一個由我國科學(xué)家領(lǐng)導(dǎo)的國際聯(lián)合古生物學(xué)考察隊在內(nèi)蒙古發(fā)現(xiàn)一件保存完整的小型獸腳類恐龍化石。這件被命名為“精美臨河盜龍”的化石被確定為馳龍類的一個新屬種，也是世界上保存最為完好的白堊紀(jì)晚期小型肉食龍類標(biāo)本之一。
科學(xué)家表示，“精美臨河盜龍”在分類上屬于馳龍類,，這一類群代表和鳥類親緣關(guān)系最近的恐龍類群之一。因此對這一類群的深入研究將有助于對鳥類起源的理解。這一發(fā)現(xiàn)3月19日發(fā)表在《動物分類學(xué)》（Zootaxa）雜志在線版上,。
據(jù)介紹，由內(nèi)蒙古龍昊地質(zhì)古生物研究所教授譚琳和中科院古脊椎動物與古人類研究所研究員徐星領(lǐng)導(dǎo)的國際聯(lián)合古生物學(xué)考察隊于2008年至2009年度對內(nèi)蒙古臨河巴音滿都乎地區(qū)出露的上白堊統(tǒng)烏蘭蘇海組地層進(jìn)行古生物學(xué)調(diào)查時,，發(fā)現(xiàn)了這件小型獸腳類恐龍化石,。“精美臨河盜龍”體長大約2.5米，體重約25公斤，是一個奔跑能力很強(qiáng),，非常敏捷的獵食性恐龍,。從演化角度看，它代表后肢細(xì)長的原始馳龍類和相對粗壯的進(jìn)步馳龍類當(dāng)中的過渡環(huán)節(jié),。
“精美臨河盜龍”生活在大約8000萬年前的巴音滿都乎地區(qū),。由于特異的埋藏方式，這一地區(qū)已成為我國白堊紀(jì)晚期最重要的恐龍化石點(diǎn)之一,。不同于中國境內(nèi)其他的恐龍化石點(diǎn),，這里的恐龍化石保存在風(fēng)成巖中，一般推測是白堊紀(jì)時期的沙塵暴殺死了恐龍并且埋藏了它們的尸體,。因此在這里發(fā)現(xiàn)的恐龍化石保存得異常精美,，有些甚至保存了恐龍當(dāng)時的生活姿態(tài)。
科學(xué)家表示,，戈壁地區(qū)每年都有大量的化石出露,，如果不及時采集就會風(fēng)化并最終消失。非常幸運(yùn)的是這件化石被及時發(fā)現(xiàn)和采集,，為科學(xué)研究提供了重要的信息,。（生物谷Bioon.com）
Science：撞擊理論造成恐龍消亡的強(qiáng)有力證據(jù)
Science：恐龍具有彩色羽毛
Nature：首次發(fā)現(xiàn)恐龍羽毛顏色的證據(jù)
PNAS：北美洲發(fā)現(xiàn)迷你食肉恐龍
生物谷推薦原文出處：
Zootaxa 2403: 1–9 (2010) ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition)
A new dromaeosaurid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous
Wulansuhai Formation of Inner Mongolia, China
XING XU1, JONAH N. CHOINIERE2, MICHAEL PITTMAN3, QINGWEI TAN4, DONG XIAO5,
ZHIQUAN LI5, LIN TAN4, JAMES M. CLARK2, MARK A. NORELL6, DAVID W. E. HONE1 &
CORWIN SULLIVAN1
1Key Laboratory of Evolutionary Systematics of Vertebrates, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology & Paleoanthropology, Chinese
Academy of Sciences, 142 Xiwai Street, Beijing 100044. E-mail: [email protected]
2Department of Biological Sciences, George Washington University, 2023 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20052, USA
3Department of Earth Sciences, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
4Long Hao Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Hohhot, Nei Mongol 010010, China
5Department of Land and Resources, Linhe, Nei Mongol 015000, China
6Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th St., New York, 10024, USA
We describe a new dromaeosaurid theropod from the Upper Cretaceous Wulansuhai Formation of Bayan Mandahu, Inner
Mongolia. The new taxon, Linheraptor exquisitus gen. et sp. nov., is based on an exceptionally well-preserved, nearly
complete skeleton. This specimen represents the fifth dromaeosaurid taxon recovered from the Upper Cretaceous
Djadokhta Formation and its laterally equivalent strata, which include the Wulansuhai Formation, and adds to the known
diversity of Late Cretaceous dromaeosaurids. Linheraptor exquisitus closely resembles the recently reported Tsaagan
mangas. Uniquely among dromaeosaurids, the two taxa share a large, anteriorly located maxillary fenestra and a contact
between the jugal and the squamosal that excludes the postorbital from the infratemporal fenestra. These features suggest
a sister-taxon relationship between L. exquisitus and T. mangas, which indicates the presence of a unique dromaeosaurid
lineage in the Late Cretaceous of Asia. A number of cranial and dental features seen in L. exquisitus and T. mangas, and
particularly some postcranial features of L. exquisitus, suggest that these two taxa are probably intermediate in
systematic position between known basal and derived dromaeosaurids. The discovery of Linheraptor exquisitus is thus
important for understanding the evolution of some salient features seen in the derived dromaeosaurids.
