考古学:一种鸟类类恐龙的父母关怀
Qingjin Meng1, Jinyuan Liu, David J Varricchio
1Dalian Natural History Museum, 40 Xicun Street, Heishijiao, Shahekou, Dalian, China.
Nature
|September 10, 2004
概括
化石证据表明,恐龙表现出父母的关怀. 一个Psittacosaurus化石显示了一个成年人与34个幼虫,表明在Dinosauria的化后的护理.
科学领域:
- 古生物学的古生物学
- 进化生物学 进化生物学
- 脊椎动物动物学 脊椎动物动物学
背景情况:
- 父母的关怀在像鱼和鸟类这样的活着的类动物中得到观察.
- 在已灭绝的类动物,特别是恐龙中,父母关怀的进化起源在很大程度上是未知的.
- 关于恐龙父母关怀的化石证据很少,这阻碍了进化论的理解.
研究的目的:
- 为了调查灭绝的恐龙中父母关怀的存在和性质.
- 提供化石证据支持或反驳恐龙的父母照顾行为.
- 为了有助于理解阿尔科索瓦里亚的家长照顾的演变.
主要方法:
- 一个化石标本的分析 (达利安自然历史博物馆D2156) 的Psittacosaurus sp.
- 详细检查化石中单个成年人和多个幼虫之间的空间关系.
- 对保存背景的古生物学评估,以推断行为.
主要成果:
- 一个非凡的化石标本保存了一个单一的成年Psittacosaurus与34个幼虫聚集在一起.
- 在一个小区域内,成年人和众多幼虫的密切接近表明了一个凝聚在一起的群体.
- 这种安排为这种恐龙物种的化后的家长照顾提供了有力的证据.
结论:
- 皮斯塔科索鲁斯化石提供了令人信服的证据,证明恐龙在化后得到了父母的照顾.
- 这一发现表明,在恐龙时代,家长的照顾可能比以前认为的更广泛.
- 了解恐龙家长的照顾,可以了解灭绝的爬行动物的社会行为演变及其与现代鸟类的关系.
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