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According to a recent study, a newly discovered species of dinosaur could potentially be the closest known relative to Tyrannosaurus rex.
This study alters the way scientists perceive the initial arrival of the well-known dinosaur T. rex in North America, by introducing its earliest known relative on the continent.
Scientists have recognized the recently found variant of tyrannosaur named Tyrannosaurus mcraeensis.
The predator is larger and less advanced than its more well-known relative, but still of a similar size – approximately that of a double-decker bus.
The results are derived from a fragment of a skull that was obtained several years ago in western New Mexico and is currently exhibited at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science (NMMNHS).
This indicates that tyrannosaurus existed in North America millions of years earlier than what palaeontologists had previously believed.
According to the whereabouts of previous fossil discoveries that were dated to be from 66 to 75 million years ago, the scientists propose that T. mcraeensis potentially existed between 71 and 73 million years ago – approximately five to seven million years before T. rex.
The tyrannosaurus rex is widely recognized, making it feasible to demonstrate that the New Mexico fossil was a new discovery.
“The variations may be slight, but this is often the case with species that are closely related,” said Dr. Nick Longrich, a co-author from the Milner Centre for Evolution at the University of Bath.
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Once more, it is evident the significance and scientific value of the dinosaur fossils in New Mexico – there are still numerous undiscovered dinosaurs to be found in the state, both in the earth and in museum collections.
Over millions of years, evolution gradually leads to the accumulation of mutations, resulting in subtle changes in the appearance of species over time.
As a former student, Sebastian Dalman embarked on a new study of a horned dinosaur, prompting a reconsideration of the dinosaurs found in western New Mexico.
In 2013, I began collaborating with my co-author Steve Jasinski on this project and we quickly realized that we were onto a new discovery.
A group of researchers from various locations including New Mexico, other parts of the USA, Canada, and Bath in the UK, was formed to examine the creature by thoroughly examining its skeletal structure.
They all found subtle differences in the shape of, and joins between, the skull bones of the specimen and the dozens of T. rex skeletons previously found.
The recently found dinosaur was approximately the size of a T. rex, which could reach lengths of up to 40 feet (12 meters) and heights of 12 feet (3.6 meters), and it was also a carnivore.
The researchers stated that although the new discovery came before T. rex, slight variations in the jaw structure suggest that it is not a direct predecessor.
According to experts, this increases the potential for future discoveries of new tyrannosaurs.
According to Dr. Spencer Lucas, the curator of paleontology at NMMNHS, the significant scientific value of New Mexico’s dinosaur fossils has been revealed once again. He also stated that there are still numerous new dinosaur species waiting to be found in the state, both in the field and in museum collections.
Based on the findings, scientists have broadened our knowledge of tyrannosaurs.
Initially, it is proposed that the top predators inhabited the southern region of the United States approximately 72 million years ago, well before the discovery of the first T. rex fossils in that area.
The recent discovery of fossils indicates that larger and more developed species of tyrannosaurs evolved in the southern region of the United States, while smaller and less developed ones were found in Montana and Canada.
The results have been published in the journal Scientific Reports.
Source: independent.co.uk
