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A caring dinosaur

James Randerson

The monstrous image of the dinosaurs needs a more touchy-feely makeover after U.S. researchers found convincing evidence that at least some of the king reptiles cared for their young and even dug burrows to hide from predators. The find in Montana includes fossilised bones of an adult and two young. ``Here we have the burrow, den, an adult with traits for digging, and two juveniles, all in the same place,'' said Anthony Martin at Emory University, Atlanta. ``It doesn't get much better than that.'' The juveniles are more than half-grown, suggesting parents cared for the young for a significant period. Dr. Martin and colleagues have named the species Oryctodromeus cubicularis, meaning ``digging runner of the lair'', due to its ability to both burrow and run on two legs. The beast was just over 2 metres long. —

© Guardian Newspapers Limited 2006

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