New dinosaur discovery challenges T.rex history
- Two partial skeletons of a previously misclassified dinosaur were discovered in Mongolia in the early 1970s.
- The newly identified dinosaur, named Khankhuuluu mongoliensis, predates T.rex by about 20 million years.
- This finding prompts a reconsideration of the evolutionary history of tyrannosaurs.
In Mongolia, a significant discovery of two partial dinosaur skeletons has reshaped the understanding of tyrannosaurus rex's evolutionary history. The skeletons were unearthed in the early 1970s but remained misclassified until a recent study led by PhD student Jared Voris and Professor Zelenitsky from the University of Calgary. Their examination revealed that these remains belonged to a previously unknown species, Khankhuuluu mongoliensis, identified as a direct ancestor to T.rex, predating it by around 20 million years. This discovery highlights the need for reconsideration of the lineage of large theropods. Khankhuuluu mongoliensis, named 'Dragon Prince' in Mongolian, lived approximately 86 million years ago during the Cretaceous Period. Measuring about 13 feet in length and weighing around 1,600 pounds, this mid-sized dinosaur was bipedal and featured a long snout lined with sharp, serrated teeth designed for slashing smaller prey such as oviraptorosaurs and ornithomimosaurs. In contrast, larger tyrannosaurs had conical teeth adapted for capturing larger prey with immense biting force. The study published in the journal Nature illustrates how Khankhuuluu's body structure indicates it was a swift predator, diverging from the heavily built T.rex. The distinct anatomical features of Khankhuuluu's skull, particularly the hollow bones and lack of pronounced horns seen in later tyrannosaurs, signify its transitional role between earlier theropods and the more robust T.rex. Such findings emphasize evolutionary adaptations that led to diversification within the tyrannosaur lineage. This groundbreaking research underlines the importance of re-evaluating fossil records and classifications as new evidence emerges, leading scientists to reassess the evolutionary timeline of predatory dinosaurs. As more discoveries are made, they reveal the complexities of dinosaur evolution, shedding light on how these magnificent creatures adjusted to their environments and prey over millions of years.