蜥脚类恐龙是脊索动物门,脊椎动物亚门,蜥形纲,蜥臀目蜥脚形亚目的一群恐龙。如果时光倒流1.5亿年,那时陆地上的统治者就是巨大恐龙群,其中的主角则是有100多个种类的蜥脚类恐龙(属于蜥臀目)。蜥脚类恐龙中身长最大的超过30米,有很长的颈和尾,粗壮的四肢支撑着如大酒桶般的身躯。当时,虽然陆地上的生命已出现了4亿年,但是除了蜥脚类恐龙之外,陆生动物中没有身长超过20米的。
因此,直到最近发现蜥脚类恐龙筑巢地的化石之前,科学家们还不能确定蜥脚类动物到底是产卵还是胎生。
Until the recent discovery of fossilized sauropod nesting grounds, scientists were thus uncertain whether sauropods laid eggs or gave birth to live young.
此次发现堪称蜥脚类恐龙家族在北美洲的第8次现身,科学家预计将来会有更多出土。
It was the eighth discovery of remains from a member of that species in North America and there are expected to be more in the future.
科学家们也研究过一种叫做原蜥脚类的体态为中型的恐龙,它们与蜥脚类恐龙亲缘很近。
Scientists also knew about a related group called prosauropods, dinosaurs that were intermediate in size and posture.
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