“Impumulo yenkosi?”. Lelo igama elinikezwe i-hadrosaur esanda kutholakala enegama lesayensi elithi Rhinorex condrupus. Yayidla izitshalo zaseLate Cretaceous eminyakeni eyizigidi ezingu-75 edlule.
Ngokungafani nezinye izinyoni ezibizwa ngokuthi ama-hadrosaur, i-Rhinorex yayingenamathambo noma i-crest ekhanda layo. Kunalokho, yayinekhala elikhulu. Futhi, ayitholakalanga endaweni enamadwala njengamanye ama-hadrosaur kodwa yatholakala eBrigham Young University eshalofini ekamelweni elingemuva.
Sekungamashumi eminyaka abazingeli bezinsalela zezibankwakazi benza imisebenzi yabo nge-pick nefosholo futhi ngezinye izikhathi i-dynamite. Babesika futhi baqhumise amatshe amaningi njalo ehlobo, befuna amathambo. Ama-laboratory aseyunivesithi kanye neminyuziyamu yomlando wemvelo egcwele amathambo ezibankwakazi angaphelele noma aphelele. Nokho, ingxenye enkulu yezinsalela zezibankwakazi isasele emabhokisini nasezingcezu zeplasta ezifakwe emabhokisini okugcina impahla. Abazange banikwe ithuba lokuxoxa izindaba zabo.
Lesi simo sesishintshile manje. Abanye ososayensi be-paleontologists bachaza isayensi ye-dinosaur njengokuvuselelwa kwesibili. Lokho abakushoyo ukuthi kuthathwa izindlela ezintsha zokuthola ukuqonda okujulile ngokuphila nezikhathi zama-dinosaur.
Enye yalezo zindlela ezintsha ukubheka nje lokho osekutholakale kakade, njengoba kwakunjalo nge-Rhinorex.
Ngawo-1990, izinsalela ze-Rhinorex zafakwa eBrigham Young University. Ngaleso sikhathi, izazi ze-paleontologists zagxila emibonweni yesikhumba etholakala emathanjeni esiqu se-hadrosaur, okwashiya isikhathi esincane sezinkakha ezifakwe izinkakha ezisemadwaleni. Ngemuva kwalokho, abacwaningi ababili abalandela i-postdoctoral banquma ukubheka ukhakhayi lwe-dinosaur. Eminyakeni emibili kamuva, kwatholakala i-Rhinorex. Izazi ze-paleontologists zazikhanyisa umsebenzi wazo.
I-Rhinorex yayimbiwe ekuqaleni endaweni yase-Utah ebizwa ngokuthi indawo yaseNeslen. Izazi ze-geology zazinesithombe esicacile sendawo yaseNeslen yakudala. Kwakuyindawo yokuhlala ye-estuarine, indawo ephansi enamanzi lapho amanzi amasha nosawoti ayehlangana khona eduze nogu lolwandle lwasendulo. Kodwa ngaphakathi, ngamakhilomitha angama-200 ukusuka lapho, indawo yayihlukile kakhulu. Amanye ama-hadrosaur, uhlobo lwe-crested, aye ambiwa ngaphakathi ezweni. Ngenxa yokuthi izazi ze-palenontologists zangaphambili azizange zihlole uhlaka oluphelele lwe-Neslen, zacabanga ukuthi nalo kwakuyi-hadrosaur ene-crested. Ngenxa yalokho kucatshangwa, kwatholakala isiphetho sokuthi wonke ama-hadrosaur ane-crested angasebenzisa izinsiza zangaphakathi ne-estuarine ngokulinganayo. Kwaze kwaba yilapho izazi ze-palenotologists ziyihlola kabusha ukuthi empeleni yayiyi-Rhinorex.
Njengengxenye yephazili efika endaweni yayo, ukuthola ukuthi i-Rhinorex yayiwuhlobo olusha lwempilo yaseLate Cretaceous. Ukuthola i-“King Nose” kubonise ukuthi izinhlobo ezahlukene zama-hadrosaurs zashintsha futhi zashintsha ukuze zigcwalise izindawo ezahlukene zemvelo.
Ngokubheka nje eduze izinsalela zamathambo ezigcinweni zokugcina ezinothuli, izazi ze-paleontologists zithola amagatsha amasha omuthi wokuphila wama-dinosaur.
——— Kusuka kuDan Risch
Isikhathi sokuthunyelwe: Feb-01-2023