Evidence of a respiratory infection in the fossilised remains of a young diplodocid-a large, long-necked herbivorous sauropod – increases our understanding of the illnesses that affected dinosaurs
- Writing in the journal Nature, palaeontologist Cary Woodruff and colleagues say they examined three bones from a specimen of diplodocid, known as MOR 7029, discovered in the U.S. State of Montana in 1990, which dates back to the Late Jurassic Period (150 million years ago).
- Scientists identified bony protrusions on the vertebra where the bone was attached to air-filled structures, known as air sacs. They believed the irregular protrusions formed in response to a fungal infection similar to aspergillosis-a common respiratory illness in birds and reptiles.
- Palaeontologists suggest that if MOR 7029 had been infected with aspergillosis, it may have experienced flu or pneumonia-like symptoms such as weight loss, coughing, fever, and breathing difficulties. Aspergillosis may have even led to his death.
Picture Credit : Google
