Dino in Vienna: Plateosaurus with a deadly cock discovered as a weapon!

Dino in Vienna: Plateosaurus with a deadly cock discovered as a weapon!

In the Natural History Museum Vienna, the Plateosaurus Trossingenensis is an exciting topic for paleontology. This dinosaurs lived about 210 million years ago during the Triassic period and was able to reach an impressive length of up to eight meters. The latest research results show that the Plateosaurus was able to actively use its cock as a weapon against predators, an ability to survive it in a dangerous environment. The museum has been presenting the remains of this kind in its collection since 2021.

A research team examined the anatomy of the tail of a copy found in Switzerland. The results reveal that the tail with a force of up to 1.6 kilo joules on the tail tip and up to 174 kilo joules could be picked up when using the entire tail. This indicates that the Plateosaurus developed effective defense mechanisms despite the lack of obvious defense characteristics such as bone tanks or horns.

new discoveries and old injuries

The injuries to the tail bones of a holotype of the Plateosaurus have raised the interest of scientists. Joep Schaeffer, a paleontologist at the Stuttgart Natural History Museum, examined these conditions again. Almost 15% of the analyzed fossils showed similar injuries that could be due to different causes. It remains unclear whether it is injuries that have arisen by staying in the mud or by conflicts with predators. Protected animals such as phytosaurs could have attacked the dinosaurs from below or back, which led to these injuries.

Research on Plateosaurus Trossingensis is particularly important to understand evolutionary relationships with previous dinosaurs. Over 250 finds from Germany, Switzerland and France document the far-reaching distribution of this kind. The first extensive description of the skeleton of this kind dates from 1926 after the first complete skeleton in Trossingen, Baden-Württemberg, was discovered.

meaning of the finds

Plateosaurus Trossingensis is a herbivorous dinosaurs and is considered the forerunner of the famous Suropods, which later became the largest land animals on earth. In addition to the exciting anatomical research, the finds also offer deeper insights into the way of life of this dinosaurs and their place in the ecosystem.

For interested parties in paleontology and natural history, the Senckenberg Naturmuseum offers an impressive collection in Frankfurt. It exhibits more than 10,000 exhibits and presents new research results from the areas of biology, paleontology and geology. There, visitors can experience a variety of dinosaur types and other interesting living beings that transform the earth over millions of years.

Overall, the Plateosaurus Trossingensis not only illustrates the diversity of life millions of years ago, but also the complexity of the interactions between different species. These findings are crucial for understanding evolution and the biology of the dinosaurs.

More information about the Plateosaurus and its history can be found at oe24.at and that Staatsanzeiger.