Scientists found fossil of Psittacus butt: Uncovering the unique mating method of dinosaurs

Although dinosaurs have been extinct for tens of millions of years, with the study of dinosaur fossils, scientists have learned a lot about these ancient overlords. However, no direct evidence of dinosaur mating has been found yet.

According to foreign media reports, a new study published in "Contemporary Biology" pointed out that through analysis of a relatively well-preserved Psittacosaurus fossil, its unique mating method was discovered.

Due to the toughness of dinosaur bones, most of the dinosaur fossils unearthed are almost skeletons, but those soft tissues are hard to find. Therefore, it is difficult for daily life scientists to find some direct or indirect evidence of how air filters are excreted and mated.

Scientists analyzed a relatively well-preserved piece of dinosaur fossils from China at the Senkenberg Museum of Natural History in Germany and found that this dinosaur had a cloaca.

The researchers said that this is a fossil of a close relative of Psittacosaurus. Not only the fur is relatively well preserved, but also some of the soft tissues of the dinosaur's hindquarters are relatively intact, which gives us hope to uncover how it excretes and mates.

Through further analysis of the fossils, scientists were able to clearly identify the openings that the dinosaurs urinated, defecate, and might even be used for mating. This unique opening is called the cloaca and is common in today's birds.

In addition, some protruding residues were found on the back door of the dinosaur fossils, and it is believed that these protruding residues may contain musk glands. This feature is generally used by reptiles during courtship.

However, modern birds often mate by pressing the openings of the cloaca together, but this is impossible for dinosaurs, which means that the males of Psittacosaurus hide their penis in the cloaca, but Since the fossil in the opening is not complete, it is impossible to determine whether it is male or female.

It is understood that psittaci is also translated psittaci, which means "parrot lizard" in Greek. It is a genus of Psittacidae under the order of creatops. It lived in Asia during the Early Cretaceous period, about 123.2 million years ago. 10 million years ago.

Psittacosaurus, Protoceratops, Triceratops and other dinosaurs all have a beak with a hook-like parrot. Scientists infer from its body shape and age of survival that Psittacosaurus may be the ancestor of most ceratops.