Scientists have found a new species of dinosaur in the collection of the Mongol Museum, which they say “rewrites” the evolutionary history of Tyrannosaurus.
The researchers concluded that two skeletons aged 86 million belonged to the species that is now the closest known ancestor of all tyrannosaurs – a group of predators that includes Sign T.Rex.
The researchers named this species khankhuuluu mongoliensis (pronounced khan-ku-Lur Mongolisis), which means “Dragon Prince of Mongolia.”
The discovery, published in the journal Nature, provides insight into how tyrannosaurs evolved to become the powerful predators that terrorised North America and Asia until the end of dinosaur dominance.
Author of the photo, Darla Zelenitsky
“Tyrannosautoid,” explained Professor Darla Zelenitsky, a palaeontologist at the University of Calgary in Canada. PhD student Jaredu, who led the research with Prof Zelenitsyn, explained
. Law School period The anatomy of the skull that provided a strong jaw
The fact that this group of dinosaurs could move between North America and Asia – via land bridges that then connected Siberia and Alaska – also helped them find and occupy different niches.