Scientists Discover Velociraptor's Cousin

(CBS)  The Velociraptor's family tree has a new branch.

Two graduate students discovered a new species of dinosaur in a Mongolian cliff that is a close relative of the agile predator made famous in the blockbuster film "Jurassic Park," according to a LiveScience report.

Like the Velociraptor, the new species - called Linheraptor exquisitus - was a member of the Dromaeosauridae family. At around 6 feet long and 50 pounds, it was likely speedy, agile and sported a curved claw on its foot that helped it hunt prey. It prowled the earth 75 million years ago.

Jonah Choiniere, a doctoral student at George Washington University, and Michael Pittman, a graduate student at University College London made the discovery during a 2008 expedition in the Gobi Desert, first spying a claw sticking out of a cliff face in the .

"It was a total surprise that the whole skeleton was buried deeper in the rock," Choiniere told LiveScience.

"Jonah saw a claw protruding from the cliff face. He carefully removed it and handed it to me," Pittman told the Web site. "I've always wanted to discover a dinosaur since I was a kid, and I've never given up on the idea. It was amazing that my first discovery was from a Velociraptor relative."

The researchers, in conjunction with the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, will publish their findings in the journal Zootaxa.
The Velociraptor's family tree has a new branch

[P0ST1ING_AWAY]

by Dgunner March 20, 2010 5:34 AM EDT
MIILONS ARE SPENT ON HUNTING BONES . MILLIONS ARE SPENT ON KILLING BABIES, MIILONS ARE SPENT ON TECHNOLOGY TO PROMOTE REASONS TO SPEND MORE MILLIONS. WHO GAINS FROM THIS? THE LOBBYIST.
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Keep Bone-headed Repugs OUT OF OFFICE and maybe so many babies will not
be killed. War kills babies ... AND EVERYBODY ELSE

[truthislife1]

I'm so glad the smart people decided that it is that old. Break a bone and get some dino DNA out of it.

[Dgunner]

MIILONS ARE SPENT ON HUNTING BONES . MILLIONS ARE SPENT ON KILLING BABIES, MIILONS ARE SPENT ON TECHNOLOGY TO PROMOTE REASONS TO SPEND MORE MILLIONS. WHO GAINS FROM THIS? THE LOBBYIST.

[P0ST1ING_AWAY]

by TVO1CITW March 19, 2010 1:56 PM EDT
Obviously, there was a birth certificate next to the body.
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Let me hazard a guess .... You were home-schooled ???

[ClownsOnLeft_Jokers2Right]

How could it have lived 75 million years ago if Earth is only 6000 years old?

[CoastalExchange]

So True, this whole science things is out of control. John Stewart said it best the other day.... "Science says brushing our teeth prevents cavities, I say rubbing them with chocolate prevents cavities; I demand both views be taught in school!!!"

[ToolMangler1]

"How could it have lived 75 million years ago".



Humans hadn't started smoking tobacco then. Also they only ate the best Herbivores,

[jmca2009]

Let's not mince words here; The dinosaurs were killed off because of George Bush's policies, de-regulation, and they didn't have Universal Health coverage.

[ici2i]

...and they didn't last because they were made in China!

[taxchurches]

Let's not mince words here; you are a one-trick pony and a boor. Not to mention bore. Your joke is old, and wasn't especially funny the first several hundred times some twit posted it here. If you don't have any valid comments about a science article of interest to some of us, why not just shut your yap?

[displeased]

It's nice to see you all are drinking early today.

[jmca2009]

Hey! I resemble.... err,.. resent that remark!

[timdgrim]

Of course in the textbooks from Texas and distributed throughout the country this will be striken because 'remember....the earth is less than ten thousand years old'. And that Thomas Jefferson guy was not worth putting in there also. They WILL have in the books that 'George W. Bush was appointed by GOD to be President'......sorry, I can't continue on with the sarcasm, because a Glenn Beck viewer might think I'm really serious.

[book_of_wally]

Are you the legendary Mrs_Premise?

[bajajohn1]

Texans are dumber than sun-baked rocks.

[ici2i]

Interesting article until it was ruined with the Chinese Academy connection. Does everyting have to be made in friggging China even the fossils?

[TVO1CITW]

Obviously, there was a birth certificate next to the body.