Is recently discovered dinosaur a missing link?

Started by fencerider, August 16, 2017, 09:03:29 PM

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fencerider

Summary: A small dinosaur the size of a kangaroo has been under study since it was discovered in Chile. - named Chilesaurus. Because it resembles a velociraptor, initial assessment placed it as a relative of therapod. After study began it became obvious this dinosaur is a vegetarian. Scientists started finding features of ornithischia, but also found features of therapod. After careful observation the scientists have come to the conclusion that Chilesaurus is a hybrid of therapod and ornithischia.

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/aug/16/most-bizarre-dinosaur-ever-found-is-missing-evolutionary-link-chilesaurus


Alright I admit I'm not up to speed on my dinosaur types, but I hope the people that are find this interesting...
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Baruch

Yes, must be a missing link, because I don't see convergent evolution making a hybrid between the two dinosaur orders.  Unless it was really trans ... it was a T-Rex trapped in the body of a Stegasaurus ;-)

Chilesaurus ... probably had an evolutionary advantage, its flesh was too spicy for most predators ;-)
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Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Mr.Obvious

The way I understand it, every fossil out there is a 'missing link', no?
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Cavebear

Not a hybrid.  Just as among the original plant-eaters, some became carnivores, it can go the other way too.  Hybrid implies a species meld.
Atheist born, atheist bred.  And when I die, atheist dead!

Baruch

Quote from: Mr.Obvious on August 17, 2017, 02:11:13 AM
The way I understand it, every fossil out there is a 'missing link', no?

Like all people are equal, but some are more equal than others ... all fossils are missing links, but some are more missing that others.  Some aren't missing at all ... coelacanths.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Gawdzilla Sama

It may be a "hybrid" of the characteristics of the two dinos, but they didn't make whoopee.
We 'new atheists' have a reputation for being militant, but make no mistake  we didn't start this war. If you want to place blame put it on the the religious zealots who have been poisoning the minds of the  young for a long long time."
PZ Myers

Cavebear

Quote from: Gawdzilla Sama on August 17, 2017, 07:41:11 AM
It may be a "hybrid" of the characteristics of the two dinos, but they didn't make whoopee.

No, 2 planteaters don't suddenly make a carnivore.  But at least one carnivore became a vegetarian.

TUESDAY, Aug. 15, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- A odd-looking vegetarian dinosaur named Chilesaurus could be the "missing link" between the plant eaters and meat eaters of its time, researchers report.

The dinosaur, named after Chile, the country of its discovery, has mystified scientists. For instance, its head looks like that of a carnivore, but instead of sharp teeth it had the flat teeth that are typically used to chew plants.
Atheist born, atheist bred.  And when I die, atheist dead!

Gawdzilla Sama

Quote from: Cavebear on August 17, 2017, 08:33:21 AM
No, 2 planteaters don't suddenly make a carnivore.  But at least one carnivore became a vegetarian.

TUESDAY, Aug. 15, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- A odd-looking vegetarian dinosaur named Chilesaurus could be the "missing link" between the plant eaters and meat eaters of its time, researchers report.

The dinosaur, named after Chile, the country of its discovery, has mystified scientists. For instance, its head looks like that of a carnivore, but instead of sharp teeth it had the flat teeth that are typically used to chew plants.
Yeah, but not by fucking a herbivore. That's what "hybrid" means. I wonder if the original paper used that term?
We 'new atheists' have a reputation for being militant, but make no mistake  we didn't start this war. If you want to place blame put it on the the religious zealots who have been poisoning the minds of the  young for a long long time."
PZ Myers

Cavebear

Quote from: Gawdzilla Sama on August 17, 2017, 08:37:24 AM
Yeah, but not by fucking a herbivore. That's what "hybrid" means. I wonder if the original paper used that term?

You are using "hybrid" wrongly.  Please stop.
Atheist born, atheist bred.  And when I die, atheist dead!

Gawdzilla Sama

Quote from: Cavebear on August 17, 2017, 08:45:34 AM
You are using "hybrid" wrongly.  Please stop.
Please give me the official definition.
We 'new atheists' have a reputation for being militant, but make no mistake  we didn't start this war. If you want to place blame put it on the the religious zealots who have been poisoning the minds of the  young for a long long time."
PZ Myers

Cavebear

Quote from: Gawdzilla Sama on August 17, 2017, 06:45:35 PM
Please give me the official definition.
A crossbreed of 2 related species of plants or animals that produce viable offspring.  The offspring themselves may or may not be fertile themselves but must at least be able to exist on their own.  A Liger is a hybrid of a lion and tiger.  The 2 cats are closely-enough related to produce a viable offspring thought they would generally not mate in the wild. 

Some genetic similarity is required.  You can't mate (at least not yet - but genetics advance every year) a cow and a camel, their common ancestry is too far apart  You can't mate any herbivore and carnivore I can think of.  THEIR ancestry is WAY far apart.

If you are thinking about humans, all humans are the same species and easily reproduce at will (and boy do they ever!  If you are thinking about dinosaurs, you can't have a tyranno-brontosaurus.  Their lines diverged about 220 million years ago. 

Does that help?



Atheist born, atheist bred.  And when I die, atheist dead!

Gawdzilla Sama

The OP said "hybrid". I was saying it isn't a hybrid. Problem?
We 'new atheists' have a reputation for being militant, but make no mistake  we didn't start this war. If you want to place blame put it on the the religious zealots who have been poisoning the minds of the  young for a long long time."
PZ Myers

Hydra009

Quote from: Mr.Obvious on August 17, 2017, 02:11:13 AM
The way I understand it, every fossil out there is a 'missing link', no?
Potentially.  Except the ones that go extinct before speciating.  A missing link  (aka transitional) is always recognized in hindsight.

The term missing link bugs me because it's presented as this huge problem for evolution.  But for every "missing" link that is found, you get two new "missing links".  And it's impossible to ever have complete records.  Fossils are snapshots in time and some people want to see the whole reel (which doesn't exist) before declaring that two photos could possibly be related.  It's idiotic.

Gawdzilla Sama

Quote from: Hydra009 on August 18, 2017, 02:15:07 AM
Potentially.  Except the ones that go extinct before speciating.  A missing link  (aka transitional) is always recognized in hindsight.

The term missing link bugs me because it's presented as this huge problem for evolution.  But for every "missing" link that is found, you get two new "missing links".  And it's impossible to ever have complete records.  Fossils are snapshots in time and some people want to see the whole reel (which doesn't exist) before declaring that two photos could possibly be related.  It's idiotic.
To have no missing links we just have to line up the skeletons of every single animal and plant that ever lived. Simple.
We 'new atheists' have a reputation for being militant, but make no mistake  we didn't start this war. If you want to place blame put it on the the religious zealots who have been poisoning the minds of the  young for a long long time."
PZ Myers

Unbeliever

A missing link!? Don't tell Ken Ham, he may have a stroke!



On the other hand, go ahead and tell him.
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