Previous news
“Center for Chinese Fossil Discoveries”
05/09/2008
Posted by Luis M. Chiappe
The new Center for Chinese Fossil Discoveries is a joint initiative between the University of Southern California (USC) and The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHM). This center will share resources and develop joint projects related to Chinese paleontology under the leadership of Dr. David Bottjer, Chair of the Department of Earth Sciences at USC, and Dr. Luis Chiappe, Director of the Dinosaur Institute (NHM).
Over the past decade China has been found to have extensive and exquisite fossil deposits that have the possibility of providing answers to many of the most important questions on evolution and the history of life. These Chinese fossils have been so spectacular that collaborative research on them has resulted in many publications in the journals Science and Nature, the most prestigious outlets for scientific publishing, and attracted media attention worldwide. The Chinese government has recognized that investments in fossil research bring scientific results acclaimed at the international level, so there has been a significant amount of funding in China directed towards paleobiological research and education. Both Dr. Bottjer and Dr. Chiappe have conducted years of research in China and have established collaborative projects with some of the most prestigious research and education centers in China. As part of its educational mission the Center will sponsor symposia and speaker series open to the public that will foster an awareness of spectacular Chinese fossils and their importance for answering fundamental biological problems. The Center will also sponsor and promote exhibits at the NHMLAC and maintain a webpage of research, educational programs, and discoveries, which will expose large portions of the public to science, paleobiology, and the magnificent fossil treasures of China.
New research on strange filter-feeding flying reptile
03/11/2008
Posted by Luis M. Chiappe
Pterosaurs were a diverse group of flying reptiles that lived during the Mesozoic, when large terrestrial dinosaurs roamed. Like the large dinosaurs they also became extinct at the end of the Cretaceous. The fossil record yields a large number of different species of pterosaurs, yet many questions remain unanswered about their biology such as: How long did it take for a hatchling to grow to adult size? What kind of growth patterns did they have? Answers to some of these questions have been addressed for the bizarre filter feeding pterosaur - Pterodaustro - that lived about 100 million years ago in what is now Argentina. Dr Luis Chiappe, director of the Dinosaur Institute, led many of the expeditions to collect these creatures as well as contributing significantly to this current research.
This unusual pterosaur is represented by hundreds of individuals - from an embryo within its egg to tiny hatchlings with wing spans of only about 30cm to adults with wingspans of up to 2.5m. This incredible range of different-sized individuals has provided the unique opportunity for an international team of scientists to study its growth and development. The microscopic structure of Pterodaustro’s bones showed that juveniles grew rapidly for about 2 years until they reached approximately 53% of their adult body size. They appear to have attained sexual maturity at this stage, but continued to grow for at least another 3-4 years at comparatively slower rates until larger adult body sizes were attained. The histological analysis provides further definitive evidence that Pterodaustro had a determinate growth strategy i.e. like mammals and birds; they stopped growing at a certain size, unlike modern reptiles that typically grow for as long as they live.
Chinsamy A., Codorniú L., and Chiappe L.M. (2008). Developmental growth patterns of the filter-feeder pterosaur, Pterodaustro guiñazui. Royal Society's Biology letters.
Available online at:
http://journals.royalsociety.org/content/98443w8551537723/
Fieldwork
10/23/07
Posted by Luis M. Chiappe
The Dinosaur Institute's summer field season began in June with an expedition to the beautiful badlands of San Juan County, southeastern Utah. We took a small crew of eight people, consisting of some of our staff and volunteers, along with colleagues from Spain and Portugal. The purpose of this trip was to explore the important late Jurassic aged rocks (~150mya) in that area and examine the potential for future expeditions. The drive from Los Angeles took us through some of the most beautiful parts of the Southwest, including the Permian aged pinnacles of Monument Valley and the red Triassic rocks of the Navajo Nation. We set up camp for three weeks on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) property near the town of Blanding, UT. This was the Museum's first collecting trip in this area, therefore a lot of time was spent examining maps, driving and hiking. The badlands were mostly made up of layers of green/gray and purple sediments. Overall the mission was a success! We uncovered several sauropod specimens that we were able to bring back to the lab this year but we also discovered some exciting sites for next year! These include Stegosaurus remains, sauropod tracks and yet unknown dinosaur remains.
In late July, we set out on the 2007 Carl Holland Dinosaur Expedition, returning to Carter County in southeastern Montana. This was our 5th year working in the late Cretaceous deposits on BLM land near the small town of Ekalaka. As always our expedition started with a two and a half day drive from Los Angeles in our field vehicles and all of our gear. We set up camp in a great shaded location kindly chosen by rancher Mr. Charles Parks on his private property. Our primary mission this year was to collect a Triceratops skeleton that had been discovered in 2006. It took the best part of a month to expose, plaster jacket and transport the partial skeleton back to Los Angeles. We had a larger team for this trip consisting of some of our staff, students, and volunteers, but we were also joined by colleagues from the American Museum of Natural History (New York), the Natural History Museum in Vienna (Austria), and local enthusiasts. We also found several micro-sites close-by where we collected the remains of tiny mammals, crocodiles, and a variety of other vertebrate fauna that lived alongside Triceratops. We also discovered a new site for next year, potentially a duck-billed dinosaur skeleton! The Triceratops is planned to go on display in the museum's new dinosaur gallery.
Giant ‘Terror Bird’ Fossil Found
12/02/06
Posted by Luis M. Chiappe
An article published in this week’s scientific journal Nature details an enormous fearsome fossil of the extinct phorusrhacids, giants called ‘terror birds’. This study is co-authored by Dr. Luis Chiappe and Dr. Sara Bertelli of the Dinosaur Institute. The phorusrhacids were vicious flightless birds able to snap up dog-sized creatures that flourished in South America between 60 and 2 million years ago.
The new fossil was discovered in 15-million-year-old rocks in Patagonia (located in Comallo, Argentina). This specimen includes a horse-sized, virtually complete skull of a gigantic phorusrhacid that would have stood about 10 feet tall. Apart from this fossil being the remains of the largest known bird to date, it also gives us important information regarding the significant changes that occurred during the evolution of terror birds. The study shows that the skulls of the largest terror birds were very different from those of their smaller relatives. Furthermore, the new study challenges the traditional view that during the evolution of these birds, they became slower and less agile as they grew bigger.
During much of the time that terror birds existed, South America was an island continent where species evolved in isolation from the rest of the world. With no large carnivorous mammals to compete with, the terror birds became the top predators of this continent. The new fossil adds significantly to our knowledge of the evolution of terror birds, and future discoveries are likely to reveal a much greater diversity of these fascinating birds
Glorified Dinosaurs
11/28/06
Posted by Luis M. Chiappe
How is the bloodthirsty T. rex on-screen in your local cinema related to the birds you see gathering in the park? A glimpse into this book shows that the past few years have seen the link between modern birds and dinosaurs proven time and again. Written by one of the foremost authorities in his field, Glorified Dinosaurs details both the story behind this recent evolutionary discovery, as well as the finer points of the discoveries themselves. The results of exhaustive expeditions around the world have been published to explain, much of it for the first time in book form, a unique look into the evolutionary story of birds. The link is easily formed through discussion of physical changes in the context of functional advances.
Created less for academics and more for enthusiasts everywhere, Glorified Dinosaurs offers thorough access to these breathtaking discoveries in a very readable format, supplemented through full color photos and illustrations. Critically acclaimed from researchers and experts around the world, Glorified Dinosaurs is sure to become a must-have resource for anyone interested in birds, dinosaurs or evolution in general.
Dr. Luis M. Chiappe is the Director of the Dinosaur Institue as well as Curator of the Vertebrate Paleontology department at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. He has published numerous works on the evolution of birds and dinosaurs, and is considered one of the foremost authorities in the world on the topic of avian evolution.
