Discovery News: Born Animal

Giant Clawed Dinosaur from Utah- Discovery Interview with Expert Lindsay Zanno

2009-07-17T11:26:57-04:00

I hope you saw the Discovery News story earlier this week about a giant, clawed dinosaur unearthed in Utah.

(Nothronychus graffami eating; Credit for this and all images: Victor Leshyk 2009)

Today I'd like to share with you my interview with Dr. Lindsay Zanno, John Caldwell Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Geology at the Field Museum. She's the lead author of the Proceedings of the Royal Society B paper that describes the new dinosaur.

JV: Please provide a brief physical description of the new dinosaur, mentioning its most noteworthy characteristics. Please also clarify the age of the dinosaur in years. And how can a dinosaur be called "predatory" if it wasn't necessarily a predator?

LZ: Nothronychus graffami is a large-bodied dinosaur belong to a group known as Therizinosauria. Therizinosaurs, including Nothronychus graffami, are unusual in that they have small heads with a keratinous beak at the front of the mouth (the same material as the beak of modern birds) and small leaf-shaped teeth. Their bellies are proportionally enormous supporting large guts. They have greatly enlarged claws on their hands, short legs and tails, and four toed feet. Your second question gets to the heart of our research. The broader group of dinosaurs that therizinosaurs belong to are known as theropods. With few potential exceptions, Theropods include all known carnivorous dinosaurs (think T-rex, Velociraptor, Allosaurus, Carnotaurus, Spinosaurus etc...). Because of this theropods have commonly been refered to as predatory dinosaurs.

We've known about toothless (beaked) theropod dinosaurs for a very long time, but because they lacked teeth and were members of an almost exclusively predatory group there was little evidence suggesting they might represent herbivores or omnivores. Recently paleontologists have uncovered dozens of new species of theropod dinosaurs belonging to the group Maniraptora (birds and their closest extinct relatives), some of which are very primitive members of these lineages still possessing teeth. These teeth do not look like your typical predator teeth. On top of that recent studies on therizinosaurs have demonstrated that they also belong to this group of maniraptoran theropods. Our study suggests they are the most primitive maniraptoran lineage. All this put together suggests that this particular group of theropods or "predatory" dinosaurs had a much more diverse diet than we have thus far appreciated. When we traced the evolution of anatomical features related to herbivory in maniraptorans we discovered that they evolved very early, suggesting that their ancestors had already switched from an exclusively predatory lifestyle. Thus, to call theropods "predatory" dinosaurs is missing a huge part of their evolutionary story.

JV: Do you think N. graffami only ate plants, or could it have been an omnivore? If it was solely herbivorous, what do you think it did with those scary-looking claws and its more carnivore-associated features?

LZ: Nothronychus graffami is an advanced therizinosaur, it has many adaptations that are correlated with a plant-based diet, so we can speculate that it was predominantly consuming plant-material. One aspect of our study was to correlate adaptations present in fossil taxa preserving direct evidence of a plant-eating (such as stomach contents) with other species that do not to infer diet. However, there is no way to know if Nothronychus graffami only ate plants and other plant fodder. It may have supplemented its diet with small animals, insects, or aquatic animals. It is also very difficult to say what these beasties were doing with their claws. They still had to defend themselves against predators, yet the claws of more advanced species aren't well suited for this purpose so they may have functioned during feeding or may have been used for display or intimidation. We don't see any good anatomical evidence that they were used for digging.

JV: Although this dinosaur appears to have been an early maniraptoran dinosaur, do you think it represents a sort of half-way point in the evolution of this particular lineage, to where a carnivore was evolving into an herbivore? Or would it have been the other way around, an herbivore evolving into a carnivore, given the mention that "iconic predators like Velociraptor may have evolved from less fearsome plant-eating ancestors?"

LZ: It is not accurate to say that Nothronychus graffami represents an early maniraptoran dinosaur. What our study shows it that the group to which Nothronychus belongs (Therizinosauria) is a primitive maniraptoran lineage--meaning that this group split off before other maniraptoran lineages and thus can tell us something about the common ancestor of Maniraptora. Nothronychus is a highly evolved maniraptoran dinosaur that lived over 60 million years after the earliest maniraptorans. Nothronychus does represent a half-way point in the evolution of this lineage, but it likely does not represent a half-way point in the evolution of plant-eating in the group. That transition would have occurred much earlier in therizinosaurs. The statement "iconic predators like Velociraptor may have evolved from less fearsome plant-eating ancestors" stems from the idea that at least one group of maniraptoran dinosaurs appear to be highly evolved predators (dromaeosaurs such as Velociraptor). If our research is correct and the earliest maniraptorans were omnivores and not exclusively carnivores, than these dinosaurs had to re-evolve carnivory. Therizinosarus meanwhile, appear to have been on a different trajectory, evolving into dominant herbivores.

JV: Why do you think it would benefit a carnivore at that time to have switched to an all-veg diet, or vice versa as the case may be?

LZ: This is an interesting question and one we really can't answer at this point. Our current thoughts are that in gaining the ability to eat more than just meat, maniraptorans may have been able to invade new "niches" in the ecosystem that were unavailable to them before. In other words they may have been able to find a new way of living in the ecosystem and new resources to exploit that gave them an advantage and allowed them to diversify into new forms. However, this idea needs to be tested and we hope to do that in the future.

JV: Is it unusual (a first?) to find such a well-preserved skeleton at a site that was once at least 60 miles from the nearest shoreline? Maybe a first for Utah discoveries?

LZ: This is unusual in terms of Utah discoveries, however, these types of remains are known. At least a handful of relatively complete dinosaur skeletons have been recovered in the seaway. Paul V. Heinrich from the Louisiana Geological Survey has hypothesized that they may have rafted out into the sea on floating islands after storms.

What Killed the Basking Shark on New York's Long Island?

2009-07-17T01:08:16-04:00

This week's footage of the 20-foot basking shark that washed up on a Long Island beach was disturbing for many of us to watch. Despite their imposing size, these large sharks are the gentle giants of the ocean.

(Image Credit: Chris Gotschalk)

I've seen them off the coast of Cape Cod and in U.K. waters, just passively filter feeding and, by their very presence, sending out a quiet message that all is OK in their corner of the marine environment for the moment. But the below footage obviously presents a very different picture.

So what did kill the shark? Read on to find out why its death has puzzled experts.

All sharks, from great whites to hammerheads, possess very effective immune systems. That's partly because normal shark life, even romance, can be deadly. During mating, some males will bite females, causing very deep wounds. Yet within a few months, wounds caused either by these love bites or some other source usually heal without even scar tissue left behind.

Until recently, it was even thought that no shark suffered from cancer. That's since been disproved, but cancer is still very rare in elasmobranchs. Their blood contains potent antibodies that may ward off viral instigators of certain cancers. Plus, their cartilage produces anti-tumor chemicals that prohibit the formation of blood vessels that can feed tumors. You won't benefit by consuming shark cartilage, so don't even consider that thought. But researchers are studying shark cartilage to see if they can replicate, and tinker with, the cancer-fighting chemicals so that the compounds will help humans.

Pollution is one of the few things that can wear down a shark's immune system. PCBs, dioxins, furans, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium are just a few that we've introduced into the shark's marine environment. Countless studies show how these pollutants, and more, biomagnify in larger species closer to the top of the food chain. Basking sharks certainly fit that profile, even though they feast on zooplankton, small fish and invertebrates.

I am therefore very curious to know what killed this poor shark off the coast of Long Island, and what toxic substances will be found in its body.

Here's how I prefer to see basking sharks: majestic and very much alive.

World's Largest Airlift of Homeless Pets Scheduled

2009-07-16T09:11:48-04:00

Earlier this week, the world's first all-pet airliner took flight. Now Nicole Lasorda informs me of another project that will pair pets with jets.

<<Pilots N Paws, an online forum that connects animal rescue groups and volunteer pilots, is launching the Pilots N Paws 5000, the largest pet airlift ever. From September 12 to 20, Pilots N Paws volunteers will attempt something that’s never been done — transport 5,000 homeless animals in a single week.

(Image of shelter black cat: GalaWebDesign)

“The goal of the Pilots N Paws 5000 is to increase awareness about different ways people can help animals in need, whether it’s by providing air transportation, becoming a foster home or general volunteering,” says Jon Wehrenberg, co-founder of Pilots N Paws. “It’s a unique way for people to donate their time and talent to a very worthy cause.”

According to the National Council on Pet Population, 9.6 million shelter animals are needlessly euthanized each year. The aim of Pilots N Paws is to decrease this number by connecting shelters and rescue groups with pilots willing to transport animals to safe homes.

(Image of shelter dog: Wikimedia)

With the help of the Pilots N Paws website, rescuers and foster homes in high kill areas are able to locate their counterparts in areas of the country where high kill rates are not the rule. These no-kill shelters will then make space for the animals being rescued. The sending and receiving pair will team up with a volunteer pilot, who will provide transportation during this special rescue week.

To make this life-saving, heart-warming event a success, many more volunteers are needed. Opportunities include:
·        Pilots – Register online to fly pets from shelters to their foster or forever homes.
·        Short- and long-term foster homes – Take care of pets, ranging from overnight stays en route to extended periods, while adopters are found.
·        General volunteers – Local shelters always need help walking dogs, cleaning cages and filing paperwork.

In addition to volunteer roles, there are other ways to help:
·        Spread the word – Tell your local animal shelter about Pilots N Paws. If there’s a small airport nearby, ask the manager to let its pilots know about the event.
·        Donate – Pilots N Paws, rescue groups and shelter donations are usually tax-deductible.
·        Adopt – Consider taking one of the rescued pets into your own home.

“I’m afraid thousands of pets will die if we don’t get them to new homes,” says Wehrenberg. “I’m hoping we’ll get the help to make this event a tremendous success.”

Pilots N Paws is a 501(c)(3) organization, so pilots’ expenses relating to transport flights are tax-deductible. Pilots N Paws is an excellent example of the critical role general aviation plays in our everyday lives. For more information, or to help out with the Pilots N Paws 5000, visit www.pilotsnpaws.org. And to learn more about other ways general aviation affects everyday life, visit www.gaservesamerica.com.>>

Panda Sneeze

2009-07-15T14:30:37-04:00

Today's dog barking news, which includes footage of a deer barking, reminded one reader of another unexpected animal sound: a panda sneeze. These panda sneeze videos are oldies but goodies. Hope you enjoy them.

Why Dogs Bark

2009-07-15T12:36:16-04:00

Have you ever heard a deer bark? Listen to this young roe deer communicating with a house cat.

Many animals besides dogs bark. Other barkers include certain birds, monkeys, hyenas and wolves. But dogs are still better at barking, suggests Kathryn Lord of the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She says the reason is related to dogs’ 10,000-year history of hanging around human food garbage dumps.

(Bulldog Image Credit: Lisa Solonynko)

Read on to learn the full story about dog barking from UMass.

<<In her recent paper in a special issue of the journal, Behavioural Processes, Lord and co-authors from nearby Hampshire College also provide the scientific literature with its first consistent, functional and acoustically precise definition of this common animal sound.

As Lord, a doctoral candidate in organismic and evolutionary biology at UMass Amherst, explains, “We suggest an alternative hypothesis to one that many biologists seem to accept lately, which seeks to explain dog barking in human-centric terms and define it as an internally motivated vocalization strategy.” In the researchers’ view, however, barking is not a special form of communication between dogs and humans. “What we’re saying is that the domestic dog does not have an intentional message in mind, such as, ‘I want to play’ or ‘the house is on fire,’” explains Lord.

Rather, she and colleagues say barking is the auditory signal associated with an evolved behavior known as mobbing, a cooperative anti-predator response usually initiated by one individual who notices an approaching intruder. A dog barks because she feels an internal conflict―an urge to run plus a strong urge to stand her ground and defend pups, for example. When the group joins in, the barks intimidate the intruder, who often flees.

“We think dogs bark due to this internal conflict and mobbing behavior, but domestic dogs bark more because they are put, and put themselves into, conflicting situations more often,” she says.

The reason traces back to the first dogs that started hanging around human food dumps about 8,000 to 10,000 years ago. They would have experienced a serious disadvantage if they had run a mile away every time a human or other animal approached. As Lord explains, “In evolutionary terms, dogs self-selected the behavior of sticking around, overcoming their fear and being rewarded by getting to eat that meal before some other dog got it. Thus these animals allow people to get unusually close. The scared ones die while those less scared stay, eat, survive and reproduce. So they inherit the tendency.”

She adds, “By contrast, wild animals like wolves have a very long flight distance. They hear something and they run before you’d ever see them. Dogs hang around, but now they have committed to holding their ground and the closer an ‘intruder’ gets, the more likely mobbing is to occur rather than running away.”

An example of the domestic environment (rather than the dog’s own behavior) that increases barking is the animal stuck behind a fence with a person approaching, says Lord. “The dog may either feel anxiety or excitement at seeing a stranger but in either case the dog is prevented from approaching or fleeing. This creates conflict, and thus barking.”

Several technical pages of the researchers’ recent paper identify eight different parameters in three categories which must be met in order to classify a given vocalization as a bark. These include tonality, noise, pitch, volume or amplitude, abrupt onset and pulse duration, for example.

In their view, barking is not self-referential communication to convey a message, but a short, loud sound characterized by combining both noise and tonal sounds, which is unusual in animal calls. This definition widens the bark’s usefulness as a functional behavior seen in many animals, though domesticated dogs display it more often. “Using this definition, even birds bark, and certainly many mammals besides canines, including baboons and monkeys, rodents and deer also bark,” Lord explains. “In a whole bunch of mammals and birds, what they do in such conflicted situations is bark.”

This evolutionary view of barking does not sit well with some pet owners who insist that Buffy communicates with them by barking, the researchers acknowledge. “We understand the objection when people say their dogs bark for supper or to get out and play,” Lord says. “Dogs do quickly learn the simple cause-and-effect relationship between their bark at 10 p.m. and the fact that you’ll get right up and take them outdoors. It’s true, but in our view it’s going too far to suggest the animal is intentionally referring to a specific activity. Rather, it has just learned cues, as it does when it learns to sit or beg for a treat.">>

Do you think this dog is communicating something specific, or could it just be responding more abstractly to a social cue, as Lord's research indicates?

Pet Airways Takes Flight

2009-07-14T21:44:22-04:00

The first ever all-pet airline, appropriately named Pet Airways, took off today from East Farmingdale, New York. Dogs and cats flew in the main cabin of what is a converted Suburban Air Freight plane. Instead of seats, the cabin is lined with roomy carriers.

(Wikimedia image shows a crated dog traveling in a car. Pet Airways uses at least a few uniform sized plastic carriers, somewhat similar to what you may haul Fido or Fluffy in when going to the vet.)

Pet Airways is the dream business of husband and wife entrepreneurial team Alysa Binder and Dan Wiesel.

Clever idea, don't you think? It's on my list of "wish I'd thought of that's." If any of you ever let your pets travel via the service, please let us know what you think. Would love to hear reviews.

Reintroduced Chinese Alligators are Multiplying in the Wild

2009-07-14T12:39:07-04:00

This just in from the Wildlife Conservation Society:

<<The Wildlife Conservation Society announced today that critically endangered alligators in China have a new chance for survival. The WCS's Bronx Zoo, in partnership with two other North American parks and the Department of Wildlife Conservation and Management of the State Forestry Administration of China, has successfully reintroduced alligators into the wild that are now multiplying on their own.

The alligator hatchlings—15 in number—are the offspring of a group of alligators that includes animals from the Wildlife Conservation Society's Bronx Zoo. The baby alligators represent a milestone for the 10-year effort to reintroduce the Chinese alligator on Chongming Island, located at the mouth of China's Yangtze River.

(Image Credit: WCS)

The announcement was made at the International Congress for Conservation Biology, convened by the Society for Conservation Biology in Beijing, China (July 11-16).

"We are grateful to our Chinese partners for their commitment to reintroduce Chinese alligators back into the wild," said Dr. Steven E. Sanderson, President and CEO of the Wildlife Conservation Society. "WCS has championed careful wildlife reintroductions for more than a century. The reintroduction of Chinese alligators is a great example of how WCS partners with governments and local communities around the world to save wildlife and wild places."

"This is fantastic news," said WCS researcher Dr. John Thorbjarnarson, one of the world's foremost experts on crocodilians and a participant in the project. "The success of this small population suggests that there's hope for bringing the Chinese alligator back to some parts of its former distribution."

Plans to reintroduce Chinese alligators started in 1999 with a survey conducted by WCS, the Anhui Forestry Bureau, and the East China Normal University in Anhui Province, the only remaining location where the reptiles are still found in the wild in what is a small fraction of the alligator's former range. The results of the survey were dire, with an estimate of fewer than 130 animals in a declining population.

An international workshop on the species was held in 2001, followed by recommendations for the reintroduction of captive bred alligators. The first three animals released in Hongxing Reserve of Xuancheng County in Anhui in 2003 were from the Anhui Research Center of Chinese Alligator Reproduction (ARCCAR).

To ensure the maximum genetic diversity for the effort, project participants imported 12 more animals to Changxing Yinjiabian Chinese Alligator Nature Reserve from North America, including four from the Bronx Zoo. From this group, three animals from the U.S. were released in 2007 along with three more alligators from Changxing. The alligators were given health examinations by veterinary professionals from WCS's Global Health Program and the Shanghai Wildlife Zoo and fitted with radio transmitters for remote monitoring before being released.

Experts reported that the reintroduced alligators successfully hibernated, and then in 2008, bred in the wild.

With a former range that covered a wide watershed area of East China, the Chinese alligator—or "tu long," which means "muddy dragon"—is now listed as "Critically Endangered" on IUCN's Red List of Threatened Species and is the most threatened of the 23 species of crocodilians in the world today. It is one of only two alligator species in existence (the other is the better known, and much better off, American alligator).

The Yangtze River, where the reintroduction of these alligators took place, is the third longest river in the world (after the Amazon and the Nile) and is China's most economically important waterway. The world's largest hydro-electric dam—the Three Gorges Dam—is also located on the river. The high levels of development along the river have become a challenge for native wildlife; in 2006, a comprehensive search for the Yangtze River dolphin, or baiji, didn't find any, although one isolated sighting of a dolphin was made in 2007.

###

Other participants in the project include the East China Normal University, Shanghai Forestry Bureau, Changxing Yinjiabian Chinese Alligator Nature Reserve, and Wetland Park of Shanghai Industrial Investment (Holdings) Co. Ltd.

The project is being supported by the Ocean Park Conservation Foundation, Hong Kong.>>

World's Largest Assembled Dinosaur Skeleton

2009-07-14T09:07:05-04:00

Paleontologists in Japan have just put together a Mamenchisaurus skeleton for a dinosaur exhibit at a suburban Tokyo exhibition hall. According to multiple media reports, the assembled skeleton, measuring close to 115 feet long, represents the world's largest dinosaur skeleton on public display.

(Image: Steveoc 86)

According to Yuji Takakuwa, assistant curator of paleontology at the Gunma Museum of Natural History, he and his colleagues were surprised that this dinosaur turned out to be so big.

Dinosaur experts previously thought an 80-foot-long Manenchisaurus was the largest ever discovered. When Takakuwa and his team restored this latest skeleton, they were blown away.

"I can say that this is the biggest dinosaur," Takakuwa beamed.

To see footage of the skeleton and its assembly, please watch this BBC video clip.

How Does a Cheetah Run So Fast?

2009-07-13T09:03:38-04:00

Cheetahs are the fastest known land animals, with running speeds that can reach over 75 miles per hour.

Image: Cheetah pursuing a Thompson's gazelle in Tanzania
(Credit: Lee Berger)

They can accelerate from a standing 0 miles per hour position to 60 miles per hour in just three seconds. I believe only two cars in the world beat that acceleration rate. They're named at the end of this post, along with the fasted flying animal.

For now, please watch how scientists have developed a clever way to study cheetah running. Hint: chicken meat is involved.

The fastest known bird is the peregrine falcon, which can dive bomb prey at around 200 miles per hour.

If you like your cars fast, the SSC Ultimate Aero can go from 0-60 in 2.7 seconds, and is the world's speediest car at 257 mph. Base price: $654,400.

The Bugatti Veyron hits 253 mph and goes from 0-60 in just 2.5 seconds. Base price: $1,700,000.

Boston Zoo May Close and Euthanize Animals

2009-07-11T21:31:53-04:00

My heart sunk today after learning that the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston may be forced to close and euthanize some animals due to state imposed budget cuts.

According to officials at the zoo, money will run out in October as a result of the cuts, imposed by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick. The affiliated Stone Zoo in nearby Stoneham may also shut down. Together, the threatened closures could affect more than 1,000 animals and 165 employees.

Grevy's zebras (Wikimedia image) are just one group of animals that would be affected. Please read on to learn more.

While some animals could be sent to other zoos, a letter from Franklin Park officials to legislative leaders said at least 20 percent of the animals likely could not be re-housed, "requiring either destroying them, or the care of the animals in perpetuity." I'm not entirely certain what is meant by the latter part of that statement, but can only guess the lives of even non-euthanized animals would then be in jeopardy
without proper funding for longer term care.

I lived in the area for a while, calling home then a small Framingham apartment next to a freeway. City parks and zoos were a welcome refuge from the urban traffic, smog and noise. It would also be such a loss for families who enjoy visiting the zoos and benefiting from their many educational programs. As for the animals, many become very attached to their caretakers, exhibit mates and zoo homes. Transferring them to other locations would be incredibly traumatic for many species. Regarding the proposed euthanasia, that is just too horrific to even contemplate.

Please go here to read the full story in the Boston Globe.