科學(xué)家發(fā)現(xiàn)了一種可能的機(jī)制，通過(guò)這種機(jī)制,，中華龍鳥(niǎo)可能用毒液控制它們的獵物,。中華龍鳥(niǎo)是一種似鳥(niǎo)的恐龍，和其他似鳥(niǎo)的猛禽同屬于伶盜龍,。
David Burnham及其同事檢查了幾只中華龍鳥(niǎo)標(biāo)本的顱骨特征，結(jié)果發(fā)現(xiàn)了類似于“后齒”毒蛇的模式,。這些蛇的毒牙并不注入毒液,，而是把毒液引入刺破獵物的肉的牙齒外表面的一個(gè)槽。類似地,，這組科學(xué)家證明了中華龍鳥(niǎo)的上牙有槽,，很長(zhǎng)，而且類似于毒牙,。此外,，這些石化的上腭有一個(gè)可以容納毒液腺的小區(qū)域，它與這些牙齒通過(guò)一個(gè)長(zhǎng)槽連接,。就像后齒毒蛇一樣,，中華龍鳥(niǎo)使用的毒液很可能不是致命的，而是導(dǎo)致快速休克，讓這種恐龍可以控制其獵物,。這組科學(xué)家猜測(cè)這種恐龍的毒牙的長(zhǎng)度可以讓它穿透晚白堊紀(jì)豐富的鳥(niǎo)類獵物的厚羽毛層,。這組作者說(shuō)，中華龍鳥(niǎo)擁有毒液的假說(shuō)是對(duì)于其顱骨特征的最不矛盾的解釋,，而且可能應(yīng)用于有親緣關(guān)系的似鳥(niǎo)猛禽,。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦原始出處：
PNAS December 14, 2009, doi: 10.1073/pnas.0912360107
The birdlike raptor Sinornithosaurus was venomous
Enpu Gonga, Larry D. Martinb, David A. Burnhamb,1 and Amanda R. Falkc
aDepartment of Geology, Northeastern University, Liaoning 110004, China
bDivision of Vertebrate Paleontology, Biodiversity Institute, Natural History Museum, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045-7561
cDepartment of Geology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045-7613
We suggest that some of the most avian dromaeosaurs, such as Sinornithosaurus, were venomous, and propose an ecological model for that taxon based on its unusual dentition and other cranial features including grooved teeth, a possible pocket for venom glands, and a groove leading from that pocket to the exposed bases of the teeth. These features are all analogous to the venomous morphology of lizards. Sinornithosaurus and related dromaeosaurs probably fed on the abundant birds of the Jehol forests during the Early Cretaceous in northeastern China.
