Complete Skull of the Smallest Known Dinosaur Found Preserved in Amber - IGN - IGN

Scientists have discovered the complete skull of a previously unknown species of dinosaur, believed to be the smallest on record, in a new study that has raised questions about the ecosystem of the dinosaurs.As detailed in a recent Nature journal, the skeletal fossil, found trapped in a chunk of 99-million-year-old amber, appears to represent the smallest known dinosaur of the Mesozoic era, rivalling the bee hummingbird in size.

The skull of the new species, dubbed Oculudentavis khaungraae, measures 7.1 millimetres in length and features an enlarged and well-defined eye socket, comparable to lizards, together with a jaw packed full of serrated teeth.

Pictures and scans of the preserved skull. Image credit: Nature

"When I first saw this specimen, it really blew my mind. I literally have never seen anything like this," said Professor Jingmai O'Connor from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, per CNN. "There's over 100 teeth present in the jaws. These weird eyes sticking off looking to the side. There's nothing like this alive today."

O'Connor explained how discoveries of skeletal fossils encased in amber had "completely transformed" palaeontology, as she admitted that we're prone to thinking of "huge skeletons" when we think of dinosaurs. Professor Lars Schmitz from Scripps College in California said the study indicates that "we are probably missing a big chunk of the ecosystem of the dinosaurs."

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were set into motion after the discovery of fossilized mosquitoes found in amber, but unfortunately, Xu Xing, a Chinese palaeontologist, who wasn't involved in this particular study, said scientists are unlikely to find this to be a source of genetic material in reality.

"Previously people thought amber will be a great source for DNA or proteins, but recent studies demonstrate that it is probably not the case," Xing explained to the outlet. "But, anyway, it often preserves skin, feathers and other non-skeletal tissues, and... we can get lots of information [from this]."

This certainly isn't the first time scientists have discovered elements in ancient fossils. A few years ago scientists at Imperial College London found blood cells in a fossilized dinosaur claw. In other discoveries, the oldest meat-eating dinosaur was recently discovered in Brazil and an amber-preserved beetle was also recently found, showing signs of ancient insect pollination.

Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

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2020-03-12 14:39:37Z
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