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A species of herbivorous dinosaur that lived 140 million years ago, with defensive spines on the neck and back, was discovered in Argentine Patagonia, an area known as "Jurbadic Park". from the southern hemisphere.
published in the scientific reports section of the journal Nature
Called Bajadasaurus pronuspinax the dinosaur belongs to the family of dicraeosauridae. A reproduction of his spiky neck was exhibited at the Cultural Sciences Center of Buenos Aires.
"We believe that the long and pointed, extremely long and thin spines on the neck and back of Bajadasaurus and Amargasaurus cazaui (another dicraeosauridae) should serve to deter potential predators, "said Pablo Gallina, badociate researcher at the National Council of Scientific and Technical Research (Conicet) and the Felix de Azara Foundation of Maimonides University.
Sauropods were quadrupeds that lived between the Late Tribadic and Late Cretaceous, characterized by their large size and the length of their necks and tails.
"We think that if (thorns) were only bare or simple structures, skin could easily break or fracture at once, or be attacked by d. other animals, "added Gallina.
Portan the paleontologist suggested that "these spines should be protected by a horny layer of keratin, similar to what happens in the horns of many mammals."
Amargasaurus cazaui inhabited the South American continent about 15 million years after the Bajadasaurus .
In 1993, Giganotosaurus carolinii was considered the largest carnivorous dinosaur of all time in the region. Giganotosaurus carolinii was found in the province of Neuquén, 1,800 kilometers southwest of Buenos Aires.
Sexual Attraction
"Some hypotheses suggest that the spines (dicraeosauridae) served as a support for a species of candle that regulated the body temperature of dinosaurs or that formed a ridge"
The agency has stated "that they speculated, for example, that these species may have a fleshy bump among the thorns used to store reserves."
] "Another presumption is that thorns were covered with horn liners who have a defensive function against possible attacks, "added the agency.
The skull of Bajadasaurus is the best preserved of the dicraeosauridae. "Their study suggests that these animals feed on soil plants, while their ocular orbits located near the top of the skull allowed them to control what was going on around them," said Conicet.
The name of the species is due to the fact that it was found in the city of Bajada Colorada, with the participation of the Ernesto Bachmann Paleontological Museum of Villa El Chocón
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