Study Suggests Dinosaurs May have Started as Very Small Creatures
2020-07-13
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1A new study adds to growing evidence that dinosaurs may have developed from very small animals.
2Scientists have studied the fossil of a small animal, called Kongonaphon kely, which is believed to be an ancestor of the dinosaurs.
3The name given the reptile means "tiny bug slayer," or very small killer of insects.
4The four-legged animal is believed to have been just 10 centimeters tall and about 40 centimeters long.
5Researchers say it lived about 237 million years ago in what is now Madagascar.
6Scientists described examinations of the fossil in a recent study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
7The researchers believe the animal came before dinosaurs, which developed in the Mesozoic Era.
8It ended about 66 million years ago.
9The study notes that much remains unknown about the history of dinosaurs and their winged relatives, pterosaurs.
10Scientist Christian Kammerer of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, led the study.
11Kammerer told Reuters news agency that based on the body size suggested by the fossil, "we argue that dinosaurs and pterosaurs evolved from a miniaturized ancestor."
12John Flynn, of New York's American Museum of Natural History, was a co-writer of the study.
13He said earlier studies have also supported the argument. "Evolution of gigantism from tiny ancestors is not uncommon in the fossil record," Flynn said.
14The scientists said the Kongonaphon's teeth showed signs of use in a way that suggested the small reptile ate insects.
15The team examining the fossil also found evidence of "fuzzy skin coverings," including feathers.
16The researchers said the feathers may have developed in the small-bodied creature to help control body temperature.
17This would have been especially important in the extreme climate of the early part of the Mesozoic Era.
18The days were hot, the nights, cold.
19"Recent discoveries like Kongonaphon have given us a much better understanding of the early evolution of ornithodirans," Kammerer said.
20The ornithodiran group includes animals in the evolutionary lineage that led to dinosaurs and pterosaurs.
21He added that the research provides strong evidence that the creature "decreased sharply early in the history of the dinosaur-pterosaur lineage."
22On the lighter side, Kammerer told The Associated Press he thinks the tiny creatures "would have been quite cute animals."
23He said an animal that looks like a dinosaur and can fit in your hand, "would probably make a great pet."
24I'm Bryan Lynn.
1A new study adds to growing evidence that dinosaurs may have developed from very small animals. 2Scientists have studied the fossil of a small animal, called Kongonaphon kely, which is believed to be an ancestor of the dinosaurs. The name given the reptile means "tiny bug slayer," or very small killer of insects. 3The four-legged animal is believed to have been just 10 centimeters tall and about 40 centimeters long. Researchers say it lived about 237 million years ago in what is now Madagascar. 4Scientists described examinations of the fossil in a recent study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 5The researchers believe the animal came before dinosaurs, which developed in the Mesozoic Era. It ended about 66 million years ago. The study notes that much remains unknown about the history of dinosaurs and their winged relatives, pterosaurs. 6Scientist Christian Kammerer of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, led the study. Kammerer told Reuters news agency that based on the body size suggested by the fossil, "we argue that dinosaurs and pterosaurs evolved from a miniaturized ancestor." 7John Flynn, of New York's American Museum of Natural History, was a co-writer of the study. He said earlier studies have also supported the argument. "Evolution of gigantism from tiny ancestors is not uncommon in the fossil record," Flynn said. 8The scientists said the Kongonaphon's teeth showed signs of use in a way that suggested the small reptile ate insects. 9The team examining the fossil also found evidence of "fuzzy skin coverings," including feathers. The researchers said the feathers may have developed in the small-bodied creature to help control body temperature. This would have been especially important in the extreme climate of the early part of the Mesozoic Era. The days were hot, the nights, cold. 10"Recent discoveries like Kongonaphon have given us a much better understanding of the early evolution of ornithodirans," Kammerer said. The ornithodiran group includes animals in the evolutionary lineage that led to dinosaurs and pterosaurs. He added that the research provides strong evidence that the creature "decreased sharply early in the history of the dinosaur-pterosaur lineage." 11On the lighter side, Kammerer told The Associated Press he thinks the tiny creatures "would have been quite cute animals." He said an animal that looks like a dinosaur and can fit in your hand, "would probably make a great pet." 12I'm Bryan Lynn. 13Bryan Lynn wrote this story for Learning English, based on reports from The Associated Press, Reuters and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. Caty Weaver was the editor. 14We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. 15________________________________________________________________ 16Words in This Story 17fossil - n. part of an animal or plant from thousands of years ago, preserved in rock 18evolve - v. to develop over time 19miniaturized - adj. very small 20gigantic - adj. extremely large 21fuzzy - adj. covered with light, loose hairs or fibers 22feather - n. any one of the light growths that make up the outer covering of the body of a bird