All articles tagged with #dinosaur discovery
Wyoming paleontologists announce the discovery of a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton nicknamed Rex Jr. on a Newcastle Ranch, with early assessments suggesting it could be one of the most significant T. rex finds to date due to its potential completeness and what it could reveal about growth; further excavation and analyses are planned.
A new species of duck-billed dinosaur, Ahshislesaurus wimani, was discovered in New Mexico, dating back about 75 million years. The fossil, initially misclassified, was re-examined and identified as a distinct species, adding to the diversity of Late Cretaceous dinosaurs in North America and highlighting the region's rich paleontological history.
Recent research has revealed that the small predator previously thought to be a juvenile T. rex is actually a fully grown Nanotyrannus lancensis, rewriting the understanding of dinosaur growth, evolution, and ecosystem dynamics during the Late Cretaceous period, and introducing a new species, Nanotyrannus lethaeus.
North Carolina's NC Museum of Natural Sciences announced the discovery that a fossil previously thought to be a young T. rex is actually a fully grown Nanotyrannus lancensis, marking the biggest dinosaur discovery of the decade, with the public able to observe the ongoing research at the DinoLab exhibit.
Scientists have discovered that the 'dueling dinosaurs' fossil actually features a fully grown Nanotyrannus lancensis, not a juvenile T. rex, challenging long-held beliefs about T. rex growth and diversity, and revealing that multiple tyrannosaur species coexisted in the late Cretaceous period.
Researchers in Argentina have discovered a new 95-million-year-old plant-eating dinosaur, Astigmasaura genuflexa, providing valuable insights into the anatomy and diversity of the Rebbachisauridae family during the late Cretaceous period, with the fossil representing the first hindquarters of a rebbachisaurid ever found.
Scientists in China discovered a new herbivorous dinosaur, Pulaosaurus qinglong, from the Jurassic period, which had bird-like vocal structures, suggesting it chirped rather than roared, and providing new insights into dinosaur vocalization and biodiversity.
A fossil previously misidentified as Alectrosaurus was reclassified as a new species, Khankhuuluu mongoliensis, revealing insights into Tyrannosaurid evolution and migration between Asia and North America. Additionally, a fossil once labeled Nanosaurus was reclassified as Enigmacursor, highlighting how museum collections can still yield significant discoveries after decades of storage. These findings underscore the potential for new paleontological insights from existing museum specimens.
Paleontologists discovered a new dinosaur species, Taleta taleta, in Morocco's Maastrichtian phosphates, shedding light on dinosaur dispersal and evolution in Africa during the late Cretaceous, and suggesting a complex adaptive radiation driven by dispersal from Europe.
The American Museum of Natural History is showcasing a new Stegosaurus named "Apex," believed to be the largest ever found, starting December 8. This 11.5-foot-tall, 27-foot-long dinosaur is 80% complete and is on a four-year loan from financier Kenneth C. Griffin, who purchased it for $45 million. Discovered in 2022 in Colorado, Apex will provide valuable scientific data and is displayed in a defensive pose. It will eventually join the museum's fourth-floor collection next fall.
A new species of oviraptorosaur, named Yuanyanglong bainian, has been discovered in Inner Mongolia, China, dating back to the Early Cretaceous period, around 110 million years ago. This species, identified from two specimens, exhibits unique morphological features distinguishing it from other known oviraptorosaurs. The discovery provides new insights into the diversity and ecology of early-diverging oviraptorosaurs, suggesting potential wading behavior and a gastric mill function similar to Caudipteryx. The findings were published in Cretaceous Research.
The largest and most complete stegosaurus fossil ever found, named "Apex," will be auctioned by Sotheby's in New York on July 17, with an estimated value of up to $6 million. Discovered near Colorado's Morrison Formation, the 11-foot-tall, 20-foot-long specimen includes 247 fossil bones and is believed to be between 146 million and 161 million years old. The auction has sparked debate over the sale of fossils to private collectors, potentially limiting scientific study and public access.
Paleontologists have discovered a newly identified subspecies of tyrannosaur, Tyrannosaurus mcraeensis, in New Mexico, which is believed to be the closest known relative of the T.Rex. This finding reshapes scientists' understanding of how T. Rex might have first arrived in North America, suggesting that tyrannosaurs lived in the southern United States at least 72 million years ago. The newly discovered dinosaur, roughly the size of a T. rex, predates it by about five to seven million years, indicating the presence of larger, more advanced species in the southern United States. The findings, based on a partial skull collected years ago, have been published in the Scientific Reports journal.
A groundbreaking study led by Utah's state paleontologist, Jim Kirkland, has established the absolute age of the Utahraptor to be 135 million years old, 10 million years older than previously believed. This discovery not only expands our knowledge of Utah's state dinosaur but also fills a significant gap in the fossil record, shedding light on the transition from the Jurassic to the Cretaceous period. The study, which utilized uranium-lead geochronology and radiocarbon dating techniques, also revealed the first North American record of the Weissert Event, a global catastrophe that occurred approximately 133 million years ago. This finding further solidifies Utah's status as a prominent hub for paleontology and geology.