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Scientists Find Evidence of Poisonous Dinosaur

Sinornithosaurus had grooved teeth, room for poison gland

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Dec 22, 2009 10:39 AM CST

(Newser) – As if three-inch teeth don't sound deadly enough, at least one dinosaur may have delivered poison through those chompers. Two paleontologists examining the fossil remains of the Sinornithosaurus, a turkey-size cousin of the velociraptor, noticed it had grooved teeth, much like those on venomous lizards or snakes. Upon closer inspection, they found a cavity in the jawbone that may have held a venom gland, and a channel running from there to ducts near the teeth.

The Sinornithosaurus likely hunted bigger creatures, chewing the poison into their flesh, they speculate. “They grab onto you and they don’t let go,” one of the paleontologists tells NPR. “They just get a vise grip on your hand or whatever and that's enough to get the venom in.” He also says he’s found more fossils with grooved teeth, and thinks other dinosaurs could have similar adaptations. But some skeptics say the features can be interpreted in other, less exciting ways.

A fossil cast of what's believed to be a Sinornithosaurus is seen at the American Natural History museum in New York in this file photo.
A fossil cast of what's believed to be a Sinornithosaurus is seen at the American Natural History museum in New York in this file photo.   (Wikimedia Commons)
In this undated image provided by the Miami Science Museum is a fossil of the Sinornithosaurus dinosaur, or fuzzy raptor, that gets its name from the coat of feathers that covers its skeleton.
In this undated image provided by the Miami Science Museum is a fossil of the Sinornithosaurus dinosaur, or fuzzy raptor, that gets its name from the coat of feathers that covers its skeleton.   (AP Photo/Miami Science Museum)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 10 comments
sidewinder
Dec 23, 2009 10:23 AM CST
inky --Yeah, ho could that be...there's no poisonous animals now. And why would it matter either way? I don't get this fight.
Riffran
Dec 23, 2009 7:40 AM CST
I never got that theory either...and the worls is only a few thousand years old...nawwww don't think so
Riffran
Dec 23, 2009 7:38 AM CST
and inky's comment about Palin's great great grandmother was OK?....no it wasn't
 

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