Pliosaurs too had arthritis

Adam Khor

Despite what the article says, this is NOT the first time arthritis or traces of similar diseases are found in dinosaurs, PLUS, pliosaurs aren´t dinosaurs. But it is, to my knowledge, the first case of a sea reptile known to have suffered from joint problems.



It seems that the condition caused the pliosaur's jaw to be displaced to one side, and eventually the weakened bone broke, leaving the pliosaur unable to feed; the fracture is not healed so it may be that she starved to death. Interestingly the article suggests the 8 meter long pliosaur found in Westbury, England, may have been a female, as it seems fully grown but has a "low skull crest". It also mentions that there are "several signs" to suggest this.



http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2144715/The-dinosaurs-suffered-arthritis-150-million-years-ago--scientists-find.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Ignore the bit about aftershaves and fragrances and "symmetrical men" at the end.

Galvasean

Better source:
http://www.sci-news.com/paleontology/article00321.html