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Intestinal preservation in a birdlike dinosaur supports conservatism in digestive canal evolution among theropods
- Source :
- Scientific Reports, Vol 12, Iss 1, Pp 1-10 (2022)
- Publication Year :
- 2022
- Publisher :
- Nature Portfolio, 2022.
-
Abstract
- Abstract Dromaeosaurids were bird-like dinosaurs with a predatory ecology known to forage on fish, mammals and other dinosaurs. We describe Daurlong wangi gen. et sp. nov., a dromaeosaurid from the Lower Cretaceous Jehol Biota of Inner Mongolia, China. Exceptional preservation in this specimen includes a large bluish layer in the abdomen which represents one of the few occurrences of intestinal remnants among non-avian dinosaurs. Phylogenetically, Daurlong nests among a lineage of short-armed Jehol Biota species closer to eudromaeosaurs than microraptorines. The topographic correspondence between the exceptionally preserved intestine in the more stem-ward Scipionyx and the remnants in the more birdlike Daurlong provides a phylogenetic framework for inferring intestine tract extent in other theropods lacking fossilized visceral tissues. Gastrointestinal organization results conservative among faunivorous dinosaurs, with the evolution of a bird-like alimentary canal restricted to avialan theropods.
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 20452322
- Volume :
- 12
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- Directory of Open Access Journals
- Journal :
- Scientific Reports
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- edsdoj.6607ddb45548bf8be07e96c6854a9b
- Document Type :
- article
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-24602-x