"Ikhala lenkosi?". Lelo igama elinikezwe i-hadrosaur esanda kutholwa enegama lesayensi elithi Rhinorex condrupus. Iphequlula izimila zeLate Cretaceous eminyakeni eyizigidi ezingama-75 edlule.
Ngokungafani namanye ama-hadrosaur, iRhinorex yayingenamathambo noma inyama ekhanda layo. Kunalokho, yayidlala ikhala elikhulu. Futhi, akutholakalanga endaweni enamadwala njengamanye ama-hadrosaur kodwa e-Brigham Young University eshalofini ekamelweni elingemuva.
Kwaphela amashumi eminyaka, abazingeli bezinsalela zama-dinosaur benza imisebenzi yabo ngepiki nefosholo futhi ngezinye izikhathi ne-dynamite. Ayehlikihla futhi aqhumise amathani amatshe ihlobo ngalinye, efuna amathambo. Amalabhorethri enyuvesi kanye namamnyuziyamu omlando wemvelo agcwele ingxenye noma ephelele yamathambo e-dinosaur. Nokho, ingxenye enkulu yezinsalela zamathambo isasele emakhrethini nasezigxotsheni zikakhonkolo ezilahlwa emigqonyeni yokugcina izinto. Abazange banikezwe ithuba lokuxoxa izindaba zabo.
Lesi simo manje sesishintshile. Ezinye izazi ze-paleontologists zichaza isayensi yama-dinosaur njengeqala ukuvuselelwa okwesibili. Abakushoyo ukuthi izindlela ezintsha ziyathathwa ukuze kutholakale ukuqonda okujulile ngempilo nezikhathi zama-dinosaurs.
Enye yalezo zindlela ezintsha ukumane ubheke lokho osekutholakele, njengoba kwenzeka kuRhinorex.
Ngawo-1990, izinsalela ze-Rhinorex zafakwa eBrigham Young University. Ngaleso sikhathi, izazi ze-paleontology zazigxile esikhumbeni esitholakala emathanjeni esiqu se-hadrosaur, okushiya isikhathi esincane sezigebhezi zekhanda ezisasele emadwaleni. Khona-ke, abacwaningi ababili be-postdoctoral banquma ukubheka ugebhezi lwe-dinosaur. Eminyakeni emibili kamuva, i-Rhinorex yatholakala. Izazi ze-paleontology zazinikeza ukukhanya okusha ngomsebenzi wazo.
I-Rhinorex yaqale yambiwa endaweni yase-Utah ebizwa ngokuthi isayithi laseNeslen. Izazi zokwakheka komhlaba zinesithombe esicace kahle sendawo yesizinda se-Neslen yakudala. Kwakuyindawo ehlala umfula, indawo ephansi ewugwadule lapho amanzi ahlanzekile nosawoti ahlangana khona eduze nogu lolwandle lwasendulo. Kodwa phakathi nezwe, ebangeni elingamakhilomitha angu-200, indawo yayihluke kakhulu. Amanye ama-hadrosaur, uhlobo lwe-crested, ambiwe phakathi nezwe. Ngenxa yokuthi izazi ze-palenontologists zangaphambili azizange zihlole uhlaka lwamathambo lwe-Neslen oluphelele, zacabanga ukuthi nawo kwakuyi-hadrosaur echotshoziwe. Njengomphumela walokho kucatshangelwa, kwafinyelelwa esiphethweni sokuthi wonke ama-hadrosaur angama-crested ayengaxhaphaza izinsiza ezingaphakathi nezwe kanye ne-estuarine ngokulinganayo. Kwaze kwaba yilapho izazi ze-palenotologists ziphinde zayihlola ukuthi empeleni kwakuyi-Rhinorex.
Njengocezu lwephazili olungena endaweni, ukuthola ukuthi i-Rhinorex yayiwuhlobo olusha lwempilo yaseLate Cretaceous. Ukuthola i-“King Nose” kubonise ukuthi izinhlobo ezahlukene zama-hadrosaur zajwayela futhi zavela ukuze zigcwalise izindawo ezihlukene zemvelo.
Ngokubheka eduze izinsalela ezisemigqonyeni yokugcina izinto ezinothuli, izazi ze-paleontologist zithola amagatsha amasha esihlahla se-dinosaur sokuphila.
——— Kusuka ku-Dan Risch
Isikhathi sokuthumela: Feb-01-2023