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СпутникиРНSpaceXРоскосмосNASATwo newly identified raptor-like dinosaurs suggest the group spread across Pangea before continents drifted apart.
Paleontologists are rewriting the evolutionary story of raptor-like dinosaurs after two recent fossil discoveries suggested the family that includes Velociraptor spread across much of the ancient supercontinent Pangea before continental drift separated the world's landmasses.
The latest discovery comes from southern Patagonia, where researchers identified a new species named Kank australis. Dating back roughly 70 million years, the dinosaur belonged to the dromaeosaur family but appears to have lived a very different lifestyle from its famous northern relatives.
Fossil remains, including teeth, vertebrae, and toe bones, revealed that Kank australis was an unenlagiid, a subgroup of dromaeosaurs previously known only from South America, Antarctica, Australia, and Madagascar. Scientists believe it may have specialized in catching fish, making it one of the few known raptor-like dinosaurs adapted for aquatic hunting.
Its anatomy offered another surprise. Researchers found unusual structures in the neck vertebrae that resemble adaptations seen in modern herons, suggesting the dinosaur relied on quick, precise neck movements while catching prey in the water. The findings challenge the long-standing image of raptors as exclusively fast-moving terrestrial predators.
Beyond its hunting behavior, the discovery provides fresh evidence that dromaeosaurs were once distributed far more broadly than previously understood. While early discoveries of Velociraptor and related species came almost entirely from northern continents, fossils from the Southern Hemisphere now indicate the family split into separate evolutionary branches after Pangea began breaking apart near the end of the Jurassic period.
That emerging picture has been strengthened by another recent discovery from China's Changma Basin.
Researchers there identified Jianchangmaensis, a feathered relative of Velociraptor that appears to have spent much of its time gliding through forests rather than running across open ground. The newly described dinosaur possessed long feathers on both its forelimbs and hind limbs, giving it a distinctive four-winged appearance.
Although it could not sustain powered flight, scientists believe it used its plumage to glide between trees in pursuit of some of Earth's earliest birds. The fossil may also solve a long-standing mystery at the Changma Basin, where numerous prehistoric bird remains showed evidence of predation despite the predator itself remaining unknown for years.
Based on the recovered arm fossil, researchers estimate Jianchangmaensis had a wingspan of about four feet, making it one of the largest known members of the Microraptor group. Its size and anatomy suggest it occupied a unique ecological niche within the broader dromaeosaur family.
Taken together, the two discoveries reveal an evolutionary group capable of thriving in remarkably different environments. Some species became agile terrestrial hunters like Velociraptor, while others evolved to fish in rivers or glide through ancient forests in search of aerial prey.
The discoveries also reflect the cultures of the regions where they were found. Kank australis takes its name from the Aonikenk people of Patagonia, while Jian changmaensis is named after a winged creature from Chinese mythology.
Scientists say each new fossil continues to fill important gaps in the dinosaur family tree, offering stronger evidence that raptor-like dinosaurs spread across vast portions of the prehistoric world long before the continents assumed their modern positions.
| # | Наименование новости | Тональность | Информативность | Дата публикации |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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