Welcome to an exciting journey into the world of dinosaurs with Pete Makovicky, an expert in vertebrate paleontology. Today, we’re diving into the discovery of a new meat-eating dinosaur called Siats meekerorum. Let’s explore what makes this dinosaur special and how scientists identify new species from fossil remains.
The bones of Siats meekerorum were found recently, and while the skeleton isn’t complete, there’s enough to identify it as a new species. Most of the bones come from the vertebral column, including a thoracic vertebra, which in humans is located near the chest. This vertebra has a hole where the spinal cord would pass through, showing us how the dinosaur’s body was structured.
Even without the skull, scientists can tell that Siats was a theropod, a type of meat-eating dinosaur. One clue is the honeycomb-like structure of the vertebrae, similar to bird skeletons, which are descendants of theropods. Parts of the hip girdle, like the hip bone and ischium, also indicate a carnivorous lifestyle. The tail’s structure, with overlapping vertebrae, helped balance the dinosaur’s large body.
Unlike meat-eaters, herbivorous dinosaurs had different adaptations. Their tendons often turned into bone, making their spines rigid. Siats was a large dinosaur, about 30 feet long and weighing 3-4 tons, but not as big as some other famous dinosaurs like Sue the T. rex.
While Siats had strong leg muscles, they were more for stability than speed. This dinosaur needed powerful muscles to support its large body and joints, rather than to run fast.
Finding dinosaurs like Siats in North America is rare, especially in places like Utah where it was discovered. Globally, about 30 to 40 new dinosaur species are named each year, with many discoveries coming from China. In North America, finding new species involves a lot of walking and searching, sometimes using tools like Google Earth to locate promising sites.
Once a fossil is found, it is carefully excavated and transported to the lab in a plaster jacket for protection. Preparing a dinosaur for study can take a lot of time—about 100 hours in the lab for every hour spent in the field. Scientists use their knowledge of anatomy to determine if a fossil belongs to a new species, even if only a few bones are found.
Identifying a new dinosaur is like solving a puzzle. Unique features, like the holes in the vertebrae of Siats, help scientists classify it as a megaraptoran, a group of theropods. By comparing the size and shape of bones to other known species, scientists can estimate the dinosaur’s size and appearance.
If you’re interested in seeing Siats meekerorum, it will be on display at Stanley Field Hall. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about this fascinating dinosaur and the science behind its discovery. So, come and explore the world of dinosaurs at The Field Museum!
Using clay or playdough, create a model of the Siats meekerorum vertebrae. Pay attention to the honeycomb-like structure and the hole for the spinal cord. This will help you understand how scientists identify dinosaur bones and their functions.
Make a comparison chart between theropods like Siats and herbivorous dinosaurs. Include features such as bone structure, diet, and physical adaptations. This activity will help you recognize the differences between carnivorous and herbivorous dinosaurs.
Simulate a dinosaur excavation in the classroom. Hide “fossils” (small objects) in a sandbox and use tools to carefully excavate them. Document your findings and try to identify the “species” based on the shapes and structures you uncover.
Imagine you are curating an exhibit for Siats meekerorum at a museum. Design a poster or digital presentation that includes information about its discovery, physical characteristics, and significance. This will help you learn how to communicate scientific discoveries to the public.
Research how paleontologists use tools like Google Earth to find fossil sites. Plan a virtual field trip to a potential dig site, explaining why you chose that location and what you hope to find. This will give you insight into the real-world process of discovering new dinosaur species.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Hey! We’re here with Pete Makovicky, who is the associate curator of vertebrate paleontology—specifically, dinosaurs.
– Dinosaurs?
– Yes, let’s focus on dinosaurs. These are the bones of a new type of meat-eating dinosaur we call Siats meekerorum. This was published just a few weeks ago, and as you can see, it’s not as complete as Sue.
– Right.
– But we have enough to identify it as a new species and determine what kind of dinosaur it is. Most of the bones are from the vertebral column, including a vertebra from the back.
– Is that a thoracic vertebra?
– Yes, that’s correct. In humans, we would refer to this as a thoracic vertebra, located near the front of the chest. The top is up here, corresponding to the bump you would feel on your back if you ran your thumb down your spine—assuming you’re more flexible than I am.
– Yeah! I can’t…
– This is the body of the vertebra, and this area is where the spinal cord would go, indicated by that little hole. That structure is quite large. So, what kind of dinosaur is it? We know that Siats is a meat-eating dinosaur, a theropod, and there are several clues in the skeleton that confirm this. Unfortunately, we don’t have the skull, which would be the easiest way to identify it.
– Oh, okay.
– Right. However, there are several features that indicate it is definitely a meat-eating dinosaur. For instance, if you look at a cross-section of these vertebrae, you’ll see they are completely honeycombed, similar to bird skeletons, which we know are derived from theropod dinosaurs.
We also have parts of the hip girdle, including the hip bone and the ischium. The shape of these bones suggests we are dealing with a meat-eating dinosaur. If we examine the tail, we see broad, long extensions that overlap the vertebrae in front, creating a locking mechanism that stiffens the tail. This is another diagnostic feature of certain types of meat-eating dinosaurs.
– How do those features assist in its meat-eating ability?
– In large animals, the front end is substantial, with a big torso and head, so the tail helps balance that. We believe the tail needed to be rigid, and these interlocking extensions provide that support.
– Would you find something like that in an herbivore?
– Herbivorous dinosaurs have different adaptations; they often have ossified tendons along their vertebral column.
– What does that mean?
– It means their tendons become infused with bone cells and turn into bone, which helps keep the spine rigid. As for size, this dinosaur is fairly large—not as big as Sue, but probably around 30 feet long and weighing 3-4 tons.
– That’s pretty big.
– Yes, and this is one of the toe bones, specifically one of the knuckles in the foot.
– Wow.
– So that gives you a sense of scale. Were they fast animals? Can you determine that from their fossil remains? These animals had large leg muscles, but they likely needed them just to stabilize their joints.
– Yeah.
– So, while they had strong muscles, that didn’t necessarily translate to speed; it was more about stability.
– How often are dinosaurs of this caliber discovered?
– In North America, where this dinosaur was found—specifically in the middle of Utah—discoveries like this are quite rare. Worldwide, we are experiencing a renaissance in dinosaur paleontology, with around 30 to 40 new species named each year.
– Really? I had no idea.
– Most of these discoveries come from China, but there are also finds in other parts of the world. However, in terms of the North American record, this is quite unusual. People often ask if we use advanced remote sensing technology, but we primarily rely on Google Earth to locate outcrops. Beyond that, it involves walking around and looking at the ground.
– Really?
– Yes, sometimes for hours or even days. Eventually, you might get lucky and spot bone emerging from the ground. Sometimes you dig in and find a lot of dinosaur remains; other times, you don’t find much at all. The first part of this dinosaur we discovered was a less visually appealing part of the hip bone.
– Wow.
– That bone was crumbling out of the rock due to erosion from freeze-thaw cycles, and it was scattered down the hillside. The sheer volume of what was present indicated we were onto something significant. In the field, we dig around the find but leave some rock in place, then cover it with plaster.
– Oh, I see.
– Over there, you can see a plaster jacket from a different dinosaur found nearby in Utah. This serves as a protective case for transport back to the lab. Once we open it, we begin the fine preparation process, which can be quite time-consuming.
– Really?
– Yes, the rule of thumb is about 100 hours of lab time for every hour spent in the field collecting.
– Wow!
– It’s a rough estimate, and it varies depending on the type of fossils, but that’s the average. It takes a long time for a dinosaur to be ready for study and potential exhibition. Many people ask how we can be sure this is a new animal when we have only a fraction of the skeleton.
This requires extensive anatomical knowledge. For example, we have the top part of a vertebra from the tail, which has holes on either side.
– Yeah, it looks like a little face.
– Yes, but these holes are quite rare in dinosaur tails; they are usually found near the hips. Typically, if you find them, there are three holes, one in the middle, but in this case, we only have two, with a thick bar in between.
– Oh.
– This is one of the unique features that indicate it’s a megaraptoran, but it’s distinct from any other megaraptoran we know. This anatomical knowledge helps us determine whether we’re dealing with a new dinosaur or a known species and what group it belongs to.
– That’s cool! It’s like putting together pieces of a puzzle.
– Exactly! We can map out where the pieces fit and make projections about the rest of the skeleton based on the size of the bones. For instance, we estimate mass by examining the girth of a limb bone.
– Wow.
– This is about half or maybe two-thirds of the fibula, which is the outer bone of the shin.
– That is huge!
– By comparing the girth to other more complete skeletons, we can arrive at a rough size estimate. Do you have an illustration of it?
– We do.
– Great! We might include that in the video.
– Sure!
– We’re planning to showcase this in January at Stanley Field Hall, so if people want to come see the new dinosaur and learn more about it, it will be on display in one of our cases.
– Cool! Come see the dinosaurs!
– No extra charge! Yes! At The Field Museum, for $15! New in science!
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This version maintains the informative content while removing any informal language and ensuring clarity.
Dinosaurs – Large reptiles that lived millions of years ago during the Mesozoic Era. – Example sentence: Scientists study the bones of dinosaurs to learn more about how they lived.
Paleontology – The scientific study of fossils to understand the history of life on Earth. – Example sentence: Paleontology helps us understand how different species have evolved over time.
Species – A group of living organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring. – Example sentence: The discovery of a new dinosaur species can provide valuable insights into prehistoric ecosystems.
Fossils – The preserved remains or traces of ancient organisms found in rocks. – Example sentence: Fossils are crucial for scientists to reconstruct the appearance and behavior of extinct animals.
Vertebrae – The series of small bones that form the backbone of vertebrate animals. – Example sentence: The vertebrae of dinosaurs can tell us a lot about their posture and movement.
Theropod – A group of bipedal dinosaurs that includes both carnivorous and some herbivorous species. – Example sentence: The famous Tyrannosaurus rex is a well-known theropod dinosaur.
Carnivorous – Describes animals that primarily eat meat. – Example sentence: Many theropod dinosaurs were carnivorous, hunting other animals for food.
Herbivorous – Describes animals that primarily eat plants. – Example sentence: Some dinosaurs, like the Triceratops, were herbivorous and fed on vegetation.
Discovery – The act of finding or learning something for the first time. – Example sentence: The discovery of a nearly complete dinosaur skeleton was a major breakthrough for paleontologists.
Anatomy – The study of the structure of living things, including their bones and organs. – Example sentence: By studying the anatomy of dinosaur fossils, scientists can infer how these creatures lived and moved.
