The rumors are true – scientists described a new dinosaur that was found in 2019 in Peru. Alive! The “Inti tanager” aka San Pedro tanager is a newly discovered dinosaur and lives in Western Bolivia and South Peru. It belongs to the Theropoda, a dinosaur group with hollow bones and three-toed limbs. They’re part of the saurischian dinosaurs, along with dinosaurs like the Allosaurus, Giganotosaurus, and even Tyrannosaurus Rex.
Avian Dinosaurs Survived Into Modern Times
Scientists are now trying to find more information about it. This confirms the hypothesis that dinosaurs have survived into modern times.
There were first signs of a new dinosaur species in Bolivia as early as 1993 when unknown eggshells were discovered that could not be assigned to any animal. At least until now.
How the animals were able to hide for so long remains a mystery, as both sexes have powerful songs and colorful plumage, which supports the assumption that dinosaurs like the velociraptor, also part of the Theropoda, also had feathers.
The species wasn’t discovered earlier because of its elusive nature, and its habitat is nearly unreachable to humans. Not much is known about their population, but the Inti tanager is probably currently not threatened although China’s potential plans to build a railroad near their habitat may end in massive deforestation.
Why Birds Are Classified As Dinosaurs
Birds are classified as dinosaurs because of their skeletal structure. They share numerous anatomical similarities with their avian dinosaur ancestors. For example, birds possess a wishbone (furcula), lack teeth, and have three support digits on each foot. These characters are shared only by theropod dinosaurs among extant vertebrates. It’s quite strange if you think about it: Dinosaurs 65 million years ago might have looked like modern birds, but much bigger. The Tanagers are the second-largest family of birds. Tanagers are monogamous birds, and both parents care about their young. They feed the nestlings and help them grow up by teaching them to recognize foods and predators.
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Source: https://academic.oup.com/auk/article/138/4/ukab059/6414067
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