With a torso like that of aVelociraptorbut with teeth like that of a benign herbivore , a strange dinosaur describe in 2015 has defied classification . Now , researchers think they may have finally placed the " Frankenstein " dinosaurChilesauruson the evolutionary tree , and they believe it represents a transitional fossilbetween carnivorous and herbivorous beasts .
It all comes down to the beast ’s hips . While the read/write head and body ofChilesauruslooks like that of a carnivorous therapod , the hip of the creature is far more like to that of a heavy works - eating dinosaur , such asTriceratops , Stegosaurus , andIguanodon , which are known as the " bird - hipped " dinosaur .
These big herbivores partake in many unwashed trait in addition to the bird - like rosehip structure , such as a beak that aids in tearing up farewell and plant . It is also think that the dissimilar hip structure means there is more outer space in the body cavity for the large gut necessary for an herbivorous lifestyle . But whileChilesaurushad shuttle - like hips , it lacked many of the other trait such as the snoot .
After analyzing over 450 dissimilar anatomical characteristics of early dinosaurs , the investigator from the University of Cambridge and Natural History Museum have finally identify the eccentric beaston the dinosaur evolutionary tree diagram – and in an incredibly important position no less . It seems to be a transitional fogey between the birdie - hipped and lizard - hipped , revealing that the gut of large herbivorous dinosaurs likely evolved first and that the beaks issue forth afterward .
“ Chilesaurusis one of the most enigmatical and intriguing dinosaur ever discovered , ” says Professor Paul Barrett , who co - authored the paper published inBiology Letters , in astatement . “ Its weird intermixture of features places it in a key position in dinosaur evolution and helps to show how some of the really big tear between the major groups might have follow about . ”
The placement of the omnium-gatherum dinosaur comes after the same teamcompletely shake up the dinosaur treeearlier in the year . Before this rearrangement , where therapod dinosaurs likeTyrannosaurus rexwere find out to be more closely related to plant - rust dinosaur likeStegosaurus(rather than sauropods likeBrachiosaurus),Chilesauruswas seen as an oddball that did n’t fit into the dinosaur family tree diagram .
Now , however , it seems to have in conclusion found its place .
