Venomous Dinosaur Discovered [Merged]

[Cryptoman]

Jurassic Park was packed with pseudo-science, but one of its fictions may have accidentally anticipated a dinosaur discovery announced today—venomous raptors.

Though a far cry from the movie's venom-spitting Dilophosaurus, the 125-million-year-old Sinornithosaurus may have attacked like today's rear-fanged snakes, a new study suggests.

Rear-fanged snakes don't inject venom. Instead, the toxin flows down a telltale groove in a fang's surface and into the bite wound, inducing a state of shock.

In Sinornithosaurus fossils, researchers discovered an intriguing pocket, possibly for a venom gland, connected to the base of a fang by a long groove, which likely housed a venom duct, the study says. Sinornithosaurus fangs also feature snakelike grooves in their surfaces.

"The ductwork leading out of the venom gland gave the venom a way to travel to the base of the teeth, where the venom welled up in the grooves," said study co-author paleontologist David Burnham of the University of Kansas Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Research Center.

"So when they sank their teeth into tissue of the victim, it allowed the venom, which was really enhanced saliva, to get into the wound."

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/12/091221-venomous-dinosaur-venom-dinosaurs-snakes.html

That's really amazing. Yet, it somehow doesn't makes sense. Why would the descendant of birds have venom glands?

[UltraThunderMan]

I can't even fathom that many years. And isn't venom in a dinosaur kinda overkill?

[KennyB]

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/12/091221-venomous-dinosaur-venom-dinosaurs-snakes.html

That's really amazing. Yet, it somehow doesn't makes sense. Why would the descendant of birds have venom glands?

It sounds comlicated but it works. Some of the deadlist snakes in the world are rear fanged, like cobras. Aren't snakes decended from dinosaurs? KennyB

[Cryptoman]

It sounds comlicated but it works. Some of the deadlist snakes in the world are rear fanged, like cobras. Aren't snakes decended from dinosaurs? KennyB

Actually, snakes evolved from small burrowing lizards. I still find it strange that the ancestors of birds may have had venom sacs. Maybe birds did not derive from the dromeaosaurids. Unless their is a bird out there with a similar trait that I have never heard of, I must be somewhat skeptical of this claim. Amazing find, but rather peculiar.

[xYlvax]

I was about to say, "like the ones in Jurassic Park?" But, the article covered it for me

[questionmark]

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/12/091221-venomous-dinosaur-venom-dinosaurs-snakes.html

That's really amazing. Yet, it somehow doesn't makes sense. Why would the descendant of birds have venom glands?

Not all dinos necessarily evolved into birds, especially not the quadropeds.

I can't even fathom that many years. And isn't venom in a dinosaur kinda overkill?

Depends on the hunting strategy,a slow hunter, or a hunter with little stamina needs venom.

It sounds comlicated but it works. Some of the deadlist snakes in the world are rear fanged, like cobras. Aren't snakes decended from dinosaurs? KennyB

Could be, but not very likely.

Besides, there is no need for venom to hunt by poisoning,like the Komodo dragon(Varanus komodoensis) that kills by a bite too,but does not leave venom but a nasty mixture of microbes that cause a sepsis in the prey,once it died of the fever the dragon has a nice feast.

Edited December 22, 2009 by questionmark

[Dimension_X]

A bird-like dinosaur that prowled an ancient forest 125 million years ago used venom to subdue its prey, according to a new theory.

Read more...

What do you think?

[Cryptoman]

Not all dinos necessarily evolved into birds, especially not the quadropeds.

Very true, I doubt a twenty or so ton sauropod turned into the sparrow sitting on my porch. But the dinosaur in question, Sinornithosaurus, is thought to be one of the dinosaurs that gave rise to birds.

[Queen in the North]

Besides, there is no need for venom to hunt by poisoning,like the Komodo dragon(Varanus komodoensis) that kills by a bite too,but does not leave venom but a nasty mixture of microbes that cause a sepsis in the prey,once it died of the fever the dragon has a nice feast.

Oooh, but Komodo dragons do have venom, it transpires.

[Cryptoman]

What do you know? There is actually a bird that is poisonous to eat. Not necessarily a "venomous bird", but the supposed venom from the Sinornithosaurus wasn't necessarily potent.

Edited December 22, 2009 by Cryptoman

[questionmark]

Oooh, but Komodo dragons do have venom, it transpires.

Still,their bigger prey dies of sepsis, not of venom.

[behaviour???]

A feathered predator that lived 125 million years ago has been revealed as the first-known venomous dinosaur, which paralysed its prey with poison in a similar way to some snakes.

Sinornithosaurus millenii, a dinosaur about the size of a turkey, had grooved fangs for channelling venom and a pocket in the upper jaw that probably held venom glands, scientists have discovered.

Read more...

Thanks

B???

[pycomonkey]

Wow!

Thanks for sharing this awesome bit of knowledge.

[SameerPrehistorica]

Ive read this news before.Very interesting about Sinornithosaurus millenii.Dilophosaurus was shown as a venomous dinosaur in Jurassic Park.But it is not proved that it is venomous.

[Brakzar Break]

Woop!

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Ive read this news before.

I'm not surprised, I've already merged 2 threads on this subject. I will merge this one too.

[Mac E]

Unless their is a bird out there with a similar trait that I have never heard of, I must be somewhat skeptical of this claim. Amazing find, but rather peculiar.

I am skeptical as well. In todays world I do not know of a single venomous bird. Either this was an adaptation that didn't work and was therefore worthless for being carried on in the genus or this little birdie became extinct or maybe both, who know.