Injured dinosaur fossils provide lots of valuable information

A recently discovered fossil in China has provided scientists with a rare anatomical structure of dinosaurs. The grass Psittacosaurus has thick skin like shark skin that is protected under scales or feathers.

Paleontologists believe that this rough crust supports the internal organs of dinosaurs and protects it against enemies. The mark of dinosaur teeth shows that this dinosaur was torn apart by a predator and revealed the biological structure inside the animal 100 million years after its death.

The study was published in the B Report of the Royal Council of Science.

'Unprecedented knowledge'

Some scientists think that many dinosaurs have feathers

Soft tissue like skin is rarely preserved as fossil. This led scientists to argue about the shape of the dinosaurs and whether they had feathers or pruning. The Psittacosaurus or parrot specimen gives the first detailed image of the structure deep beneath the dinosaur skin.

This bipedal species is about the size of an adult antelope and has a rough, rough skin with 25 layers of collagen similar to that of sharks, reptiles and dolphins today.

Professor Theagarten Lingham-Soliar of KwaZulu-Natal University, Durban, South Africa explained in the report that: 'As mentioned in today's animal studies, fiber structure plays an important role in resistance to pressure and tension and an effective protection and support tool. Psittacosaurus has revealed unprecedented insights about dinosaur skin '

'Prehistoric pig'

This specimen comes from an area of ​​China that is considered a treasure of unique preserved fossils.

According to Mark Witton, School of Earth and Environment Science at the University of Portsmouth, England commented on the findings: 'Findings like this in China will surely bring surprises.'

He thinks that the skin of the dinosaurs is probably "extremely hard" and used to protect this species from predators.'We imagine Psittacosaurus is a small, round animal that walks with its hind legs. Psittacosaurus is probably a bit like prehistoric pigs, walking in forests, eating all plants and perhaps some small animals. '

The Chinese specimen seems to coincide with its vital enemy, the low Cretaceous species.

Tooth marks and cracks in the skin indicate that it was attacked by another dinosaur and were quickly deposited immediately upon the beginning of the decomposition process, making soft tissues retain valuable details.