Toothless, Two-fingered Dinosaur From 68 Million Yrs Ago Found In Mongolia 

Multiple complete skeletons of the new species, named Oksoko avarsan, were unearthed in the Gobi Desert in Mongolia by a University of Edinburgh-led team.

The feathered, omnivorous creatures grew to around two metres long with only two functional digits on each forearm, and also had a large, toothless beak similar to the type seen in parrots today.

Researchers said the remarkably well-preserved fossils provided the first evidence of digit loss in the three-fingered family of dinosaurs known as oviraptors.

The discovery that they could evolve forelimb adaptations suggests the group could alter their diets and lifestyles, and enabled them to diversify and multiply, the team says.

Dr Gregory Funston, of the University of Edinburgh’s School of GeoSciences, who led the study, said: “Oksoko avarsan is interesting because the skeletons are very complete and the way they were preserved resting together shows that juveniles roamed together in groups.

“But more importantly, its two-fingered hand prompted us to look at the way the hand and forelimb changed throughout the evolution of oviraptors, which hadn’t been studied before.

“This revealed some unexpected trends that are a key piece in the puzzle of why oviraptors were so diverse before the extinction that killed the dinosaurs.” Researchers studied the reduction in size, and eventual loss, of a third finger across the oviraptors’ evolutionary history.

The creatures’ arms and hands changed drastically in tandem with migrations to new geographic areas, specifically to what is now North America and the Gobi Desert.

The team also discovered that Oksoko avarsan, like many other prehistoric species, were social as juveniles. The fossil remains of four young dinosaurs were preserved resting together.

Source: https://metro.co.uk/2020/10/07/toothless-two-fingered-dinosaur-unearthed-in-the-gobi-desert-13384777/

Scientists Rediscover A Chameleon In Madagascar Last Seen 100 Years Ago 

Scientists have found the Voeltzkow's chameleon in its natural habitat in northwestern Madagascar, the first time the species were rediscovered in over a century.

Several living specimens of the evasive reptiles were spotted during a targeted expedition, researchers from Germany and Madagascar announced in a research paper published on Friday.

"Our planet is probably facing the beginning of an enormous extinction of species, often referred to as the 'sixth mass extinction', the 'Holocene extinction' or the 'Anthropocene extinction'," researchers wrote.

"Rediscoveries of 'lost' species are very important as they provide crucial data for conservation measures and also bring some hope amidst the biodiversity crisis."

Voeltzkow's chameleons are hard to find because of their very short life span, which only lasts a few months during the rainy season. The reptiles live in areas that are not easily accessible in the wet season, making it even more difficult for scientists to study them.

The chameleons live along the coast between Katsepy and Soalala, as well as Antrema, a new protected region in Madasgar suffering from slash-and-

burn agriculture and wildfires that pose a risk to the animals.

Experts are still looking to learn more about the species, including its conservation status, life history and their genital morphology.

Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2020/11/01/africa/chameleon-species-madagascar-100-years-trnd/index.html