Biology Talk

Lin Liangtai · Guest

The following links show a mummified dinosaur called Leonardo, which
is the world's best-preserved dinosaur.
The most remarkable thing about the dinosaur is that on the left side
of its ribcage, each rib lost its upper halves while the lower halves
are still covered with intact skin.
Is there any natural instance like this? Is there any skin as
obstinate as this one, except humans?

Photo 1 below shows the complete fossil while Photo 4 shows the
smallest area of the fossil:
Photo 1: the whole dinosaur during excavation
Note the skin still covers the remaining lower halves of its
ribs.
http://www.wretch.cc/album/show.php?i=lin440315&b=15&f=1371325619&p=21

Photo 2: photos taken by Kodak Co., showing left upper halves of
ribs were missing near the spine column.
http://www.wretch.cc/album/show.php?i=lin440315&b=15&f=o1371325719.jpg&p=23

Photo 3: Kodak's X-ray photo shows damaged bones show no re-
generation, suggesting the damage occurred after death.
http://www.wretch.cc/album/show.php?i=lin440315&b=15&f=o1371325722.jpg&p=24

Photo 4: Kodak photos, expandable to 300% of their original sizes,
show remains of blood vessels and red blood cells in the area where
ribs are missing. These blood vessels remains are still visible to all
visitors to the Houston museum which houses the fossil at present.
http://www.wretch.cc/album/show.php?i=lin440315&b=15&f=o1371325617.jpg&p=22