochal.
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Actually, there is some evidence for grasses in the Cretaceous. However, they were nowhere near as common as they are today, so there almost certai
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I live in Missouri, which was under water much of that time. We have sea shells all over the place. Of course, that was likely due to the global flood around 4000 years ago.
I've always wondered if bones millions of years old are perfectly preserved, or if they all go through some sort of change such as shrinking or enlarging that just takes millions of years to occur.
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More study needed (Score:5, Funny)
For example: how did Jesus strap His saddle on a Gryposaurus?
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Jesus said, "When you see your likeness, you rejoice. But when you see your images which came into being before you, and which neither die not become manifest, how much you will have to bear!" --Gospel of Thomas
Jesus said, "Blessed is the lion which becomes man when consumed by man; and cursed is the man whom the lion consumes, and the lion becomes man."
But probably
Yes, I am a pedant. (Score:5, Informative)
Now, this giant tooth masses would unroll from the jaws sort of like a massive roll of ultra-thick paper towels. Teeth would wear out at the chewing face and be continually replaced by teeth in the "roll" behind them.
And, when you use genus-species binomial nomenclature, the genus is capitalized but the species is not: it's spelled Gryposaurus monumentensis, which TFA got right.
obTBL (Score:4, Funny)
Parent
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If only my cock worked like that.
so these things, like, ... (Score:2)
"Run Doctor Grant, run for your life!" QUAAAACK!
Sounds like a naming opportunity was missed (Score:3, Insightful)
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Name (Score:3, Funny)
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Being Utah, maybe the Scosaur? I won't accept when it has been beaten and made itself irrelevant.
huh? (Score:5, Funny)
How big? Not how many! (Score:3, Informative)
...Is that you? (Score:2, Funny)
High time science stops digging up these fossils (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:High time science stops digging up these fossil (Score:2, Insightful)
Gryposaurus? Undiscovered? UNTRUE! (Score:2)
Could not find any mention of height/weight (Score:4, Funny)
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Here is the full journal article: http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/ful [blackwell-synergy.com]
Living sample (Score:2)
Don't think so (Score:2, Funny)
given the considerable size of the creature, the massive teeth and jaws are thought to have been used to slice up large amounts of...
Mammals: It's what's for dinner.
Eh? (Score:2)
I read somewhere that we discover a new dinosaur species about once a month.
It's Ta Ta Toothy? (Score:2)
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If you're making a reference to the Book of Mormon, I feel that I must contradict you. There is nothing in the book of Mormon that indicates, one way or the other, the existence of dinosaurs. In addition, the book of mormon starts (chronologically speaking) around 600 BC, which is well after the time of dinosaurs. Check your facts before you post, anonymous coward!
Perhaps there are no dinosaurs mentioned by name but there are dragons [lds.org], satyrs [lds.org], cockatrice [lds.org], and least we for get the very easily visualized cureloms and cumoms [lds.org]. Not to mention a menagerie of generic monsters [lds.org] and beasts. With all due respect, I'd say the mormons pretty much nailed it.
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"O how great t
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I think you mean the Book of Moroni. It's the Latin plural for moron, and incidentally, exists. [wikipedia.org]
(Sorry, I couldn't resist; and yes, I know that "moron" is Greek.)
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Seems like everyone on slashdot is quick to preach tolerance and respect for anyone...except the religious. Seems sort of hypocritical. Slashdot is getting more and more like Digg every time I visit.
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