Posted on 02/22/2019 12:52:28 PM PST by ETL
The Tyrannosaurus rex may be among the most well-known and terrifying dinosaurs to walk the Earth, but a newly discovered 4-foot cousin was likely just as scary.
Known as Moros Intrepidus (which means "harbinger of doom"), this tiny tyrannosaur lived 100 million years ago.
Despite its diminutive size, it was still lethal, North Carolina State University paleontoloist Lindsay Zanno said.
Moros was lightweight and exceptionally fast, Zanno said in a statement.
These adaptations, together with advanced sensory capabilities, are the mark of a formidable predator.
It could easily have run down prey, while avoiding confrontation with the top predators of the day."
Although the earliest Cretaceous tyrannosaurs were small, their predatory specializations meant that they were primed to take advantage of new opportunities when warming temperatures, rising sea-level and shrinking ranges restructured ecosystems at the beginning of the Late Cretaceous, Zanno added.
We now know it took them less than 15 million years to rise to power.
In addition to the small height, it's thought it only weighed 78 kilograms [~172 pounds] and reached maturity between 6 and 7 years.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
OK NOW! I know where you are going with this. ;-D
(ETL, sorry I got my wires crossed and posted to you, but it was intended for a completely different thread. Apologies!)
This dinosaur found an ecological niche and perhaps prospered. The rest of that article is total conjecture built on the small size of the dinosaur.
Me = Geologist and now pharmacist. I believe in science but conjecture should be labeled with the words conjecture and not distributed as scientific fact.
Thanks ETL.
Lol! Was wondering what the heck you were talking about. :)
You’re welcome. Thank YOU.
Tanx & The Slider are good albums too.
Fans like me also dig his early acoustic hippie albums.
They GUESSED all that from a couple of leg bones and a tooth???
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