美国犹他州惊现恐龙新物种

Remains of the newest member of the dinosaurs were discovered recently in the American state of Utah by a team of British and American scientists. Named the Brontomerus Mcintoshi, the creature has been given the nickname "thunder thighs" because of its huge legs. They date from the early Cretaceous period, which began around 145 million years ago and ended 65 million years ago.

日前一队由美国和英国科学家组成的科考队在美国犹他州发现了一种新型恐龙化石。这个新恐龙随即被命名为Brontomerus Mcintoshi，并以其壮硕的大腿被冠以绰号“雷腿”。据悉，他们最早生活在白垩纪早期，亦即1亿4千5百万年前到6千5百万年前。

The remains included a juvenile's left ilium bone, which forms part of the pelvis, and also a near complete left scapula of a presumably adult. The scientists also found well preserved vertebrae from the creature as well as a complete rib bone.

发掘出的化石包括一只幼龙的左髂骨（骨盆的一部分），亦即一只疑似成年恐龙的完整的左肩胛骨。科学家们还发现了保存完好的椎骨以及一个完整的肋骨。

They used the bones they discovered to match certain known criteria to determine what species of dinosaur they came from. Using five variables, and particularly focused on the size and other factors within the ilium bone, they confirmed it was from the Sauropod family.

科学家们将这些化石鱼已知恐龙化石进行比对，以确定新发现恐龙所属种类。进行了5组比对后，尤其是就髂骨的大小等种种因素进行分析后，他们确定该恐龙来自蜥脚类家族。

It was the eighth discovery of remains from a member of that species in North America and there are expected to be more in the future.

此次发现堪称蜥脚类恐龙家族在北美洲的第8次现身，科学家预计将来会有更多出土。