Imagine you are a paleontologist out in the field and you come across the fossilized remains of a dinosaur, how do you know if your newly found fossils are a new dinosaur discovery?
This is where the world of holotypes steps in.
What is a holotype? In biology, a holotype is a single specimen that serves as the “gold standard” of a species. New discoveries are studied against holotypes to determine if a new species has been found. For paleontologists, though, this process is a little more difficult.
Most often, dinosaur skeletons are not found in their entirety, and with only pieces of an individual, the slightest details must be studied in order to understand the physiology of a specimen.
I find it’s always best to explain science in terms of dinosaurs, so here is the story of the first brachiosaurus…
So, there you have your new dinosaur fact of the week!
I, like many people, had dreams of becoming a paleontologist when I grew up. Suffice to say, I did not follow this particular dream, but my love of dinosaurs has continued into my adulthood.
Dinosaurs, for all ages of science lover, are an incredible introduction to some of the fundamental principles of biology, and in many ways physics and chemistry.
It seems our collective love of dinosaurs is spurred on by our desire for discovery.
Paleontology is an amazing platform for education because it captures the imagination, and in so doing, it makes us ask better questions, take on new perspectives, and see our place on this planet in a more integrated way. Here’s another great EWC article that might pique your curiosity!
Stay beautiful & keep laughing!
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- “The First Brachiosaurus.” YouTube. The Brain Scoop, 12 Aug. 2015. Web. 02 Mar. 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxQHTd6Kftg>. ↩