About 71 million years ago, a small theropod dinosaur curled up for one last snooze before entering the fossil record. The bird, recovered from the Barun Goyot Formation in what is now called the Gobi Desert in Mongolia, is at the center of a new study whose curled-up posture suggests it slept like modern birds. It becomes.
The nearly complete fossil was preserved in three dimensions and showed the skeleton of a new named scientific species. Jaclinix yalui. The name comes from the small dragon “Jacurus” that appears in Greek mythology and “Onyx”, which means claw. The second half is I want to do itcomes from the Mongolian word “yaruu” which means “fast”.
So, if you don’t mind, I’d like a little speedy dragon, please.Running around is hard work, and based on the deceased’s arrangements. J.Yariiit seems that they slept in a position similar to modern birds.
This new species joins the group of small theropods as a member of the alvarezaurid family of dinosaurs. However, there was a time when they were believed to be the oldest known flightless birds. This has since been revised, and it is now considered a maniraptorian dinosaur, a non-avian theropod dinosaur closely related to birds.
A fossil of Jaclinycus yaloui curled up and dozing.
Deconstructing the Maniraputra yields the Snatch (Raptor) Hand (Mani). This is because these dinosaurs featured long arms with their three-fingered hands suitable for grasping objects. Modified wrist elements for snatching may have made the flight stroke possible, and it is also thought to be one of the few traits it shares with birds.
What is our Sleeping Beauty? J.Yarii It turns out that sleeping position may also be another characteristic to add to the list.
“This specimen exhibits a typical avian sleeping position, with the neck and tail arched and the hind legs folded under the pelvis, much like that seen in troodontids.” Meiron and Sinoruntoides Yongi,” wrote the study authors. “The new taxon is Jaclinix yalui generation. et sp. represents the ninth genus of Alvarezauridae from the Nemegt Basin, and not only reveals the comprehensive anatomy of Alvarezauridae but also predates the appearance of paraviridae, long before the appearance of paraviridae. It also provides conclusive evidence for the emergence of bird-like behavior. ”
Modern birds sleep curled up to conserve heat, and it’s almost agreed that feathered theropods are warm-blooded animals, so our dozing may be to blame. J.Yarii was also trying to stay warm. Sleep tight, little fluffy snatched hands.
This study PLoS ONE.