T. rex relative is biggest ever feathered animal
4th April, 2012
3 fossils of a dinosaur related to T Rex, recently discovered in NE China and detailed in Nature are thought to be the largest feathered beast yet found by geologists. The adults are estimated to have weighed close to 1.5 tonnes.
The fossils represent early members of the Tyrannosauroid group, dating to about 125Ma – these specimens are larger than most other early members of the group. The long filament-like feathers most likely acted as insulation but might also have played a part in mating or fighting rituals.