Dinosaur sported 'bandit mask'
A dinosaur from China sported a "bandit mask" pattern in the feathers on its face, scientists have said. Researchers came to their conclusion after studying three well-preserved fossil specimens of the extinct creature, called Sinosauropteryx. They were able to discern the dinosaur's colour patterns, showing that it had a banded tail and "counter-shading" - where animals are dark on top and lighter on their underside. The study appears in Current Biology [open, DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.09.032] [DX].
The bandit mask pattern is seen in numerous animals today, from mammals - such as raccoons and badgers - to birds, such as the nuthatch. "This is the first time it's been seen in a dinosaur and, to my knowledge, any extinct animal that shows colour bands," co-author Fiann Smithwick, from Bristol University, told BBC News.
(Score: 2) by Post-Nihilist on Monday October 30 2017, @03:13AM
I known it's more related to the birds but damm, damm It looks like a protoracoon..
The picture of the fossil is awesome to
Be like us, be different, be a nihilist!!!
(Score: 5, Interesting) by RedBear on Monday October 30 2017, @03:43AM (4 children)
I love how so many dinosaurs have morphed since I was a tot, from big, fat lumbering bumpy grayish lumps into slimmer, lithe, often fast and probably colorful creatures who may have been largely covered in brightly patterned feathers or hairlike proto-feathers. And why wouldn't they be colorful? They had eyes after all, and hundreds of millions of years to evolve skin or feather pigmentation for various purposes. It's fascinating the way we've been able to find more and more direct evidence of ancient pigmentation, and evidence of feathers long before the era of modern birds. So cool.
Sorry, I can't think of anything snarky or cynical to say.
¯\_ʕ◔.◔ʔ_/¯ LOL. I dunno. I'm just a bear.
... Peace out. Got bear stuff to do. 彡ʕ⌐■.■ʔ
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Monday October 30 2017, @04:40AM (3 children)
You aren't trying hard enough.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday October 30 2017, @06:02AM (2 children)
If only a "bandit mask pattern" would identify people who do banditry. But it'll never happen.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday October 30 2017, @06:03AM
You might like Saudi Arabia. They cut off the hands.
(Score: 3, Funny) by chromas on Monday October 30 2017, @01:33PM
Bandit, no banditry!
(Score: 2) by arslan on Monday October 30 2017, @11:50PM
What's with all these dinos with short arms - is there an actual functional use? Jeez, they can't even pick their own nose or scratch an itch in the loins...