Fossil of single-clawed species

Fossil of single-clawed species discovered in China

New species: A fossil found in China of a previously unknown single-clawed species has shed light on the evolution of dinosaurs. Picture: Todd Marshall Source: The Daily Telegraph

A FOSSIL found in China of a previously unknown single-clawed species has shed light on the evolution of dinosaurs, international scientists said Monday.

The species of monodactyl theropod was unearthed in China's Inner Mongolia region, the scientists said.

Theropods are a primarily carnivorous group that includes the well-known tyrannosaurus and velociraptor. Theropods had short forelimbs and ran or walked on their hind legs, eventually giving rise to modern birds.

Lead Chinese researcher Xu Xing and colleagues discovered the Linhenykus monodactylus fossil in rocks from the Upper Cretaceous Wulansuhai formation near Inner Mongolia's Linhe city, according to a report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The rock formation dates back 75 million to 84 million years and is one of the world's richest veins for dinosaur fossils.

The researchers found a partial skeleton, including bones from the vertebral column, the forelimbs and hind limbs, the report said.

It said the small dinosaur probably grew to a maximum height of about 1 meter and weighed about the same as a large parrot.

Its development of a single claw "highlights a complex pattern of evolution in the hand of this dinosaur group," the report said.

Unlike that monodactyl, most theropods had three claws.

The report was written by Xu and nine Chinese, U.S. and British scientists.