according to the article, is the placement of their nostrils. Current
re-construction of sauropods consigns the nostrils almost between the
eyes. However, young titanosaurs’s nostrils appear to be towards the end
of a “puppy-like snout.”9[9] Chiappe expects that “[a]s the snout of a
young titanosaur grew and elongated, the nostrils must have retraced to
their later position near the eyes.”10[10] Recent studies show, however,
that the original position of the nostrils has been incorrect.
According to Lawrence Witmer of Ohio University, the large nasal cavity
that is usually found on top of the skull is only one part of the nasal
cavity, and the actual nostrils are farther down towards the
mouth.11[11] Witmer studied various skulls of current reptiles, like the
crocodile, and found that the nostrils “…are almost always ‘rostral’ –
at the front of the nasal cavity.”12[12] This finding revolutionizes how
dinosaurs breathed, smelled and looked.
While there are many
debates concerning the physical aspects of dinosaurs, it is certain that
this breakthrough of fossilized embryos provide crucial information.
Indeed, even if Chiappe’s theory of the titanosaur’s re-locating
nostrils is false, Witmer can still use the Patagonian treasure as proof
for his hypothesis.
Scientists may constantly debate over this
innovative information, but the discovery of these embryos undoubtedly
serves as a threshold to further scientific studies of the much studied
dinosaur.