Is it possible to determine the sex of a dinosaur by its bones?

From time to Time paleontologists who study the fossilized remains of ancient animals and plants, discover new species of dinosaurs. By studying their bones, scientists can very accurately determine what they looked like and what it eats? But by studying the bones, they practically can't give the exact floor discovered individuals, because they simply do not know what distinguished males from females genitals until our days are not saved. Previously, Paul of some dinosaurs was determined by the size of the bones, but a new study conducted by an international team of paleontologists, shows that this method of identifying males and females produces incorrect results.

What is the dimorphism between the sexes?

The Differences between the females and males of the same species are called sex dimorphisme. A striking example of this phenomenon can be the presence of a lush mane of the male lions and the lack of "luxury shag" the lionesses. You can also look at peacocks — the males have very bright plumage, whereas females do not possess such beauty.

lions on the head of luxurious hair — that they are different from females.

Sometimes it happens Vice versa where the distinctive sex characteristics are more pronounced in females. The so-called reverse sexual dimorphism can be seen in the smallest birds in the world — a Hummingbird. Walking across the expanses of North and South America, or watching a documentary while sitting on the couch, you may notice that some specimens are much larger than others. Now, large bodies and possess the females, and the size of the males may be only 5 cm.

Based on the above, we can assume that the left is a female Hummingbird

gender differences in the dinosaurs

In 1992, paleontologist Kenneth carpenter (Kenneth Carpenter) announced that it found signs of reverse sexual dimorphism in tyrannosaurs, which are considered to be almost the most famous dinosaurs in the world. In his scientific work, he concluded that female tyrannosaurs were larger than males. My assumption is he put forward after he viewed the remains of 25 individuals ancient predators.

something like this was depicted females and males of T. Rex in the Steven Spielberg film "Jurassic Park."

The Audience quickly mastered this information is the statement that female tyrannosaurs were larger than males, are still found at sites with "interesting facts". However, recently a group of scientists from the UK, USA and Canada, have almost destroyed this myth. In the framework of their scientific work, they decided to find out whether the signs of sexual differences to be preserved in the fossil remains.

Modern dinosaurs

As objects of study, which was published in , they took 106 Gharial skulls provided by different museums of the world. The gharials are called a special kind of crocodile with long, pointy noses. Their ancestors existed millions of years ago, in the time of dinosaurs, so it is not surprising that the present Gharial has much in common with the ancient predators.

Like the dinosaurs, the gharials are large reptiles that lay eggs. There is sexual dimorphism on the nose of the males has a noticeable "bump" consisting of soft tissue and support the small bones in the region of the nostrils. Studying hundreds of fossil remains, scientists were able to determine the sex of reptiles, even in the presence of such obvious clues, like the bone structure on the nose. If the distinguishing features of reptiles have been destroyed over time, to distinguish males of the ancient predators from females is simply impossible.

photo male Gharial with a "bump" on the nose

the Difficulties of the study of dinosaurs

Based on this, the researchers came to the conclusion that to determine the sex of dinosaurs by their bones impossible. First, males and females of the ancient giants were not the hallmarks like growths on the nose — at least the tyrannosaurs nothing like that was found. Second, the assumption of different body dimensions in Tyrannosaurus opposite sexes was based on data obtained from the study of the bones of 25 individuals. And this, according to scientists, is too small a sample to bring such dramatic statements as "female tyrannosaurs were larger than males".

unfortunately, many dinosaurs are found only in a single instance.

Perhaps, the method of determining the sex of dinosaur bones will be invented, when paleontologists will be able to detect the remains of at least a couple of hundred individuals. But even in this case it would be applicable only to some types of dinosaurs, but not all. For example, in the future, scientists may discover the remains of males of T. Rex bone appendages, the presence of which will distinguish them from females. But there will come a time not known — over time, dinosaur bones can be destroyed by tectonic plates or under the influence of other factors.

And at the moment we have to settle for openingnew species, specimens of which are usually found in a single instance. Take, for example, excavated in Thailand dinosaur Vayuraptor nongbualamphuensis, the length of the body of which was 4.5 meters, and the feet were similar to chicken. Recommend now read the material in the article also explains why dinosaurs are almost never carried out in Russia.

Paleontologist Kenneth carpenter (Kenneth Carpenter) believe that the sex of dinosaurs can be identified by their bones, but is it?