Credit: Hugo Salais, Metazoa Studio
A pioneering study by University of Bristol researchers finds that the evolution of teeth in the giant prehistoric shark Megalodon and its relatives was a by-product of becoming huge, rather than an adaptation to new feeding habits.
The iconic extinct Megalodon was the largest shark to ever roam the seas. Its name translates to big tooth , making reference to its massive teeth, which represent the most abundant fossil remains of the species. They are broad and triangular, nothing like the curved, blade-like teeth of the closest relatives of Megalodon.
The differences in tooth shape seen in this group of giant sharks has been traditionally thought to reflect a shift in diet. While the oldest relatives probably used their teeth to pierce small and fast-moving prey like fish, Megalodon most likely used them to bite off big chunks of meat from marine mammals or dismember such prey with powerful lateral head shakes.
Research unveils quirky insights about dinosaur s brain, eating habits ANI | Updated: Dec 16, 2020 14:14 IST
Bristol [UK], December 16 (ANI): A research led by the University of Bristol have unveiled the possible diet of dinosaurs claiming that pioneering reconstruction of the brain may have been the reason for their ability to move fast.
To shed light on the unexpected facts, the study published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, used advanced imaging and 3-D modelling techniques to digitally rebuild the brain of Thecodontosaurus , better known as the Bristol Dinosaur due to its origins in the UK city. The paleontologists found The Thecodontosaurus may have eaten meat, unlike its giant long-necked later relatives including Diplodocus and Brontosaurus , which only fed on plants.
Research unveils quirky insights about dinosaur s brain californiatelegraph.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from californiatelegraph.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Scientists have digitally rebuilt the brain of a dinosaur, revealing surprising insights into its diet and behaviour.
Using advanced imaging and 3D modelling techniques, researchers from the UK s University of Bristol rebuilt the brain of a Thecodontosaurus, a sauropod that roamed what is now England some 205 million years ago.
Experts found that unlike its plant-eating relatives Diplodocus and Brontosaurus, Thecodontosaurus may have eaten meat - and could have walked on two legs. Our analysis of Thecodontosaurus brain uncovered many fascinating features, some of which were quite surprising, Antonio Ballell, a PhD student at the University of Bristol s School of Earth Sciences, said in a statement.
Scientists digitally rebuilt the brain of a 205M year-old dinosaur. Here s what they found
Scientists in the U.K. used 3D imaging technology to digitally reconstruct the brain of one of the oldest known dinosaurs to walk the Earth.
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Posted: Dec 14, 2020 6:14 PM ET | Last Updated: December 14, 2020
Thecodontosaurus, depicted here in artwork by J. Dang, lived in what is now Bristol, U.K., 205 million years ago. (De Agostini/Getty Images)