Autopsy reveals life of Italian baby dinosaur

Xinhuan.com English news: Autopsy reveals life of Italian baby dinosaur
MILAN, Italy, June 23 (Xinhua) -- The best preserved fossilized dinosaur in the world, the Italian "Scipionyx samniticus," died only a few days or hours after it was born, according to research reported Thursday.

Thanks to a five-year autopsy, many details about the renowned 23-centimeter-long dinosaur nicknamed "Ciro" have been uncovered, Milan Museum of Natural History paleontolgist Cristiano del Sasso was quoted as saying by Italian newspaper "la Stampa."

"Ciro is the only dinosaur in the world with the internal organs fossilized. A full autopsy showed not only its bare bones, but also its whole life, trapped in stone for 110 million years," said the paleontologist, who has spent over 15 years studying the fossil.

Chemical tests showed Ciro's blood vessels include a branched capillary and its muscle fibers had a striated structure. The cellular structure of the bones, the articular cartilage, and vertebral ligaments were found intact as well.

According to researchers, Ciro is part of the theropods group, which is a type of omnivorous quadrupedal dinosaur that never exceeded 2-3 meters in length and had a hint of feathers.

Researchers say the cause of Ciro's death was impossible to confirm, but it was buried by muddy sea in a very short time, which allowed the compaction and crystallization of soft tissue structures. The rock also saved remnants of blood, containing a high concentration of iron.

The nearly complete and articulated skeleton of the dinosaur was found in 1980 in the Plattenkalk of Pietraroia, in southern Italy, but it was only handed over to paleontologists more than 10 years later. It only lacks parts of the tail and some bones of the hind legs.