Post by DinosaurMichael on Jun 8, 2013 18:37:49 GMT 5
Gaur - Bos gaurus
The gaur (Bos gaurus), also called Indian bison, is a large bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. The species is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986 as the population decline in parts of the species' range is likely to be well over 70% over the last three generations. Population trends are stable in well-protected areas, and are rebuilding in a few areas which had been neglected. The gaur is the largest species of wild cattle, bigger than the African buffalo, the extinct aurochs, and wild water buffalo. The domesticated form of the gaur, Bos frontalis, is called gayal or mithun. The Malayan gaur is called seladang, and the Burmese gaur is called pyoung. The gaur has a head-and-body length of 250 to 330 cm (8.2 to 10.8 ft) with a 70 to 105 cm (28 to 41 in) long tail, and is 165 to 220 cm (5.41 to 7.2 ft) high at the shoulder. Weight is 650 to 1,000 kg (1,400 to 2,200 lb). Males are about one-fourth larger and heavier than females. Body weight may reach 1,500 kg (3,300 lb). The gaur has a high convex ridge on the forehead between the horns, which bends forward, causing a deep hollow in the profile of the upper part of the head. There is a prominent ridge on the back. The ears are very large; the tail only just reaches the hocks, and in old bulls the hair becomes very thin on the back. In colour, the adult male gaur is dark brown, approaching black in very old individuals; the upper part of the head, from above the eyes to the nape of the neck, is, however, ashy gray, or occasionally dirty white; the muzzle is pale coloured, and the lower part of the legs are pure white or tan. The cows and young bulls are paler, and in some instances have a rufous tinge, which is most marked in individuals inhabiting dry and open districts. The tail is shorter than in the typical oxen, reaching only to the hocks. The animals have a distinct ridge running from the shoulders to the middle of the back; the shoulders may be as much as 12 centimetres (5 in) higher than the rump. This ridge is caused by the great length of the spinous processes of the vertebrae of the fore-part of the trunk as compared with those of the loins. The hair is short, fine and glossy, and the hooves are narrow and pointed. Horns grow to a length of 60 to 115 cm (24 to 45 in). Both sexes carry horns, which grow from the sides of the head, curving upwards. They are regularly curved throughout their length, and are bent inward and slightly backward at their tips. The colour of the horns is some shade of pale green or yellow throughout the greater part of their length, but the tips are black. A bulging grey-tan ridge connects the horns on the forehead. The horns are flattened to a greater or less degree from front to back, more especially at their bases, where they present an elliptical cross-section; this characteristic is more strongly marked in the bulls than in the cows. Gaur have highly muscular bodies, with distinctive dorsal ridges and large dewlaps, forming a very powerful appearance. Dorsal ridges and dewlaps of females are less developed. Gaur are said to look like water buffalo at the front and domestic cattle at the back due to their heavily muscled and enlarged forequarters compared to their relatively small hindquarters. They are the heaviest and most powerful of all wild cattle, and are among the largest living land animals. Only elephants, rhinos and hippos consistently grow larger, and the weight of the largest subspecies of gaur roughly matches that of the giraffe.
© @ P Jeganathan->
Majungasaurus - Majungsaurus crenatissimus
Majungasaurus ( mah-JUNG-g?-SOR-?s; "Mahajanga lizard") is a genus of abelisaurid theropod dinosaur that lived in Madagascar from 70 to 65.5 million years ago, at the end of the Cretaceous Period. Only one species (M. crenatissimus) has been identified. This dinosaur was briefly called Majungatholus, a name which is now considered a junior synonym of Majungasaurus. Like other abelisaurids, Majungasaurus was a bipedal predator with a short snout. Although the forelimbs are not completely known, they were very short, while the hindlimbs were longer and very stocky. It can be distinguished from other abelisaurids by its wider skull, the very rough texture and thickened bone on the top of its snout, and the single rounded horn on the roof of its skull, which was originally mistaken for the dome of a pachycephalosaur. It also had more teeth in both upper and lower jaws than most abelisaurids. Known from several well-preserved skulls and abundant skeletal material, Majungasaurus has recently become one of the best-studied theropod dinosaurs from the Southern Hemisphere. It appears to be most closely related to abelisaurids from India rather than South America or continental Africa, a fact which has important biogeographical implications. Majungasaurus was the apex predator in its ecosystem, mainly preying on sauropods like Rapetosaurus, and is also one of the few dinosaurs for which there is direct evidence of cannibalism. was a medium-sized theropod that typically measured 6–7 meters (20–23 ft) in length, including its tail. Fragmentary remains of larger individuals indicate that some adults reached lengths of more than 8 meters (26 ft). Scientists estimate that an average adult Majungasaurus weighed more than 1100 kilograms (2400 lb), although the largest animals would have weighed more. Its 8–9 meter (26–30 ft) relative Carnotaurus has been estimated to weigh 1500 kilograms (3300 lb).
The gaur (Bos gaurus), also called Indian bison, is a large bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. The species is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986 as the population decline in parts of the species' range is likely to be well over 70% over the last three generations. Population trends are stable in well-protected areas, and are rebuilding in a few areas which had been neglected. The gaur is the largest species of wild cattle, bigger than the African buffalo, the extinct aurochs, and wild water buffalo. The domesticated form of the gaur, Bos frontalis, is called gayal or mithun. The Malayan gaur is called seladang, and the Burmese gaur is called pyoung. The gaur has a head-and-body length of 250 to 330 cm (8.2 to 10.8 ft) with a 70 to 105 cm (28 to 41 in) long tail, and is 165 to 220 cm (5.41 to 7.2 ft) high at the shoulder. Weight is 650 to 1,000 kg (1,400 to 2,200 lb). Males are about one-fourth larger and heavier than females. Body weight may reach 1,500 kg (3,300 lb). The gaur has a high convex ridge on the forehead between the horns, which bends forward, causing a deep hollow in the profile of the upper part of the head. There is a prominent ridge on the back. The ears are very large; the tail only just reaches the hocks, and in old bulls the hair becomes very thin on the back. In colour, the adult male gaur is dark brown, approaching black in very old individuals; the upper part of the head, from above the eyes to the nape of the neck, is, however, ashy gray, or occasionally dirty white; the muzzle is pale coloured, and the lower part of the legs are pure white or tan. The cows and young bulls are paler, and in some instances have a rufous tinge, which is most marked in individuals inhabiting dry and open districts. The tail is shorter than in the typical oxen, reaching only to the hocks. The animals have a distinct ridge running from the shoulders to the middle of the back; the shoulders may be as much as 12 centimetres (5 in) higher than the rump. This ridge is caused by the great length of the spinous processes of the vertebrae of the fore-part of the trunk as compared with those of the loins. The hair is short, fine and glossy, and the hooves are narrow and pointed. Horns grow to a length of 60 to 115 cm (24 to 45 in). Both sexes carry horns, which grow from the sides of the head, curving upwards. They are regularly curved throughout their length, and are bent inward and slightly backward at their tips. The colour of the horns is some shade of pale green or yellow throughout the greater part of their length, but the tips are black. A bulging grey-tan ridge connects the horns on the forehead. The horns are flattened to a greater or less degree from front to back, more especially at their bases, where they present an elliptical cross-section; this characteristic is more strongly marked in the bulls than in the cows. Gaur have highly muscular bodies, with distinctive dorsal ridges and large dewlaps, forming a very powerful appearance. Dorsal ridges and dewlaps of females are less developed. Gaur are said to look like water buffalo at the front and domestic cattle at the back due to their heavily muscled and enlarged forequarters compared to their relatively small hindquarters. They are the heaviest and most powerful of all wild cattle, and are among the largest living land animals. Only elephants, rhinos and hippos consistently grow larger, and the weight of the largest subspecies of gaur roughly matches that of the giraffe.
© @ P Jeganathan->
Majungasaurus - Majungsaurus crenatissimus
Majungasaurus ( mah-JUNG-g?-SOR-?s; "Mahajanga lizard") is a genus of abelisaurid theropod dinosaur that lived in Madagascar from 70 to 65.5 million years ago, at the end of the Cretaceous Period. Only one species (M. crenatissimus) has been identified. This dinosaur was briefly called Majungatholus, a name which is now considered a junior synonym of Majungasaurus. Like other abelisaurids, Majungasaurus was a bipedal predator with a short snout. Although the forelimbs are not completely known, they were very short, while the hindlimbs were longer and very stocky. It can be distinguished from other abelisaurids by its wider skull, the very rough texture and thickened bone on the top of its snout, and the single rounded horn on the roof of its skull, which was originally mistaken for the dome of a pachycephalosaur. It also had more teeth in both upper and lower jaws than most abelisaurids. Known from several well-preserved skulls and abundant skeletal material, Majungasaurus has recently become one of the best-studied theropod dinosaurs from the Southern Hemisphere. It appears to be most closely related to abelisaurids from India rather than South America or continental Africa, a fact which has important biogeographical implications. Majungasaurus was the apex predator in its ecosystem, mainly preying on sauropods like Rapetosaurus, and is also one of the few dinosaurs for which there is direct evidence of cannibalism. was a medium-sized theropod that typically measured 6–7 meters (20–23 ft) in length, including its tail. Fragmentary remains of larger individuals indicate that some adults reached lengths of more than 8 meters (26 ft). Scientists estimate that an average adult Majungasaurus weighed more than 1100 kilograms (2400 lb), although the largest animals would have weighed more. Its 8–9 meter (26–30 ft) relative Carnotaurus has been estimated to weigh 1500 kilograms (3300 lb).
