81R23643 JH-D
By: Geren H.R. No. 1533
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Texas is widely known for the wealth of dinosaur
fossils that have been found in the state; the remains of more than
20 different species have been unearthed here, and a number of them
represent important discoveries that have greatly aided scientists
in their study of the prehistoric era; and
WHEREAS, The dinosaur Technosaurus is an especially notable
example of the Lone Star State's ancient inhabitants; fossils of
this creature have been found in the Panhandle area, near the town
of Post, and no evidence of its existence has been found anywhere
else; and
WHEREAS, Also known as Technosaurus smalli, Technosaurus was
identified by Dr. Sankar Chatterjee of Texas Tech University in
1984, and the dinosaur's name honors Dr. Chatterjee's academic
home; a well-known paleontologist, Dr. Chatterjee has made a number
of pioneering discoveries in his career, and in finding
Technosaurus, he revealed one of the earliest bird-hipped dinosaurs
that has been found in North America; and
WHEREAS, Standing about four feet high and weighing around 25
pounds, this small plant-eating dinosaur lived during the Late
Triassic Epoch, between 200 and 228 million years ago; it has
similarities to other small herbivorous dinosaurs found in South
America, and some scientists have linked it to Silesaurus, a
creature unearthed in Poland; and
WHEREAS, Recently, Technosaurus has received renewed
attention thanks to the efforts of Shashwath Murthy, a fifth-grade
student at Valley Ranch Elementary School in Irving; born in
Boulder, Colorado, Mr. Murthy first became interested in dinosaurs
at the age of three, when he saw the film Jurassic Park; after
moving to Texas, he learned about Technosaurus while completing a
school project in the first grade, and in the years since, he has
conducted extensive research on the species; on March 24, 2009, he
delivered informative testimony at a meeting of the House Committee
on Culture, Recreation, and Tourism, during which he drew attention
to the unique aspects of this Lone Star dinosaur; and
WHEREAS, The discovery of Technosaurus has helped to
emphasize the important role Texas plays in the field of
paleontology and has left us with a greater appreciation of the
early inhabitants that once roamed the landscape of the Lone Star
State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
Legislature hereby recognize April 23, 2009, as Technosaurus Day
and commend Shashwath Murthy for his admirable work in raising
public awareness of this prehistoric Texan; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Mr. Murthy as an expression of high regard by the Texas
House of Representatives.