The massive creature, which ruled parts of East Asia between the Middle Jurassic and the Early Cretaceous periods, has the longest neck ever found in any animal.
Because of their enormous size, it is difficult to find well-preservedremains. As a result, little is known about this group of dinosaurs, particularly how they evolved to have long necks. And this continues to be a mystery.Most Popular
One major question that arose after claiming the length of its neck was how this species managed to live with such a long neck, and that too without falling under its own weight. To figure this out, the team conducted CT scans of the fossils to look for clues. The researchers found that its vertebrae "were mostly air" — the creature had air-filled bones, similar to modern birds. Despite having lightweight bones, they were strong due to the presence of rod-like ribs that supported their neck. This feature gave them balance, increased stability, and protected the species from neck injuries.
Moreover, this plant-eating dinosaur could have enjoyed large areas of surrounding vegetation from a single spot – thanks to the long neck.Mamenchisaurus sinocanadorum underscores how much we can learn about sauropod evolution even from very incomplete specimens,” adds co-author Ye Yong, director of the Research Center of Jurassic Stratigraphy and Paleontology at the Zigong Dinosaur Museum in China’s Sichuan Province.The sauropod genus Mamenchisaurus, from the Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous of East Asia, has a convoluted taxonomic history.
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