Dinosaurs Not So Fierce After All / Small Fossil footprints / Giant penguin fossil

New Fossil Suggests Dinosaurs Not So Fierce After All

Sarahsaurus is a genus of basal sauropodomorph dinosaur as depicted above

ScienceDaily (Oct. 5, 2010) — A new species of dinosaur discovered in Arizona suggests dinosaurs did not spread throughout the world by overpowering other species, but by taking advantage of a natural catastrophe that wiped out their competitors. (Source)

The above mentioned dinosaur species is called Sarahsaurus. Sarahsaurus was 14 feet long and lived 190 million years ago.

By looking at the Sarahsaurus species scientist maintain that:

Dinosaurs did not spread throughout the world by overpowering other species, but by taking advantage of a natural catastrophe that wiped out their competitors. (Source)

"We used to think of dinosaurs as fierce creatures that outcompeted everyone else," said Rowe. "Now we're starting to see that's not really the case. They were humbler, more opportunistic creatures. They didn't invade the neighborhood. They waited for the residents to leave and when no one was watching, they moved in." (Source)

Source:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101006085240.htm
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-10/uota-nfs100110.php

Fossil footprints point to dainty dinos

 

Just for illustration - Source - Author: Jeff Kubina

In Poland tiny footprints of dinosaurs (Prorotodactylus mirus) have been found. They are believed to be the forerunners of triceratops and brontosaurus and they were four-footed. The tracks are around 249 to 251 million years old and are only two to four centimeters across and They were four-footed.

Source: http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-world/fossil-footprints-point-to-dainty-dinos-20101006-166wb.html

Giant penguin fossil gives evolutionary clues

Hector-palaeeudyptes.jpg

Illustrations of penguin bones produced for James Hector's 1872 article on fossil penguins.

LIMA (Reuters) - The preserved feathers and scales of a giant fossilized penguin discovered on Peru's central coast provide a glimpse of Peru's Eocene period, and how the species evolved to its modern state, paleontologists say. (Source)

The ancient penguin was around 1.5 meters  and is date to 36 million years ago. The penguin was named "Inkayacu paracasensis," which means "emperor of the water" in Quechua.

"Without doubt this is the most complete specimen of ancient penguins that exists," said Rodolfo Salas-Gismondi, the lead paleontologist and the head of the University of San Marcos' Museum of Natural History in Lima. (Source)

The findings were first revealed in the September 30 issue of Science.


Source: http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/technology/8077915/corrected-giant-penguin-fossil-gives-evolutionary-clues/