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SANTA MARIA, Brazil – The so-called “godfather” of the dreaded Tyrannosaurus rex, which lived 230 million years ago and is the oldest relative of carnivorous dinosaurs, was discovered in Brazil.
Appointed Erythrovenator jacuiensis, it was about six and a half feet long with razor sharp teeth and claws. Researchers say the bizarre-looking beast was also covered in hair. It is the most primitive of its kind ever discovered.
“It is one of the first theropods,” notes paleontologist Dr Rodrigo Muller, of the Federal University of Santa Maria, Brazil, in a statement. “This is the bloodline of creepy, carnivorous dinosaurs, like the Tyrannosaurus and the Velociraptor of ‘Jurassic Park’ fame. But Erythrovenator was almost 150 million years before them. It comes from the dawn of the dinosaur era.
The discovery sheds new light on the evolution of the most frightening land predators to ever live. Late Triassic theropod fossils are extremely rare.
“Despite its small size, the animal was a supreme predator. He was a fast, vicious hunter with strong leg muscles, ”says Muller. “The animal had sharp, blade-like teeth like the other early theropods. We believe his skin had feather-like structures.
How did Erythovenator compare to the T-rex?
Analysis of the bones showed Erythrovenator to be a miniature T-rex. He also shared traits with Velociraptor and Spinosaurus – the main monster of Jurassic Park III. “You could say he’s ‘the godfather of the T-rex’,” says Muller.
The Tyrannosaurus rex weighed up to eight tons and was up to 12 meters long – about the size of a school bus – from its snout to the end of its mighty tail. Erythovenator is believed to have torn lizards and primitive mammals to shreds. He would also have eaten insects.
The fragmented remains, including a thigh bone, which is the longest and strongest in the body, were unearthed on a farm in Brazil’s southernmost state, Rio Grande do Sul. Its full name Erythrovenator jacuiensis means “red hunter of Jacui” after the color of the fossil and a nearby river.
“We discovered this site using satellite images in 2014. The rock layers are exposed near a lake,” explains Muller. “Since then, I have led several expeditions there. Access is not that difficult, we can reach the outcrop with our 4 × 4 pickup in dry weather.
More fascinating prehistoric discoveries
The sediment layer contains a treasure trove of unique fossils. It is a cemetery of animals from the distant past that were previously all unknown.
“Therefore, Erythrovenator probably comes from a poorly explored horizon, which results in some of the oldest dinosaurs,” says Muller. “In addition to this dinosaur, the ‘Niemeyer site’ has produced several animals related to mammals. Erythrovenator would have attacked these precursors.
Known as the Cynodonts, they included a wolf-like fanged plant eater called Siriusgnathus, and the smallest opossum-sized insectivore Agudotherium.
The land mass of Earth was one of the scientists from the supercontinent called Pangea. Dinosaurs were rare parts of terrestrial ecosystems. They continued to rule the Earth during the Jurassic and Cretaceous Period – 201 to 66 million years ago. “But originally and early in their radiation, dinosaurs were ‘humble’ animals in a world dominated by other ancient reptiles that became extinct at the end of the Triassic,” says Muller. “A ‘genealogical’ investigation suggests that Erythrovenator is one of the most primitive theropods. The first members are carnivorous animals. Therefore, the new dinosaur is a meat eater. It helps us understand how the group has evolved.
No enemies?
Erythrovenator, described in Journal of South American Earth Sciences, may not have had any predators.
“So far, the only evidence of the site of an animal that allegedly ate Erythrovenator is a large isolated tooth. It probably belongs to a large, primitive crocodile, ”suggests Muller.
He adds, “This layer provides a window into how dinosaurs started to age. We will continue to explore it to understand the makeup of the fauna.
SWNS writer Mark Waghorn contributed to this report.
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