scientist have created a three - dimensional “ digital cast ” of the braincase of a Jurassic - era ankylosaurus , the area of protective shell around the brain that serves as a buffer between it and the skull . The elaborate map includes part of the brain and line of descent vessels get in the skull base of an ankylosaur ( Bissektipelta archibaldi).The findings are described in the journalBiological Communications .
Three fragments of skull find out during these excavations were examined by the squad to make a “ digital cast ” of the braincase using computed imaging ( CT ) , a method of using X - rays to process data and produce an image . The three - year - retentive project resulted in the first three - dimensional computer reconstruction of a dinosaur endocast made in Russia , and expose how big the animal ’s brainiac was as well as where its vessel and nerves were domiciliate . Among other alone traits , the results propose the dinosaur was capable to “ cool down its brains in the actual sense . ”
“ The web of veins and arteries in its braincase turned out to be very complicated : they did not go in a unmarried steering , but forever communicate with each other , like a system of railway tracks . The blood could have flown in different focusing and been redistributed while maintaining the optimal mentality temperature of the brute , ” said Ivan Kuzmin .
“ For example , if the top of an ankylosaur ’s head became warm , the vessel disport quickly the fond line of descent and created a screening effect – as if a dinosaur put a Lord’s Day hat on . Moreover , the endocranial vasculature of ankylosaurs turn out to be somewhat more like the vessel of present - solar day lounge lizard than that of the nearer extant relative of dinosaurs – crocodiles or birds . ”
As much as 60 percentage of the dinosaur ’s brain was also occupied by olfactory bulbs creditworthy for scent , likely boost its ability to bump food , teammate , and avoid predators . The inner pinna of the brute suggest that it could get a line between of 300 and 3,000 Gustav Ludwig Hertz , a low - oftenness mountain range similar to forward-looking crocodiles .
The researcher add that they hope to next study the cranium of other ankylosaur species to confirm their findings . Currently , they are working with duck - billed dinosaur known as hadrosaurs that were also found in the same region .
