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New sauropod found in China

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


    Adam Khor wrote: »
    http://www.sci-news.com/paleontology/science-yongjinglong-datangi-dinosaur-china-01735.html

    image_1735-Yongjinglong-datangi.jpg



    Why are only partial parts of dinosaurs found. Like where is the rest of the fossils? Do some decompose and some fossilize?


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


    bogwalrus wrote: »
    Why are only partial parts of dinosaurs found. Like where is the rest of the fossils? Do some decompose and some fossilize?

    A lot of the time when an animal dies, it either decomposes and the bones get scattered by water, wind, etc, or scavengers/predators eat a large portion of the carcass, and only a few bits get to be preserved.

    Take Deinocheirus, for example; only the arms and a few other bits were found; later it was revealed that, apparently, that particular Deinocheirus had been eaten by a Tarbosaurus (as indicated by bite marks and stuff). I would imagine a large sauropod carcass would attract enormous numbers of scavengers from miles around, so its not surprising that they're remains are almost always fragmentary and scattered. The only chance a dead dinosaur had to become completely fossilized would be to be buried in sediment very soon after death.


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