An old dinosaur debate is gaining new traction after new study findings suggest that a miniature version of the famous Tyrannosaurus rex may actually be a different species.
Researchers from the University of Bath and the University of Chicago took a new look at the tiny T. rex fossil and concluded that what was once thought to be a younger version of the famous tyrannosaur, is more likely a similar, but separate, species.
The study, published in the journal Fossil Studies, examined fossilized growth rings of young T. rex and found evidence that the rate of bone growth was slowing and suggested that the Nanotyrannus version of the famous dinosaur may have been nearly full-sized.
“If they were young T. rex, they should have grown like crazy, gaining hundreds of kilograms a year, but we didn’t see that,” said Dr Nick Longrich, co-author of the study, in a report published by the new Atlas. “We tried to model the data in many different ways and we kept getting low growth rates.”
The results contradict a 2020 study by researchers at Oklahoma State University, which concluded that at the time of death, small T. rexes were likely only 13 to 15 years old and had not yet reached their full growth potential.
However, the new study models the potential bone growth rate of smaller T. rexes and estimates that it would have grown to a maximum of between 1,984 and 3,307 pounds, only about 15% of the size of an adult T. rex.
The findings of a new study suggest that a miniature version of the famous Tyrannosaurus rex may actually be a different species. Santi Visalli/Getty Images They researched fossilized growth rings of young T. rex and found evidence that the rate of bone growth was slowing and suggested that the Nanotyrannus version of the famous dinosaur may have been nearly full-sized. Spencer Platt/Getty Images
The researchers also found that Nanotyrannus fossils had more than 150 distinct features from their Tyrannosaurus counterparts, including a narrower snout and longer arms.
“The arms are actually longer than T. rex,” Longrich said. “Even the largest T. rex, had shorter arms and smaller claws than this tiny Nanotyrannus. This is an animal where the arms are actually pretty awesome weapons. It really is just a completely different animal – small, fast, agile. T. rex relies on size and strength, but this animal relies on speed.”
The researchers also argue that there is a lack of fossil finds that share features from both Nanotyrannus and Tyrannosaurus, which should have started to combine features as smaller versions of the famous dinosaurs of the age if they were the same species.
Instead, the researchers claim that the old fossil once believed to be a Nanotyrannus was found to be a young Tyrannosaurus fossil after re-measurement of its skull size, while also having similar features to the larger species.
They also found that Nanotyrannus fossils have more than 150 different features from their Tyrannosaurus counterparts, including a narrower snout and longer arms. Esteban De Armas/Shutterstock
However, the new research does not convince all scientists that the smaller fossils belong to a different species.
“I don’t have a problem with Nanotyrannus being a real thing if the science shows it,” said Holly Woodward, author of the Oklahoma State 2020 study, in an interview with New Scientist. “I’m not convinced that their interpretation is more accurate than ours.”
However, others welcomed the new perspective, with College of Charleston scientist and self-described “dino-maniac” Scott Persons telling New Scientist the results should broaden the debate.
“This new paper won’t settle the debate, but I’m optimistic that this paper will shake things up,” Persons said.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
