Transitional dinosaur discovered - from carnivorous to vegetarian

Posted on Thursday, May 05 2005 @ 2:18 CEST by Thomas De Maesschalck

Paleontologists discovered a 125 million year old fossil of a transitional dinosaur in Utah. The two-legged, feathered dino ate plants, but its bones show that the transition from its carnivorous ancestors was still in progress.

All plant-eating dinosaurs were ultimately descended from a meat-eater, and switchovers to plant-eating occurred several times. The newly discovered species, which lived 125 million years ago in what is now Utah, could help scientists understand details of how the changeovers took place.

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Thomas De Maesschalck

Thomas has been messing with computer since early childhood and firmly believes the Internet is the best thing since sliced bread. Enjoys playing with new tech, is fascinated by science, and passionate about financial markets. When not behind a computer, he can be found with running shoes on or lifting heavy weights in the weight room.

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