Velociraptor's cousin discovered

[Judi Lynn]

Page last updated at 00:26 GMT, Friday, 19 March 2010
Velociraptor's cousin discovered
By Victoria Gill
Science reporter, BBC News

Scientists have discovered a new species of dinosaur that was closely related to the Velociraptor.

The 1.8m-long predator was a dromaeosaurid - a family of theropod dinosaurs from which modern birds descended.

The researchers discovered its exquisitely well preserved skeleton in sediments dating from the Upper Cretaceous period in Inner Mongolia.

They describe the find in the journal Zootaxa.

The fossilised skeleton was in almost perfect condition - with complete claws and teeth - despite being between 145 and 65 million years old.

Its examination was led by Xing Xu from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing.

He and his colleagues described several distinguishing features, particularly of its jaw and feet, that enabled them to identify it as a dromaeosaurid - a name that means "running lizard".

More:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8575481.stm

[Allofus]

1. I Believ U

U neva can tell

[annabanana]

2. I love this stuff.

Every single new discovery is both a part of the big puzzle, and a puzzle of it's own.

[aquart]

3. They ain't gonna teach this in Texas.

[Lint Head]

4. Did they find a fossil of Jesus riding it?

[xchrom]

5. The mongolian discoveries are really amazing. Nt