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takyon writes:

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.

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