Dinosaurs of the northern regions

[reitia]

Recent excavations and research indicate that several species of dinosaurs roamed further north than previously suspected: some even came close to the Arctic regions.

Now, unless they were warm-blooded or covered with some kind of protective coat (feathers? possibly even real fur?), how could they have survived the severe winters? Even considering that the polar, sub-polar and Arctic regions were somewhat milder in climate than they are today, winters would still probably have been snowy, chilly to say the least. Dinosaurs who lived in such regions must have experienced evolutionary development which would have enabled them to endure harsher climates. But do we have any material evidence of such evolutionary modification?

I am wondering if the dinos of the far north might have used caverns or thermal cavities in the earth for the purposes of hibernation.

 

[Bart Dale]

Recent excavations and research indicate that several species of dinosaurs roamed further north than previously suspected: some even came close to the Arctic regions.

Now, unless they were warm-blooded or covered with some kind of protective coat (feathers? possibly even real fur?), how could they have survived the severe winters? Even considering that the polar, sub-polar and Arctic regions were somewhat milder in climate than they are today, winters would still probably have been snowy, chilly to say the least. Dinosaurs who lived in such regions must have experienced evolutionary development which would have enabled them to endure harsher climates. But do we have any material evidence of such evolutionary modification?

I am wondering if the dinos of the far north might have used caverns or thermal cavities in the earth for the purposes of hibernation.

Perhaps the dinosaurs migrated.

And the Artic regions weren't just a little milder, they were a whole lot mildermthan today. I wouldn't be surprised if the temperatures didn't remain above freezing the entire year, even if the temperatures no doubt got realatively cool (10 C/ 18 F).

 

[sparky]

.
there were Dinosaurs below the antarctic circle ,they thrived with long nights and frosts
https://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/cove.html

 

[Corvidius]

I would think that for Yutyrannus to need to be completely covered in fairly long dino fuzz, then it lived in a cold environment. Likewise the fuzzy ornithischian Kulindadromeus, whose existence bracketed that of Yutyrannus and lived not too far away. A recent French documentary showed Yutyrannus living in a snowy environment, and also showed it hunting Kulindadromeus, but that is conjecture. Both these dinosaurs need to create a change in thinking about what type of environments dinosaurs could live in. To me, Kulindadromeus shows that endothermy existed in ornithischians as well as theropods, but I have not doubted that for some years. Dinosaur fossils found in what would have been colder areas when they lived, do not show growth patterns in their bones to suggest hibernation, they show steady growth without interruption for several months. That there were no ice caps back then does not mean it was not cold enough to snow in some areas.

Yutyrannus


Kulindadromeus

 

[starman]

Perhaps the dinosaurs migrated.

GSP doubted that.

And the Artic regions weren't just a little milder, they were a whole lot mildermthan today. I wouldn't be surprised if the temperatures didn't remain above freezing the entire year, even if the temperatures no doubt got realatively cool (10 C/ 18 F).

True.

 

[starman]

A recent French documentary showed Yutyrannus living in a snowy environment, and also showed it hunting Kulindadromeus, but that is conjecture.

I don't buy it. It seems most likely that tyrannosaurs evolved to hunt mainly hadrosaur(oid)s. Long before Lythronax went after Adelolophus, Yutyrannus went after Bolong or other contemporary.

To me, Kulindadromeus shows that endothermy existed in ornithischians as well as theropods, but I have not doubted that for some years.

Bakker made a convert of me since his Heresies came out.

 

[Corvidius]

I don't buy it. It seems most likely that tyrannosaurs evolved to hunt mainly hadrosaur(oid)s. Long before Lythronax went after Adelolophus, Yutyrannus went after Bolong or other contemporary.

It was just eye candy for a documentary. But maybe not an impossibility if their ranges intersected as their timelines did. Northern China to Northern Siberia is not so far, and we don't know the full range of either animal yet, if we ever will.

 

[sparky]

.
On the subject of feathers
https://www.inverse.com/article/17690-dinosaur-bird-wing-99-million-years-discovered-science-nature-feather-amber