Illustration of a sauropod, with inset showing pigmented structures in the skin as seen with an electron microscope
Tess Gallagher
Recent findings from microscopic structures in the fossilized skin of sauropods have suggested that these gigantic dinosaurs may have exhibited bright and varied colors similar to some modern birds.
Tess Gallagher and her team at the University of Bristol, UK, conducted a study on sauropod skin fossils estimated to be 145 million years old, discovered in the Mother’s Day Quarry in Montana in 2019 and 2022.
Although the exact species could not be confirmed, the fossils are believed to belong to the Diplodocus genus.
The researchers utilized a scanning electron microscope to analyze tiny samples taken from four scales of the fossils, revealing intricate details at a cellular level due to the three-dimensional preservation of the skin. The presence of diverse melanosomes, cellular structures responsible for melanin storage and coloration in skin, hair, eyes, and feathers, was observed.
Gallagher noted, “I expected to find traces of melanin at a minimum, but we discovered evidence indicating that sauropods could have possessed a variety of melanosome shapes, implying potential for diverse colors.”
All specimens examined by the team exhibited melanosomes in two primary shapes: oblong and disc-shaped. While the exact colors of the sauropod skin remain uncertain, the range of structures suggests the possibility of multiple hues.
“Diplodocus would have likely displayed intricate textures, color patterns, and diverse colors,” Gallagher explained.
Comparison of the disc-shaped structures with platelet melanosomes found in modern bird feathers led Gallagher to suggest that Diplodocus could have showcased a variety of colors using their melanosomes, potentially possessing more vibrant color patterns than previously depicted in paleoart.
Mike Benton, also from the University of Bristol, commended the study, stating that the described structures and their preservation indicate plausible melanosomes. He added, “While the researchers are cautious in their interpretation, this study could represent the first evidence of color-bearing melanosomes in a sauropod dinosaur.”
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