Two students stumble on new dinosaur (with a killer cousin)
A NEW species of dinosaur with scythe-like claws and bad family connections has been discovered in China.
British student scientist Michael Pittman and an American colleague stumbled on the near-complete fossil skeleton of Linheraptor exquisitus on a field trip to Inner Mongolia.
The 8ft-long creature is related to the Velociraptor, one of the terrifying stars of Jurassic Park. Like its famous cousin, Linheraptor had a large curved claw on each foot, which may have been used to dispatch prey.
The dinosaur, which lived 75 million years ago, would have been agile and swift.
Mr Pittman said: "Jonah saw a claw protruding from the cliff face. He carefully removed it.
I told him it was from a carnivorous dinosaur, and when he agreed I'm surprised nobody in London heard us shouting."
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Monday 20 February 2012
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