Post by jhg on Aug 22, 2016 0:13:40 GMT 5
Carnotaurus sastrei
Carnotaurus is a genus of large theropod dinosaur that lived in South America during the Late Cretaceous period, between about 72 and 70 million years ago. The only species is Carnotaurus sastrei. Known from a single well-preserved skeleton, it is one of the best-understood theropods from the Southern Hemisphere. The skeleton, found in 1984, was uncovered in the Chubut Province of Argentina from rocks of the La Colonia Formation. Derived from the Latin carno [carnis] ("flesh") and taurus ("bull"), the name Carnotaurus means "meat-eating bull", alluding to its bull-like horns. Carnotaurus is a derived member of the Abelisauridae, a group of large theropods that lived in the southern Landmasses of Gondwana during the late Cretaceous. Carnotaurus was a lightly built, bipedal predator, measuring 8 metres (26 ft) in length and perhaps weighing in a region of 2 tons. As a theropod, Carnotaurus was highly specialized and distinctive. It had thick horns above the eyes, a feature unseen in all other carnivorous dinosaurs, and a very deep skull sitting on a muscular neck. Carnotaurus was further characterized by small, vestigial forelimbs and long and slender hindlimbs. The skeleton is preserved with extensive skin impressions, showing a mosaic of small, non-overlapping scales measuring approximately 5 mm in diameter. The mosaic was interrupted by large bumps that lined the sides of the animal, and there are no hints of feathers. Carnotaurus was well adapted for running and was possibly one of the fastest large theropods.
Pelorovis
Pelorovis ("prodigious/monstrous sheep") is an extinct genus of African wild cattle, which first appeared in the Pliocene, 2.5 million years ago, and became extinct at the end of the Late Pleistocene about 12,000 years ago or even during the Holocene, some 4,000 years ago. Surprisingly, recent detailed anatomical and morphometric studies come to the conclusion, that Pelorovis is probably not monophyletic. According to this findings, the early forms of the genus (P. turkanensis und P. oldowayensis) are close relatives, and possibly the first members, of the genus Bos. In contrast, the late Pleistocene form (Pelorovis antiquus) seems to be a close relative of the modern African buffalo (Syncerus caffer). Although the name Pelorovis describes a sheep-like creature, Pelorovis resembled an African buffalo, although it was larger and possessed longer, curved horns. Pelorovis probably weighed 2,000 kilograms (2,600 lb). This rank it as one of the largest bovines that ever lived, rivaling the American long-horned bison (Bison latifrons). The bony cores of the horns were each about 1 metre (3.3 ft) long; when covered with keratin (which does not survive fossilisation) they could have been up to twice this length. The horns pointed away from the head, each forming a half circle in the species Pelorovis oldowayensis and Pelorovis turkanensis. The horns of Pelorovis antiquus were also magnificent but resembled in shape more those of the Water buffalo (Bubalus). P. antiquus was even placed in the Genus Bubalus by early specialists. Pelorovis oldowayensis was broadly the same size as modern African buffalo, but its legs were longer, and the elongated head of this species was reminiscent to those of the modern Alcelaphinae. Pelorovis antiquus was about the same size, but it was more robust.
Carnotaurus is a genus of large theropod dinosaur that lived in South America during the Late Cretaceous period, between about 72 and 70 million years ago. The only species is Carnotaurus sastrei. Known from a single well-preserved skeleton, it is one of the best-understood theropods from the Southern Hemisphere. The skeleton, found in 1984, was uncovered in the Chubut Province of Argentina from rocks of the La Colonia Formation. Derived from the Latin carno [carnis] ("flesh") and taurus ("bull"), the name Carnotaurus means "meat-eating bull", alluding to its bull-like horns. Carnotaurus is a derived member of the Abelisauridae, a group of large theropods that lived in the southern Landmasses of Gondwana during the late Cretaceous. Carnotaurus was a lightly built, bipedal predator, measuring 8 metres (26 ft) in length and perhaps weighing in a region of 2 tons. As a theropod, Carnotaurus was highly specialized and distinctive. It had thick horns above the eyes, a feature unseen in all other carnivorous dinosaurs, and a very deep skull sitting on a muscular neck. Carnotaurus was further characterized by small, vestigial forelimbs and long and slender hindlimbs. The skeleton is preserved with extensive skin impressions, showing a mosaic of small, non-overlapping scales measuring approximately 5 mm in diameter. The mosaic was interrupted by large bumps that lined the sides of the animal, and there are no hints of feathers. Carnotaurus was well adapted for running and was possibly one of the fastest large theropods.
Pelorovis
Pelorovis ("prodigious/monstrous sheep") is an extinct genus of African wild cattle, which first appeared in the Pliocene, 2.5 million years ago, and became extinct at the end of the Late Pleistocene about 12,000 years ago or even during the Holocene, some 4,000 years ago. Surprisingly, recent detailed anatomical and morphometric studies come to the conclusion, that Pelorovis is probably not monophyletic. According to this findings, the early forms of the genus (P. turkanensis und P. oldowayensis) are close relatives, and possibly the first members, of the genus Bos. In contrast, the late Pleistocene form (Pelorovis antiquus) seems to be a close relative of the modern African buffalo (Syncerus caffer). Although the name Pelorovis describes a sheep-like creature, Pelorovis resembled an African buffalo, although it was larger and possessed longer, curved horns. Pelorovis probably weighed 2,000 kilograms (2,600 lb). This rank it as one of the largest bovines that ever lived, rivaling the American long-horned bison (Bison latifrons). The bony cores of the horns were each about 1 metre (3.3 ft) long; when covered with keratin (which does not survive fossilisation) they could have been up to twice this length. The horns pointed away from the head, each forming a half circle in the species Pelorovis oldowayensis and Pelorovis turkanensis. The horns of Pelorovis antiquus were also magnificent but resembled in shape more those of the Water buffalo (Bubalus). P. antiquus was even placed in the Genus Bubalus by early specialists. Pelorovis oldowayensis was broadly the same size as modern African buffalo, but its legs were longer, and the elongated head of this species was reminiscent to those of the modern Alcelaphinae. Pelorovis antiquus was about the same size, but it was more robust.
