蘇格蘭科學家宣布發(fā)現(xiàn)2.4億年前的“中國龍”化石:“非常奇怪”

Scientists at the National Museums Scotland have discovered a 240 million-year-old "Chinese dragon" fossil — formerly known as Dinocephalosaurus orientalis.
蘇格蘭國家博物館的科學家們發(fā)現(xiàn)了一塊2.4億年前的“中國龍”化石——以前被稱為東方恐龍。

The aquatic reptile was found in Guizhou Province in Southern China, per the NHS press release. Although the five-meter-long reptile was first identified in 2003, there has been a recent discovery “of additional, more complete specimens, including one which is fully articulated." This allowed the researchers to identify the fossil in its entirety for the first time.
根據(jù)NHS的新聞稿，這種水生爬行動物是在中國南部的貴州省發(fā)現(xiàn)的。雖然這種5米長的爬行動物是在2003年首次被發(fā)現(xiàn)的，但最近又發(fā)現(xiàn)了“額外的、更完整的標本，包括一個完全鉸接的標本”。這使得研究人員第一次完整地識別了化石。

Researchers involved in this discovery hailed from around the world, including Scotland, Germany, America and China. Those involved studied the findings for over 10 years at the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Palaeoanthropology, Beijing.
參與這一發(fā)現(xiàn)的研究人員來自世界各地，包括蘇格蘭、德國、美國和中國。這些研究人員在中國科學院古脊椎動物與古人類研究所對這些發(fā)現(xiàn)進行了10多年的研究。

The “32 separate neck vertebrae" species dates back to the Triassic period, which is estimated to be around 240 million years ago. The ancient reptile had flippered limbs indicating that it was "clearly very well adapted to an oceanic lifestyle.” The found fossil also had “exquisitely preserved fishes in its stomach region.”
“32個獨立的頸椎”物種可以追溯到三疊紀時期，估計大約在2.4億年前。這種古老的爬行動物有鰭狀的四肢，這表明它“顯然非常適應(yīng)海洋的生活方式”。發(fā)現(xiàn)的化石也有“保存精美的魚類在其腹部區(qū)域。”

The reptile “had an extraordinarily long neck that draws comparison with that of Tanystropheus hydroides, another strange marine reptile from the Middle Triassic of both Europe and China," the NMS scientists said in the press release. 
國家海洋研究中心的科學家在新聞發(fā)布會上說，這種爬行動物“有一個非常長的脖子，可以與另一種來自歐洲和中國中三疊世的奇怪的海洋爬行動物——水螅蛇相比較。”

"Both reptiles were of similar size and have several features of the skull in common, including a fish-trap type of dentition," read the statement. "However, Dinocephalosaurus is unique in possessing many more vertebrae both in the neck and in the torso, giving the animal a much more snake-like appearance."
聲明中寫道:“這兩種爬行動物的體型相似，頭骨的幾個特征也很相似，包括魚鉤狀的齒列。”“然而，恐龍頭龍的獨特之處在于，它的脖子和軀干都擁有更多的椎骨，這讓它看起來更像蛇。”

"Despite superficial similarities, Dinocephalosaurus was not closely related to the famous long-necked plesiosaurs that only evolved around 40 million years later and which inspired the myth of the Loch Ness Monster."
“盡管表面上有相似之處，但恐龍頭龍與著名的長頸蛇頸龍并沒有密切的關(guān)系，蛇頸龍是在大約4000萬年后才進化出來的，正是蛇頸龍激發(fā)了尼斯湖水怪的神話。”

“It is yet one more example of the weird and wonderful world of the Triassic that continues to baffle paleontologists,” said Dr. Nick Fraser FRSE, Keeper of Natural Sciences at NMS. “We are certain that it will capture imaginations across the globe due to its striking appearance, reminiscent of the long and snake-like, mythical Chinese Dragon.” 
“這是三疊紀怪異而奇妙的世界的又一個例子，它繼續(xù)困擾著古生物學家，”美國國家自然管理局自然科學管理員尼克·弗雷澤博士說。“我們相信，由于它引人注目的外觀，讓人想起神話中的中國龍，它將吸引全球的想象力。”

“Working together with colleagues from the United States of America, the United Kingdom and Europe, we used newly discovered specimens housed at the Chinese Academy of Sciences to build on our existing knowledge of this animal,” said Professor Li Chun from the Institute of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Palaeoanthropology, calling the Dinocephalosaurus "the most remarkable.” 
中國古脊椎動物與古人類研究所的李春教授說:“我們與來自美國、英國和歐洲的同事一起，利用中國科學院收藏的新發(fā)現(xiàn)的標本，在我們對這種動物的現(xiàn)有知識的基礎(chǔ)上，建立了我們對這種動物的了解。”他稱這種恐龍是“最了不起的”。