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Double-clawed Dromaeosaur

PostPosted: Sun Sep 26, 2010 8:40 pm
by Hopeflower
Dunno how many have heard about his, but apparently a new species of dromaeosaur was discovered in Romania at the end of August. The species has been christened Balaur bondoc, meaning "stocky dragon".

It's got a number of unique features. While it has the signature sickle claw on the second toe, it also has a second on its first toe. Some of the bones in its hands are fused together, limiting its grasping capabilities. And it had shorter, stockier legs than Velociraptor, and several other features that hint it was more adapted for strength than for speed.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11137905

Not much info there, but a nice pic of the double claws.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Balaur_bondoc.jpg

What the animal might have looked like.

PostPosted: Sun Sep 26, 2010 9:34 pm
by UndeadRaptor
Man, that's cool. Something like that looks like a better killing machine than most raptors...

PostPosted: Sun Sep 26, 2010 9:44 pm
by Hopeflower
Maybe so. Personally, I think two sickle claws on each foot might be a little awkward, but hey. If it works...don't mess with success.

The fused hand bones are what interest me. More proof that dinosaurs evolved into birds? Or just an odd twist of fate?

PostPosted: Sun Sep 26, 2010 11:52 pm
by Godzilla Forever
Looks like a nightmarish beast to me.....

PostPosted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 2:17 am
by Evil Eye
Hopeflower wrote:Maybe so. Personally, I think two sickle claws on each foot might be a little awkward, but hey. If it works...don't mess with success.

The fused hand bones are what interest me. More proof that dinosaurs evolved into birds? Or just an odd twist of fate?

Definitely more proof, along with the mountains of which we've been sitting on.