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A non-avian dinosaur with a streamlined body exhibits potential adaptations for swimming

Streamlining a body is a major adaptation for aquatic animals to move efficiently in the water. Whereas diving birds are well known to have streamlined bodies, such body shapes have not been documented in non-avian dinosaurs. It is primarily because most known non-avian theropods are terrestrial, ba...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Lee, Sungjin, Lee, Yuong-Nam, Currie, Philip J., Sissons, Robin, Park, Jin-Young, Kim, Su-Hwan, Barsbold, Rinchen, Tsogtbaatar, Khishigjav
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Nature Publishing Group UK 2022
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9715538/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36456823
http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s42003-022-04119-9
Descripción
Sumario:Streamlining a body is a major adaptation for aquatic animals to move efficiently in the water. Whereas diving birds are well known to have streamlined bodies, such body shapes have not been documented in non-avian dinosaurs. It is primarily because most known non-avian theropods are terrestrial, barring a few exceptions. However, clear evidence of streamlined bodies is absent even in the purported semiaquatic groups. Here we report a new theropod, Natovenator polydontus gen. et sp. nov., from the Upper Cretaceous of Mongolia. The new specimen includes a well-preserved skeleton with several articulated dorsal ribs that are posterolaterally oriented to streamline the body as in diving birds. Additionally, the widely arched proximal rib shafts reflect a dorsoventrally compressed ribcage like aquatic reptiles. Its body shape suggests that Natovenator was a potentially capable swimming predator, and the streamlined body evolved independently in separate lineages of theropod dinosaurs.