Scientists discover clues to the mystery of Tyrannosaurus Rex’s short arms Sciences

In an article published in the academic journal Current Biology, scientists say the skeletal remains of a new, previously unknown dinosaur have been found in northern Patagonia.

nickname Miraxis GegasIts length was 11 meters, the skull was 1.2 meters long, but its arms were only 60.9 centimeters. Scientists believe that the short arms gave this carnivorous animal a survival advantage.

“I am convinced that these relatively smaller arms have some sort of function. The skeleton shows large muscular connections and fully developed pectoral structures, so the arms had strong muscles,” said Juan Canal, lead author of the study.

“They may have used their arms in reproductive behaviour, to hold the female during intercourse or as a support to get up from the ground after a rest or fall,” he added.

Peter Makovsky, co-author of the study, said the dinosaur’s arms were “literally half the length of its skull, and the animal wasn’t able to get into its mouth” with its hands.

Makovsky says he believed that the huge head of this species was the main predatory tool, assuming the functions that the arms play in smaller dinosaurs.

a Miraxis GegasNamed after a dragon from the fantasy series Game of Thrones, it belongs to the genus carcharodontosaurs – a Latin-inspired name for “shark-toothed lizards”.

The four-ton reptile could have lived on Earth about 90 to 100 million years ago. Scientists say two other species, such as tyrannosaurs (which includes Tyrannosaurus rex) and abelisaurs, also had short arms for similar reasons.

– The original published text https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/geral-62069618