Palaeontology
How did dinosaurs sleep ?
By
T.K. RandallOctober 13, 2012 ·
31 comments
Image Credit: CC 2.0 Jordi PayÃ
Despite everything we've learned about the dinosaurs we still know very little about how they slept.
With no live specimens to observe palaeontologists are left to speculate on many aspects of dinosaur sleeping behaviours. For example did the giant sauropod dinosaurs sleep standing up ? In 2004 the fossil remains of a small feathered dinosaur called Mei long were discovered curled up in a roosting position similar to that observed in modern birds.
Another interesting find was made in 1936 when the partial skeleton of a Segisaurus was discovered with its legs tucked beneath its body and its arms in a resting position. Unfortunately however dinosaur fossils preserved in a sleeping position are few and far between.
Bone by bone and study by study, paleontologists are learning more than ever before about dinosaurs. But there are still many aspects about prehistoric biology that we know little about. In fact, some of the simplest facets of dinosaur lives remain elusive.
Source:
Smithsonian |
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