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I Know Dino Podcast: Lythronax

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    Episode 52 is all about Lythronax, the earliest recognized tyrannosaurid from Laramidia.

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    On this episode, we talk about:

    • The dinosaur of the day: Lythronax
    • Tyrannosaurid theropod that lived in what’s now Utah
    • Lived in late Cretaceous

    • Species is L. argestes (recognized from an grownup specimen consisting of a virtually full cranium, pubic bones, tibia, fibula, metatarsals)
    • Title means Gore King
    • The title makes use of King, like T-rex, as a result of it’s so much like T-rex.

    • Argestes refers back to the space in Utah the place the fossils have been discovered
    • Bones found in 2009 in Utah (Grand Staircase)
    • The Wahweap Formation the place it was discovered is a part of the Grand Staircase area (talked about on podcast), which had a moist, seasonal local weather and lakes, floodplains, and rivers

    • Grand Staircase-Escalante Nationwide Monument has been described as “the final nice, largely unexplored dinosaur boneyard within the decrease 48 states,” in accordance with Scott Sampson
      Lived on Laramidia (a landmass separated from North America by a seaway)
    • Earliest tyrannosaurid from Laramidia
    • Oldest recognized tyrannosaurid (additionally most full specimen from southern Laramidia)

    • Laramidia was swampy, coastal, subtropical “island continent”
    • Earlier tyrannosaurs have been smaller (like Guanlong)
    • Took a yr to excavate Lythronax. Specimen now homes within the Pure Historical past Museum of Utah in Salt Lake Metropolis

    • Took 10 months to arrange Lythronax bones, completed principally by volunteers
    • Formally named in November 2013
    • Examine was revealed in 2013

    • Bipedal carnivore
    • 26 ft (8 m) lengthy and 5,500 kilos or 2.5 tons (based mostly on shut relations)
    • Lythronax had ahead going through eyes, slim snout, and extensive again of the cranium, which researchers thought didn’t seem till 70 million years in the past (however Lythronax was 10 million years sooner than that)

    • Cranium is sort of a T-rex, with eyes going through entrance (had depth notion)
    • Cranium additionally much like Tarbosaurus
    • T-rex lived 10-12 million years later than Lythronax, which most likely developed in isolation on Laramidia

    • In all probability confirmed that completely different tyrannosaur species lived in north and south Laramidia on the similar time
    • Then the seaway grew smaller however local weather variations and completely different meals sources might clarify why late Cretaceous dinosaurs in western North America have been completely different from dinosaurs on different continents on the similar time
    • As a result of geologically Lythronax is the oldest recognized tyrannosaurid and is most intently associated to T-rex and Tarbosaurus, the geologically youngest tyrannosaurids, the tyrannosaurid group most likely diversified sooner than 80 million years in the past, so there are most likely quite a lot of different unknown tyrannosaurids to be found

    • Some tyrannosaurids most likely immigrated to Asia across the finish of the Cretaceous (originated in northern Laramidia, western North America, with many species transferring to souther Laramidia)
    • The examine analyzed 501 skeletal options and 54 species of carnivorous dinosaurs (and located Lythronax to be most intently associated to T-rex and Tarbosaurus
    • Had massive tooth “banana-shaped meat cleavers” (although smaller than bananas) and serrated; most likely used them to crush bone and slice flesh (might most likely swallow meat entire)

    • Enamel described as banana like as a result of they’re spherical and curved again
    • In all probability largest predator of its time and place
    • Herbivores within the space included hadrosaurs, ankylosaurs, and ceratopsians

    • Can see the cranium on the Pure Historical past Museum of Utah
    • Tyrannosauridae (means “tyrant lizards”) are theropods
    • Two subfamilies with as much as 11 genera (variety of genera is controversial, some assume solely 3)

    • Lived late Cretaceous, Asia and North America
    • Normally the most important predators
    • Largest species was T-rex

    • Not many full specimens discovered for recognized tyrannosaurids
    • However many genera have full skulls
    • Some tyrannosaurids had crests above eyes

    • Small arms however lengthy legs
    • Juvenile tyrannosaurids had longer legs, extra suited to working quick, however that modified as adults
    • Scientists used to assume tyrannosaurids moved between Asia and North America through the Bering Strait, however now they assume all Asian tyrannosaurids have been a part of one evolutionary lineage

    • Enjoyable truth: Anthony Maltese on his weblog described the method of placing collectively a Daspletosaurus bone that began in lots of items, which incorporates utilizing glue, epoxy, and cement.



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