It had a parrot-like beak, horns on the
sides of its head and long bristles on its tail. Now a prehistoric
Chinese reptile has a new claim to fame: the only dinosaur in battle
fatigues.
A British-led study has found that the
“Psittacosaurus”, which lived more than 100 million years ago, sported a
form of camouflage commonly seen in animals today. The “countershading”
colour patterns — dark on the back and light on the belly — would have
helped conceal the creature, which was the size of a large dog, from the
tyrannosauroids and other larger beasts inclined to eat it.The discovery, reported in the journal Current Biology, means Psittacosaurus — or “parrot lizard” — is the first known camouflaged dinosaur. It might not be the last, though, as scientists hone techniques for reconstructing dinosaurs’ colours patterns.
Colour is difficult to infer from fossilised impressions in rocks, but eight years ago, lead author Jakob Vinther discovered a way to determine colour differences in ancient birds and dinosaurs.
He found that small structures on fossilised dinosaur feathers, thought to be bacteria, were organelles that stored the melanin pigments still found in animals’ feathers and skin.
Armed with this knowledge, he and colleagues have recreated the colours of feathered dinosaurs.
“This is the first time someone has looked at a ‘naked’ dinosaur and inferred its colour patterns,” said Dr Vinther, of the University of Bristol in England.
He teamed up with Innes Cuthill, an expert on animal vision, and local “paleo-artist” Bob Nicholls. Together they produced what they say is the most scientifically accurate, life-size model of a dinosaur with its real colour patterns.
The project yielded details not only of the animal’s appearance, but also its environment. “We were able to see how the patterns of shading changed over the body, (and) that it matched the sort of camouflage which would work best in a forested environment,” said Professor Cuthill.
This interpretation gels with fossil information from the sites where parrot lizards have been excavated, which also contain plant and wood remnants consistent with forest.
Dr Vinther said countershading worked by counter-illuminating shadows on animals’ bodies, making them appear flat. This protected them from predators that used patterns of shadow to determine objects’ shapes.
By John Ross
With many thanks to The Australian
More on Dinosaurs
and Prehistoric creatures:
Walking With Dinosaurs: Feathered, Furry and
Fierce
Earliest Big Cat Fossil Found in Tibet
"Chicken From Hell’ Dinosaur Gets A Proper Name
Chinese Jurassic Park Yields Incredible Feathered Dino Find
Dinosaur Bones Found Near Red Sea
The Pelagornis Sandersi: Fossil Find Reveals Largest Flying Bird
Ancient Flying Reptile Named After 'Avatar' Creature
Closest Living Relative of The Ancient Elephant Bird Is Tiny
Two Jurassic Mini Mammal Species Discovered in China
Researchers Say They've Found The Biggest Dinosaur Ever
Kronosaurus Dinosaur Jaw Found In Outback Queensland
The Brontosaurus Is Officially Back
Kunbarrasaurus Ieversi: Australia's Newest Dinosaur
Tiny Bat Wing Dinosaur Discovered
What Killed The Dinosaurs?
Titanosaurs: The Largest Animals Ever To Walk The Earth
Timurlengia Euotica: The Missing Link to Tyrannosaurus Rex
Archaeopteryx: The Transitional Fossil
When Did The Dinosaurs Become Extinct?
Ancient Sea Monster The First Vegetarian Marine Reptile
Spiclypeus Shipporum: New Dinosaur Species Sported Uniquely Spiked Shield
T-Rex Cooed With Mouth Wide Shut
Earliest Big Cat Fossil Found in Tibet
"Chicken From Hell’ Dinosaur Gets A Proper Name
Chinese Jurassic Park Yields Incredible Feathered Dino Find
Dinosaur Bones Found Near Red Sea
The Pelagornis Sandersi: Fossil Find Reveals Largest Flying Bird
Ancient Flying Reptile Named After 'Avatar' Creature
Closest Living Relative of The Ancient Elephant Bird Is Tiny
Two Jurassic Mini Mammal Species Discovered in China
Researchers Say They've Found The Biggest Dinosaur Ever
Kronosaurus Dinosaur Jaw Found In Outback Queensland
The Brontosaurus Is Officially Back
Kunbarrasaurus Ieversi: Australia's Newest Dinosaur
Tiny Bat Wing Dinosaur Discovered
What Killed The Dinosaurs?
Titanosaurs: The Largest Animals Ever To Walk The Earth
Timurlengia Euotica: The Missing Link to Tyrannosaurus Rex
Archaeopteryx: The Transitional Fossil
When Did The Dinosaurs Become Extinct?
Ancient Sea Monster The First Vegetarian Marine Reptile
Spiclypeus Shipporum: New Dinosaur Species Sported Uniquely Spiked Shield
T-Rex Cooed With Mouth Wide Shut
Austroposeidon Magnificus: Brazil’s Biggest Dinosaur Has Been Rediscovered
Savannasaurus Elliottorum: Wide-Hipped Dinosaur the Size of a Bus Once Trod Across Australia
Ancient 400-Pound Salmon Fought With Dagger-Like Teeth
Newfound Ancient 'Sea Monster' Is Largest Yet from Antarctica
Dinosaur Tail Found Encased In Amber
