Information about Mahakala (dinosaur)
| Mahakala Fossil range: Late Cretaceous | ||||||||||||||||
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Mahakala (from Sanskrit, named for Mahakala, one of eight protector deities (dharmapalas) in Tibetan Buddhism) is a genus of basal dromaeosaurid dinosaur from the Campanian-age (about 75 million years ago) Upper Cretaceous Djadokhta Formation of Ömnögov, Mongolia. It is based on a partial skeleton found in the Gobi Desert. Mahakala was a small dromaeosaurid (approximately 70 centimeters long (28 in)), and its skeleton shows features that are also found in early troodontids and avialans. Despite its late appearance, it is among the most basal dromaeosaurids. Its small size, and the small size of other basal deinonychosaurians, suggests that small size appeared before flight capability in birds.
Description
Mahakala is based on IGM 100/1033, a partial skeleton including skull bones, vertebrae, limb bones, and portions of the pelvis and shoulder girdle. Although this individual was small, comparable in size to Archaeopteryx, Caudipteryx, and Mei, it was close to adulthood. This genus can be distinguished from other paravians (dromaeosaurids, troodontids, and birds) by details of the ulna, thighbone, ilium, and tail vertebrae. Like Archaeopteryx and derived dromaeosaurids, but unlike basal troodontids and other dromaeosaurids, the middle (third) metatarsal was not compressed, suggesting that the uncompressed version was the basal version. It had a typical dromaeosaurid form of the second toe, with an expanded claw.[1]Classification
A phylogenetic analysis performed by Turner and colleagues, who described the specimen, found Mahakala to be the most basal known dromaeosaurid. Their results, along with the small size of other theropods found at the base of paravian lineages, suggest that small size was not an innovation of early birds, but a common trait of early paravians; small size would have preceded flight and would not have been a special avian autapomorphy as the result of a size squeeze. Like birds, troodontids and dromaeosaurids did not retain small size throughout their evolutionary history, and had several separate size increases among different lineages. Mahakala also shows a combination of characteristics found among basal troodontids and birds, and is missing some that are present in more derived dromaeosaurids.[1]Paleoecology and paleobiology
The paleoenvironment of the Djadokhta Formation is interpreted as having a semiarid climate, with sand dune and alluvial settings. The semiarid steppe landscape was drained by intermittent streams and was sometimes affected by dust and sandstorms, and moisture was seasonal. Animals present included terrestrial turtles and crocodilians, lizards, mammals, and a variety of dinosaurs; aquatic animals like fish are not present. The majority of the fauna was small to medium-sized.[2] Small coelurosaurians are the most diverse dinosaurs, including fellow dromaeosaurid Velociraptor, troodontids Byronosaurus and Saurornithoides, oviraptorids Citipati, Khaan, and Oviraptor, and alvarezsaurs Mononykus and Shuvuuia; other dinosaurs present included ceratopsian Protoceratops and ankylosaurid Pinacosaurus.[3] Like other dromaeosaurids, Mahakala would have been a small active predaceous carnivore.[4]References
1. ^ Turner, Alan H.; Pol, Diego; Clarke, Julia A.; Erickson, Gregory M.; and Norell, Mark (2007). "A basal dromaeosaurid and size evolution preceding avian flight" (pdf). Science 317: 1378-1381. DOI:10.1126/science.1144066.
2. ^ Jerzykiewicz, Tom (1997). "Djadokhta Formation", Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs. San Diego: Academic Press, 188-191. ISBN 0-12-226810-5.
3. ^ Weishampel, David B.; Barrett, Paul M.; Coria, Rodolfo A.; Le Loueff, Jean; Xu Xing; Zhao Xijin; Sahni, Ashok; Gomani, Elizabeth M.P.; and Noto, Christopher N. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution", in Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.): The Dinosauria, 2nd, Berkeley: University of California Press, 517-606. ISBN 0-520-24209-2.
4. ^ Norell, Mark A.; and Makovicky, Peter J. (2004). "Dromaeosauridae", in Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka: The Dinosauria, 2nd edition, Berkeley: University of California Press, 196-210. ISBN 0-520-24209-2.
2. ^ Jerzykiewicz, Tom (1997). "Djadokhta Formation", Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs. San Diego: Academic Press, 188-191. ISBN 0-12-226810-5.
3. ^ Weishampel, David B.; Barrett, Paul M.; Coria, Rodolfo A.; Le Loueff, Jean; Xu Xing; Zhao Xijin; Sahni, Ashok; Gomani, Elizabeth M.P.; and Noto, Christopher N. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution", in Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.): The Dinosauria, 2nd, Berkeley: University of California Press, 517-606. ISBN 0-520-24209-2.
4. ^ Norell, Mark A.; and Makovicky, Peter J. (2004). "Dromaeosauridae", in Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka: The Dinosauria, 2nd edition, Berkeley: University of California Press, 196-210. ISBN 0-520-24209-2.
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Late Cretaceous (100mya - 65mya) refers to the second half of the Cretaceous Period, named after the famous white chalk cliffs of southern England, which date from this time. Rocks deposited during the Late Cretaceous Period are referred to as the Upper Cretaceous Series.
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Scientific classification or biological classification is a method by which biologists group and categorize species of organisms. Scientific classification also can be called scientific taxonomy, but should be distinguished from folk taxonomy, which lacks scientific basis.
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Chordata
Bateson, 1885
Typical Classes
See below
Chordates (phylum Chordata) are a group of animals that includes the vertebrates, together with several closely related invertebrates.
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Bateson, 1885
Typical Classes
See below
Chordates (phylum Chordata) are a group of animals that includes the vertebrates, together with several closely related invertebrates.
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Sauropsida*
Goodrich, 1916
Subclasses
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Goodrich, 1916
Subclasses
- Anapsida
- Diapsida
- Reptilia Laurenti, 1768
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Dinosauria *
Owen, 1842
Orders & Suborders
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Owen, 1842
Orders & Suborders
- Ornithischia
- Cerapoda
- Thyreophora
- Saurischia
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Saurischia
Seeley, 1887
Suborders
Saurischia (from the Greek sauros (σαυρος) meaning 'lizard' and ischion (
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Seeley, 1887
Suborders
- Theropoda
- Sauropodomorpha
Saurischia (from the Greek sauros (σαυρος) meaning 'lizard' and ischion (
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Theropoda
Marsh, 1881
Infraorders
Theropods ('beast feet') are a group of bipedal saurischian dinosaurs.
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Marsh, 1881
Infraorders
- Carnosauria
- Ceratosauria
- Deinonychosauria
- Ornithomimosauria
- Oviraptorosauria
Theropods ('beast feet') are a group of bipedal saurischian dinosaurs.
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Dromaeosauridae
Matthew & Brown, 1922
Genera
See text.
Dromaeosauridae is a family of bird-like theropod dinosaurs. They were mainly small, gracile carnivores that flourished in the Cretaceous Period.
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Matthew & Brown, 1922
Genera
See text.
Dromaeosauridae is a family of bird-like theropod dinosaurs. They were mainly small, gracile carnivores that flourished in the Cretaceous Period.
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species is one of the basic units of biological classification. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring.
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In biology, a type is that which fixes a name to a taxon. Depending on the nomenclature code which is applied to the organism in question, a type may be a specimen, culture, illustration, description or taxon.
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Sanskrit}}} | style="padding-left: 0.5em;" | Writing system: | colspan="2" style="padding-left: 0.5em;" | Devanāgarī and several other Brāhmī-based scripts ! colspan="3" style="text-align: center; color: black; background-color: lawngreen;"|Official
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Mahakala is a Dharmapala ("protector of dharma") in Vajrayana Buddhism (Tibetan Buddhism and Japanese Shingon Buddhism).
In Japanese Buddhism, Mahakala (Jpn: Daikoku), belongs to the fourth hierarchy of deities (tenbu).
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In Japanese Buddhism, Mahakala (Jpn: Daikoku), belongs to the fourth hierarchy of deities (tenbu).
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In Vajrayana Buddhism, a dharmapāla (Tibetan drag-gshed) is a type of wrathful deity. The name means "Dharma-defender" in Sanskrit, and the dharmapalas are also known as the Defenders of the Law (Dharma) or the Protectors of the Law in English.
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Tibetan Buddhism is the body of religious Buddhist doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and the Himalayan regions which include northern Nepal, Bhutan, India (Arunachal Pradesh, Ladakh and Sikkim), Mongolia, Russia (Kalmykia, Buryatia and Tuva) and northeastern China
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genus (plural: genera) is part of the Latinized name for an organism. It is a name which reflects the classification of the organism by grouping it with other closely similar organisms.
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In phylogenetics, basal members of a group diverged earlier than a subgroup of others (or vice versa). It is often used in opposition to the word derived. The following are example usages of the term basal:....
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Dromaeosauridae
Matthew & Brown, 1922
Genera
See text.
Dromaeosauridae is a family of bird-like theropod dinosaurs. They were mainly small, gracile carnivores that flourished in the Cretaceous Period.
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Matthew & Brown, 1922
Genera
See text.
Dromaeosauridae is a family of bird-like theropod dinosaurs. They were mainly small, gracile carnivores that flourished in the Cretaceous Period.
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Dinosauria *
Owen, 1842
Orders & Suborders
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Owen, 1842
Orders & Suborders
- Ornithischia
- Cerapoda
- Thyreophora
- Saurischia
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The Campanian is a stage on the geologic time scale occurring from 83.5 ± 0.7 Ma to 70.6 ± 0.6 Ma (million years ago).
It is the middle stage of the Late Cretaceous Epoch.
It is named after the French village of Champagne in the departement Charente-Maritime.
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It is the middle stage of the Late Cretaceous Epoch.
It is named after the French village of Champagne in the departement Charente-Maritime.
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Late Cretaceous (100mya - 65mya) refers to the second half of the Cretaceous Period, named after the famous white chalk cliffs of southern England, which date from this time. Rocks deposited during the Late Cretaceous Period are referred to as the Upper Cretaceous Series.
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The Djadochta Formation (also sometimes written Djadokhta) is situated in central Asia (Gobi Desert) and dates from the Late Cretaceous Period. It preserves a habitat of sand dunes.
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Ömnögovi Aimag (Mongolian: Өмнөговь аймаг) is one of the 21 aimags (provinces) of Mongolia, located in the south of the country, in the Gobi Desert.
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Anthem
"Монгол улсын төрийн дуулал"
National anthem of Mongolia
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"Монгол улсын төрийн дуулал"
National anthem of Mongolia
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Gobi (Chinese: 戈壁(沙漠) Gēbì (Shāmò); Mongolian: Говь, Govi or Gov
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Troodontidae
Gilmore, 1924
Genera
See text.
Troodontidae is a family of bird-like theropod dinosaurs.
In previous decades, troodontid fossils were few and scrappy and they have therefore been allied, at various times, with nearly every
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Gilmore, 1924
Genera
See text.
Troodontidae is a family of bird-like theropod dinosaurs.
In previous decades, troodontid fossils were few and scrappy and they have therefore been allied, at various times, with nearly every
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Avialae
Gauthier, 1986
Sub-clades
Avialae ("bird wings") is a clade containing birds (Aves) and their most immediate dinosaurian relatives.
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Gauthier, 1986
Sub-clades
- Aves
- Epidendrosaurus
Avialae ("bird wings") is a clade containing birds (Aves) and their most immediate dinosaurian relatives.
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Deinonychosauria
Colbert & Russell, 1969
Families
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Colbert & Russell, 1969
Families
- Dromaeosauridae
- Troodontidae
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Aves
Linnaeus, 1758
Orders
About two dozen - see section below
Birds (class Aves) are bipedal, warm-blooded, egg-laying vertebrate animals.
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Linnaeus, 1758
Orders
About two dozen - see section below
Birds (class Aves) are bipedal, warm-blooded, egg-laying vertebrate animals.
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The Vertebral Column (singular: vertebra) are the individual irregular bones that make up the spinal column (aka ischis) — a flexuous and flexible column.
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Herod_Archelaus
