The largest animals that ever lived on land, belong to the group called sauropods. This four-legged plant-eating dinosaurs that lived 210-85 million years ago on all continents, including Antarctica.
the Most famous representatives of this group – Brachiosaurus, Diplodocus and Brontosaurus.
Despite its name, which means “aeronomie dinosaurs”, the structure of the limbs, these giants were more like not-for lizards, and elephants. They were thick, similar to the column foot, carrying the massive body.
But perhaps these dinosaurs are not always moved on four legs.
a New study by American scientists presented in the journal Ichnos, suggests that sauropods could walk on two limbs. Moreover, the front.
This hypothesis, capable of changing previous ideas about ancient herbivorous giants (and seemingly contrary to the laws of physiology) was first put forward several decades ago. Then paleontologists have discovered in the us state of Texas some unusual traces.
Experts do not doubt that the prints were left forelimbs of sauropod. Moreover, the impression was that he was not, and swam, hitting the feet on the bottom and build on it.
Over time this hypothesis lost its popularity: paleontologists have received a lot of evidence that sauropods were land animals, not polovodye, as previously thought. And find from Texas explained that the forelimbs of dinosaurs that had more weight of their body, leaving clearer traces than the rear.
However, the version that the sauropods were moving through the reservoirs on the front limbs, was not forgotten. And now talking about it again.
the Reason for this was found in 2007 in a limestone quarry, which is part of the formation Glen rose. There were discovered several dozens of dinosaur footprints, which is estimated at 110 million years old (Cretaceous period).
the Tracks of sauropods, found in a limestone quarry in Texas.Photo Heritage Museum of the Texas Hill Country.
this, in particular, three parallel chains of traces left by the paws of the sauropods.
it Remains unknown which types belong to these prints. But judging by the fact that the length and width of the latter is about 70 inches, they are clearly left real giants.
the authors of the study do not rule out that the prints of the hind limbs of dinosaurs were fuzzy and simply have not survived.
But, on the other hand, the new finding supports the theory that more than a hundred million years ago, sauropods moved in relatively deep water rather unusual way – Cycling front legs to push off from the bottom. Meanwhile their legs the bottom is not touched.
the Movement of large sauropods in the reservoir in the view of researchers.Illustration of R. T. Bakker/Farlow et al., Ichnos, 2019.
of Course, it is difficult to imagine that the land of the vast establishment went on the front legs. Most likely, their legs rested only during river crossings and lakes.
Actually, this hypothesis does not contradict the fact that herbivorous giants lived on land. For example, elephants do not belong to Provodnik mammals, but it is able to cross the pond.
by the Way, before “Conduct.Science” talked about the most Northern remains of sauropods, found in Yakutia.
Text: To.Science
