by Demand:
Hair does not fossilize, so scientists cannot rule out that some dinosaurs had hair.
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The likeness of a two-legged dinosaur with raven-colored hair can be seen in many corners of the internet, from Pinterest to Imgur to Reddit. The argument behind these posts is that since “hair is not preserved in fossils,” it is said that scientists “cannot rule out the possibility” that dinosaurs once had hair. For example, the post below on X, formerly known as Twitter, was shared on March 10, 2024. At the time of this publication, it had received more than 1 million views.
The concept of a dinosaur with hair like Cher is entertaining. It is also excellent, according to experts.
Paleontologist Jingmai O’Connorassociate curator of fossil reptiles at Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History, told Snopes that dinosaurs had hair is false.
Hair fossilizes. Take, for example, this An extremely healthy woolly mammalfossilized with skin and hair around 30,000 years ago.
Having said that, O’Connor notes that hair and fur on boots look very similar – very early, primitive feathers.
“They’re monofilamentous but developmentally (in the follicle) very, very different. Many dinosaurs (and pterosaurs) had such feathers that look like hair, but none of them have been found with the same hair-like feathers on their heads,” O’Connor told Snopes.
O’Connor explained that feathers are thought to have evolved from scales and are dead growths, which is very different to fur.
Researchers write in 2016 that mammals, birds, and reptiles made “important cell directors that arose from their fur, feathers, and scales” from a shared reptilian ancestor over time. This group of cells is called the anatomical placode, which is only seen briefly during the development of snakes and lizards. These cells express the same developmental genes as birds and mammals in the embryonic period, suggesting that hair, feathers and scales may have appeared at the same time in evolutionary history.
They are a branch of the mammals as we know them today Synapsida, which came with a late lineage of reptiles of “mammal-like reptiles.” According to the Field Museumthe first true mammals appeared in the fossil record about 200 million years ago, and with them, fur.
But fossils of early feathered dinosaurs offer clues as to how fur might have evolved from primitive feathers.
Sinosauropteryx, the first known feathered dinosaur, exhibited hair like mammals. The name means “Chinese lizard wing,” These small theropods had a covering of thin primitive hair-like feathers. Australian Museum say its name refers to “the fact that this Chinese fossil was the first non-avian (or ‘non-bird’) dinosaur found with feathers.” Its 1996 discovery is thought to be one of the most important fossil discoveries of the century as it was the first non-avian dinosaur to be found with feathered structures.
Sinosauropteryx had small, delicate hair-like feathers. (American Museum of Natural History)
Psittacosaurus, fossil known for its “remarkable for the exquisite preservation of squamous (scaly) skin and other soft tissues that cover almost its entire body,” another example of a dinosaur with fur-like bristles on its tail.
The tail of Psittacosaurus shows bristles. (University of Bristol)
Sources:
Bell, Phil R., et al. “The Complete Preservation of Psittacosaurus and the Scaly Skin of Ceratopsian Dinosaurs.” Communication Biology, vol. 5, no. 1, August 2022, pp. 1–16. www.nature.comhttps://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-022-03749-3.
Dapcevich, Madison. “Authentic Picture of 30,000-Year-Old Baby Mammoth Remains?” Snopes14 Apr. 2024, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/baby-mammoth-picture/.
“Dr Jingmai O’Connor – Paleontologista.” Jingmai O’Connor15 Jan. 2023, https://paleontologista.com/.
“https://Twitter.Com/SpillTheMemes/Status/1766868613275713788.” X (formerly Twitter), https://twitter.com/SpillTheMemes/status/1766868613275713788. Accessed 19 April 2024.
Imgur. “Our Truth is there.” Imgur, https://imgur.com/gallery/YQ8otD4. Accessed 19 April 2024.
Introduction to the Synapsida. https://ucmp.berkeley.edu/synapsids/synapsida.html. Accessed 19 April 2024.
Log in or Register to View. https://www.facebook.com/login/. Accessed 19 April 2024.
“Me And Norman Commented on Instagram: “Someone Made This Meme And I Had To Redraw It…… Thank You, Someone. I Re… | I Respect You, Meme, Respect Yourself.” Pinterest, https://www.pinterest.com/pin/me-and-norman-illustration-on-instagram-someone-made-this-meme-and-i-just-had-to-redraw-it-thank-you -person-in-re–137993176069321193/. Accessed 19 April 2024.
News, Opening Hours Mon to Wed: 9am-9pm Thurs-Sun: 9am-5pm Address 1. William StreetSydney NSW 2010 Australia Phone +61 2. 9320 6000 www australian museum Copyright ©. 2024 Australian Museum ABN 85 407 224 698 View the Museum. “Dinosaurs – Sinosauropteryx Prima.” Australian Museum, https://australian.museum/learn/dinosaurs/fact-sheets/sinosauropteryx-prima/australian.museum/learn/dinosaurs/fact-sheets/sinosauropteryx-prima/ . Accessed 19 April 2024.
“Scales and Fur Share an Origin.” nature, vol. 534, no. 7609, June 2016, pp. 592–592. www.nature.comhttps://doi.org/10.1038/534592a.
Sinosauropteryx. https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/dino-directory/sinosauropteryx.html. Accessed 19 April 2024.
The Amazing Non-Mammalian Synapsid Collection at The Field Museum – Field Museum. https://www.fieldmuseum.org/fossil-non-mammalian-synapsid-collection-field-museum. Accessed 19 April 2024.
