Unusual dinosaur Ubirajara jubatus has scientists enthralled

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About 110 million years ago along the shores of an ancient lagoon in what is now north-eastern Brazil, a two-legged, chicken-sized Cretaceous period dinosaur made a living hunting insects and perhaps small vertebrates like frogs and lizards.

This dinosaur, called Ubirajara jubatus, possessed a mane of hair-like structures while also boasting two utterly unique, stiff, ribbon-like features probably made of keratin – the same substance that makes up hair and fingernails – protruding from its shoulders.

“There are plenty of other strange dinosaurs, but this one is unlike any of them,” said David Martill, paleobiology professor at the University of Portsmouth in England.

“Likely from a distance it looked hairy rather than feathery,” Martill said. “Likely it had hair-like protofeathers over much of its body but they are only preserved along its neck, back and arms. The ones on its back are very long and give it a sort of mane that is unique for dinosaurs.“

Ubirajara’s ribbon-like structures may have been used for display, possibly to attract mates or intimidate adversaries or in inter-male rivalry, Martill added.

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Source: The Guardian

[PunkTheFunk 125,703]

1 hour ago, FfFfFfFF said:

chicken-sized

No wonder they went extinct, Gaga's ancestors probably ate them all.

[Sneaky Oliver 22,972]

Wow I didn't know there are dinos originated from Brazil!  

[FfFfFfFF 58,068]

2 minutes ago, Sneaky Oliver said:

Wow I didn't know there are dinos originated from Brazil!  

Dinos lived in virtually every area of the world (continents, mountains, oceans etc looked way different at their time though). This is a map of where fossils have been found, and as you can see they're everywhere: https://paleobiodb.org/navigator/

There are still many fossils that are yet to be discovered and not all dinosaurs left fossils either. I'm guessing that so many fossils were found in Western Europe not because that's where most dinosaurs lived but because there was the most research and effort put into finding them. 

[Sneaky Oliver 22,972]

1 minute ago, FfFfFfFF said:

Dinos lived in virtually every area of the world (continents, mountains, oceans etc looked way different at their time though). This is a map of where fossils have been found, and as you can see they're everywhere: https://paleobiodb.org/navigator/

There are still many fossils that are yet to be discovered and not all dinosaurs left fossils either. I'm guessing that so many fossils were found in Western Europe not because that's where most dinosaurs lived but because there was the most research and effort put into finding them. 

Thanks! I really enjoy your nature/science-related content