By Tim Binnall
Paleontologists have identified a tiny species of dinosaur that is believed to be a miniature early ancestor of the monstrous creatures that roamed the Earth long ago. According to a press release, the curious creature's remains were unearthed at a fossil site in Madagascar and has been given the name Kongonaphon kely, which means "tiny bug slayer." Measuring a meager 16 inches long and four inches tall, the diminutive dinosaur lived on the planet approximately 237 million years ago.
Of particular interest to scientists is that the existence of the creature in the evolutionary line lends credence to the theory that the some enormous dinosaurs, which have become iconic in modern times, likely descended from significantly smaller species. To that end, researcher Christian Kammerer observed that "here's a general perception of dinosaurs as being giants, but this new animal is very close to the divergence of dinosaurs and pterosaurs, and it's shockingly small."
Based on their analysis of the creature's fossilized remains, specifically its teeth, paleontologists believe that, as its name suggests, the Kongonaphon kely survived by eating insects. Additionally, they speculate that the presence of what is described as "fuzzy skin" could have "originated for thermoregulation" to help the tiny creature endure extreme temperature changes and, in turn, ultimately played a part in the emergence of the feathers we see on birds today.