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Two-toed dino track found in UK

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  • 30-05-2013 2:18am
    #1
    Adam Khor
    Registered Users Posts: 5,279 ✭✭✭


    They don´t say what kind of dino made it but, as far as I know the only known Mesozoic dinos that would leave this sort of imprint would be deinonychosaurs (raptors and troodontids):

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-22704379

    (The pic has nothing to do with the above discovery)

    071028171034-large.jpg


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    #2
    bogwalrus
    Registered Users Posts: 1,454 ✭✭✭bogwalrus


    maybe lost the other toes in a fight or just a genetic anomaly? Actually were genetic anomaly's prevalent in Dinosaurs or would it be the same as with most animals and humans in this day and age. Just seems the variety of dinosaurs that existed must mean lots of quick genetic changes etc.


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    #3
    Adam Khor
    Registered Users Posts: 5,279 ✭✭✭Adam Khor


    bogwalrus wrote: »
    maybe lost the other toes in a fight or just a genetic anomaly? Actually were genetic anomaly's prevalent in Dinosaurs or would it be the same as with most animals and humans in this day and age. Just seems the variety of dinosaurs that existed must mean lots of quick genetic changes etc.

    I guess if more than one footprint was found (as in, from both feet), it is unlikely it was an injury or malformation...

    Now that you mention it, I don´t remember reading about possible genetic anomalies in dinosaurs- not that they didn´t happen of course, more like, usually we have so little of every dino that its not very easy to identify abnormalities.
    I do remember they said Tatankaceratops (a bison-sized Triceratops-like thingy) could potentially be a Trike suffering from dwarfism or some other growth disorder, but then the same has been said about say, Homo floresiensis, and ended up not being true... I guess it would take an insane amount of luck to actually find a freak specimen, considering how little we have of most dinos...


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    #4
    Rubecula
    Registered Users Posts: 8,551 ✭✭✭Rubecula


    Evolved from animals with 5 digits, Horses have only two toes as well I think but run on one these days... or am I getting it wrong?


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    #5
    Adam Khor
    Registered Users Posts: 5,279 ✭✭✭Adam Khor


    Rubecula wrote: »
    Evolved from animals with 5 digits, Horses have only two toes as well I think but run on one these days... or am I getting it wrong?

    I think they only have one toe... D:


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    #6
    Rubecula
    Registered Users Posts: 8,551 ✭✭✭Rubecula


    I am sure they have two but one doesn't reach the ground. Maybe wrong though.


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    #7
    Adam Khor
    Registered Users Posts: 5,279 ✭✭✭Adam Khor


    According to the holy internet they only have one toe, and the vestigial remains of two others are called splint bones, but they no longer count as toes.

    Although apparently, sometimes a horse with more toes shows up, like Alexander the Great's Bucephalus:
    Embryos of modern horses develop the rudiments for three toes in utero. Ordinarily, the middle toe will eventually outgrow the outer ones which then become splint bones. This central toe is then the one which will support the horse through contact with the ground, ie the hoof. Bucephalus’ atavism made him a polydactyl, which means having more than one toe; his toes toes did not develop in the normal manner during gestation.

    Julius Caesar also had a horse with extra toes. :eek:


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