Predatory penguin-like dinosaur lived in Mongolia 70 million years ago trends now
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A penguin-like predatory dinosaur lived in what is now Mongolia about 70 million years ago, a newly discovered fossil has revealed.
Natovenator polydontus — which means 'swimming hunter with many teeth' — was about as big as a chicken, had a long swan-like neck and flipper-type arms similar to the wings of a penguin.
However, despite also being covered in feathers it is not thought to have flown.
The newly described dinosaur is a member of the dromaeosauridae family, which also includes the carnivore velociraptor.
Penguin-like: Natovenator polydontus — which means 'swimming hunter with many teeth' — was about as big as a chicken, had a long swan-like neck and flipper-type arms similar to the wings of a penguin
Its remains were uncovered in Omnogovi Province in the Gobi Desert in Mongolia in 2008 and examined by researchers from Seoul National University in South Korea.
They included a skull, spinal column, ribs, one forelimb and part of two back legs.
'The rib orientation and shape clearly indicate that this animal had a streamlined body, as penguins do,' said study author Yuong-Nam Lee.
The researchers think Natovenator polydontus used its unusually large number of teeth and diving capabilities to catch small fish.
They also found that Natovenator polydontus is genetically closely related to halszkaraptor, a genus of small non-avian dinosaurs with only one known species.
Since that turkey-sized halszkaraptor skeleton was found in Mongolia and reported in
