Life restoration and diagram of Dakota, featuring the known soft tissue areas (red and yellow) of the specimen as of 2022
The fossil is unusual and scientifically valuable because soft tissue including skin and muscle have been fossilized, giving researchers the rare opportunity to study more than bones, as with most vertebrate fossils. Preliminary research results indicate that hadrosaurs had heavier tails and were able to run faster than was previously thought.
Detailed and labelled photographs of the preserved soft tissue of Dakota
Dakota was first discovered by paleontology student Tyler Lyson on his family's North Dakota property in 1999 while he was a high school student, but he did not investigate the site in detail until 2004, when he discovered the soft tissue preservation. Lyson teamed with British paleontologist Phillip Manning, and the site was excavated in summer 2006.[2]
Manning's team used a large-scale CT scanner, provided by NASA and the Boeing Company, to generate high-resolution scans of the preserved muscles and tendons of the rear legs. Because the intervertebral discs which space out the spinal column of the tail have been fossilized, researchers have been able to calculate its length more accurately. The preservation of its muscles and tendons allow the calculation of its mass. The results indicate the dinosaur could likely have run at 45 km/h (28 mph), faster than the estimated top speed of Tyrannosaurus rex, at 27 km/h (17 mph).[1]
The well-preserved integument has retained its texture, and researchers have mapped it in three dimensions. The scales are of different sizes, and researchers speculate that their pattern may reflect the animal's coloration in life. For example, areas of an arm's joints are textured in what resembles a striped pattern.[1] This fossil's examination was the subject of Dino Autopsy, a documentary aired on National Geographic Channel on December 9, 2007.[1]
The specimen was previously housed at the Marmarth Research Foundation (MRF) under the catalog number MRF-3, but now it is permanently part of the collection of the North Dakota Geological Survey located at the State of North Dakota, under the specimen number/catalogue NDGS 2000.[3]
Taphonomyedit
Proposed preservational scenario for Dakota
Dinosaur fossils with Dakota's degree of preservation are extremely rare because many different factors must come together to allow it to occur. The carcass first must escape scavengers as well as degradation by the elements. The soft tissue must then be mineralized before it decomposes. Finally, as with all fossils, the mineralized body must escape destruction by geological forces over millions of years.[1] News reports have referred to Dakota as "mummified"; however, it is actually a fossil of a mummified dinosaur, where the animal's dried tissues have been transformed to rock through fossilization.[2]
Stephanie K. Drumheller and team in 2022 proposed that Dakota was exceptionally preserved because of several identified scavenging marks to the carcass, which helped to escape the gases, fluids, and microbes that develop during decomposition. This may have likely allowed soft tissues to withstand the weeks and/or months required for desiccation prior to burial and eventual fossilization.[3]
^ abcdef. National Geographic News. 3 December 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-12-04.
^ abLee, Christopher (3 December 2007). "Scientists Get Rare Look at Dinosaur Soft Tissue". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2007-12-03.
^ abDrumheller, S. K.; Boyd, C. A.; Barnes, B. M. S.; Householder, M. L. (2022). "Biostratinomic alterations of an Edmontosaurus "mummy" reveal a pathway for soft tissue preservation without invoking "exceptional conditions"". PLOS ONE. 17 (10): e0275240. Bibcode:2022PLoSO..1775240D. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0275240. PMC9555629. PMID 36223345.
External linksedit
Media related to Dakota at Wikimedia Commons
Data related to Edmontosaurus at Wikispecies
January 01, 1970
dakota, fossil, dakota, specimen, ndgs, 2000, nickname, given, important, edmontosaurus, fossil, found, hell, creek, formation, north, dakota, about, million, years, placing, maastrichtian, last, stage, cretaceous, period, about, long, weighed, about, tons, du. Dakota specimen NDGS 2000 is the nickname given to an important Edmontosaurus fossil found in the Hell Creek Formation in North Dakota It is about 67 million years old 1 placing it in the Maastrichtian the last stage of the Cretaceous period It was about 12 m 40 ft long and weighed about 7 8 tons 1 dubious discuss Life restoration and diagram of Dakota featuring the known soft tissue areas red and yellow of the specimen as of 2022 The fossil is unusual and scientifically valuable because soft tissue including skin and muscle have been fossilized giving researchers the rare opportunity to study more than bones as with most vertebrate fossils Preliminary research results indicate that hadrosaurs had heavier tails and were able to run faster than was previously thought Contents 1 Discovery and analysis 2 Taphonomy 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksDiscovery and analysis edit nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Detailed and labelled photographs of the preserved soft tissue of Dakota Dakota was first discovered by paleontology student Tyler Lyson on his family s North Dakota property in 1999 while he was a high school student but he did not investigate the site in detail until 2004 when he discovered the soft tissue preservation Lyson teamed with British paleontologist Phillip Manning and the site was excavated in summer 2006 2 Manning s team used a large scale CT scanner provided by NASA and the Boeing Company to generate high resolution scans of the preserved muscles and tendons of the rear legs Because the intervertebral discs which space out the spinal column of the tail have been fossilized researchers have been able to calculate its length more accurately The preservation of its muscles and tendons allow the calculation of its mass The results indicate the dinosaur could likely have run at 45 km h 28 mph faster than the estimated top speed of Tyrannosaurus rex at 27 km h 17 mph 1 The well preserved integument has retained its texture and researchers have mapped it in three dimensions The scales are of different sizes and researchers speculate that their pattern may reflect the animal s coloration in life For example areas of an arm s joints are textured in what resembles a striped pattern 1 This fossil s examination was the subject of Dino Autopsy a documentary aired on National Geographic Channel on December 9 2007 1 The specimen was previously housed at the Marmarth Research Foundation MRF under the catalog number MRF 3 but now it is permanently part of the collection of the North Dakota Geological Survey located at the State of North Dakota under the specimen number catalogue NDGS 2000 3 Taphonomy edit nbsp Proposed preservational scenario for Dakota Dinosaur fossils with Dakota s degree of preservation are extremely rare because many different factors must come together to allow it to occur The carcass first must escape scavengers as well as degradation by the elements The soft tissue must then be mineralized before it decomposes Finally as with all fossils the mineralized body must escape destruction by geological forces over millions of years 1 News reports have referred to Dakota as mummified however it is actually a fossil of a mummified dinosaur where the animal s dried tissues have been transformed to rock through fossilization 2 Stephanie K Drumheller and team in 2022 proposed that Dakota was exceptionally preserved because of several identified scavenging marks to the carcass which helped to escape the gases fluids and microbes that develop during decomposition This may have likely allowed soft tissues to withstand the weeks and or months required for desiccation prior to burial and eventual fossilization 3 See also edit nbsp Dinosaurs portal Timeline of hadrosaur research Edmontosaurus mummy AMNH 5060 Edmontosaurus mummy SMF R 4036 Dueling DinosaursReferences edit a b c d e f Mummified Dinosaur Unveiled National Geographic News 3 December 2007 Archived from the original on 2007 12 04 a b Lee Christopher 3 December 2007 Scientists Get Rare Look at Dinosaur Soft Tissue The Washington Post Retrieved 2007 12 03 a b Drumheller S K Boyd C A Barnes B M S Householder M L 2022 Biostratinomic alterations of an Edmontosaurus mummy reveal a pathway for soft tissue preservation without invoking exceptional conditions PLOS ONE 17 10 e0275240 Bibcode 2022PLoSO 1775240D doi 10 1371 journal pone 0275240 PMC 9555629 PMID 36223345 External links edit nbsp Media related to Dakota at Wikimedia Commons nbsp Data related to Edmontosaurus at Wikispecies Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dakota fossil amp oldid 1207372421, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
