Newly-discovered dinosaur "resembled flightless bird"

Remains of a newly-discovered species of dinosaur that resembled a flightless bird have been revealed by scientists in Argentina.

Bones and a number of eggs thought to be 70 million years old have been unearthed by palaeontologists in the Rio Negro province.

The new species has been named the Bonapartenykus ultimus dinosaur, after pioneering palaeontologist Dr. Joseph Bonaparte.

It would have been about 8.5-feet (2.6 meters) long and was part of the small, long-legged, fast-moving Alvarezsaurid dinosaur family.

Researchers think it likely the eggs are fertilised and contain highly-developed embryos.


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Palaeontologist Fernando Novas, who led the research team, believes the bones indicate a clear link to a modern-day bird called the Nandu, a flightless rhea native to Patagonia.

He said: "The bones allowed us to recognise the lineage of the dinosaur... Their legs were specially adapted to run more agilely and to move at high speeds.

"The arms originally served to trap their pray, but they ended up being transformed into wings because the skin of these dinosaurs their scales also turned into feathers. These long arms became covered in feathers and so we have a continuation in the story of this lineage.

"The fall of the meteorite extinguished many dinosaurs, but a group of carnivorous dinosaurs with extended arms and feathered bodies that we call birds survived until today. So we have a story that goes from 230 million years ago until now. Current birds - like pigeons, hummingbirds, condors or eagles - are living dinosaurs."

The eggs are now being analysed by the research team.