Dinosaur tail discovered preserved in amber, feathers intact
Digital Reporter
Thursday, December 8, 2016, 4:50 AM - A recent Canadian study confirms a significant discovery from the prehistoric world -- a segment from the feathered tail of a 99-million-year-old dinosaur, preserved in amber.
A report published in the journal Current Biology ties the amber-encased tail to a non-avialan theropod (in other words, a two-legged, likely carnivorous dino that couldn't fly.)
A small coelurosaur approaching a resin-coated branch on the forest floor. Credit: Chung-tat Cheung
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An x-ray image helped determine soft tissue features and concealed bone-related parts of the tail, which were concealed by its dense feathers, the study's summary notes.
Blood was also found in the amber.
Tip of preserved tail section, with silhouette of tail surrounded by feathered keels. Credit: Royal Saskatchewan Museum R.C. McKellar
The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Alberta, and the small tail segment preserved in amber was originally part of the Royal Saskatchewan Museum's collection. The amber originally comes from Myanmar.
