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They are among the largest predators ever to walk the Earth, but experts have discovered that some baby tyrannosaurs were only the size of a Border Collie dog when they took their first steps.
The first-known fossils of tyrannosaur embryos have shed light on the early development of the colossal animals, which could grow to 40 feet in length and weigh eight tonnes.
A team of palaeontologists, led by a University of Edinburgh researcher, made the discovery by examining the fossilised remains of a tiny jaw bone and claw unearthed in Canada and the US.
Producing 3D scans of the delicate fragments revealed that they belonged to baby tyrannosaurs – cousins of
Credit: Julius Csotonyi
They are among the largest predators ever to walk the Earth, but experts have discovered that some baby tyrannosaurs were only the size of a Border Collie dog when they took their first steps.
The first-known fossils of tyrannosaur embryos have shed light on the early development of the colossal animals, which could grow to 40 feet in length and weigh eight tonnes.
A team of palaeontologists, led by a University of Edinburgh researcher, made the discovery by examining the fossilised remains of a tiny jaw bone and claw unearthed in Canada and the US.
Producing 3D scans of the delicate fragments revealed that they belonged to baby tyrannosaurs - cousins of
AN EDINBURGH University-led team has rocked the world of palaeontology after they revealed that a baby tyrannosaur was likely only the size of a border collie. 3D scans of a tiny jaw bone and claw which had been found in Canada and the US have been identified as belonging to the fossilised remains of tyrannosaur embryos. They suggest the creatures which lived more than 70 million years ago were only around three-feet long when they hatched, despite being able to grow to 40ft long and weigh around eight tonnes. The team has also estimated that tyrannosaur eggs - remains of which have never been found - were around 17 inches long.