There has been evidence for a few years now (since 2004) that some basal Tyrannosauroides had feathers, or at least proto-feathers, but so far all known Tyrannosauroides have been realtively small, 5-6m or less, compared to their later relatives the 10-14m Tyrannosaurids. A paper published in Nature today reveals a new 9m Tyrannosauroid from China, Yutyrannus, that was also feathered. From the early Cretaceous, Yutyrannus lived around 124Ma and may have had a downy covering across most of the body. The find brings into prespective the possibility of later, larger Tyrannosauroids and -ids also having feathers. That is, if it is a Tyrannosauroid, as it may have some similarities with the Carcharodonotosaurid Concavenator, from Spain. I'll post a link to the paper when I find it. Doubtless the Beeb will be all over this with a silly picture of a Tyrannosaurus with a complete covering of brightly coloured feathers.
The find also brings back the argument over endothermy, more about that in the second link from TetZoo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yutyrannus
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/tetrapod-zoology/2012/04/04/giant-feathered-tyrannosaurs/
The find also brings back the argument over endothermy, more about that in the second link from TetZoo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yutyrannus
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/tetrapod-zoology/2012/04/04/giant-feathered-tyrannosaurs/