New dinosaur species identified

*Raph's Girl* · 03-04-2007, 12:33 AM

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070304/...c/new_dinosaur

A new dinosaur species was a plant-eater with yard-long horns over its eyebrows, suggesting an evolutionary middle step between older dinosaurs with even larger horns and the small-horned creatures that followed, experts said.

The dinosaur's horns, thick as a human arm, are like those of triceratops — which came 10 million years later. However, this animal belonged to a subfamily that usually had bony nubbins a few inches long above their eyes.

Michael Ryan, curator of vertebrate paleontology for the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, published the discovery in this month's Journal of Paleontology. He dug up the fossil six years ago in southern Alberta, Canada, while a graduate student for the University of Calgary.

"Unquestionably, it's an important find," said Peter Dodson, a University of Pennsylvania paleontologist. "It was sort of the grandfather or great-uncle of the really diverse horned dinosaurs that came after it."

Ryan named the new dinosaur Albertaceratops nesmoi, after the region and Cecil Nesmo, a rancher near Manyberries, Alberta, who has helped fossil hunters.

The creature was about 20 feet long and lived 78 million years ago.

The oldest known horned dinosaur in North America is called Zuniceratops. It lived 12 million years before Ryan's find, and also had large horns.

That makes the newly found creature an intermediate between older forms with large horns and later small-horned relatives, said State of Utah paleontologist Jim Kirkland, who with Douglas Wolfe identified Zuniceratops in New Mexico in 1998. He predicted then that something like Ryan's find would turn up.

"Lo and behold, evolutionary theory actually works," he said.

Here is an image of what they believed it looked like:

Death's Head · 03-06-2007, 02:38 PM

Now that is a bad-ass looking reptile. I just don't like the facial expression that much. Still, it's interesting news, none the less.

**Shredder** · 03-07-2007, 11:03 PM

Cool. I've always loved dinosaurs, and it's always interesting to read/hear about new finds.

~~LogicDonny~~ · 03-09-2007, 11:27 PM

Um it's the great Shredder. Never met you yet but hello.

Yes interesting to see another dino species..

*Rooish* · 03-10-2007, 04:27 PM

Cool find. I've always adored the ceratopsians, so this is happy news for me!

*discordiatookie* · 03-12-2007, 03:53 PM

As a kid, I always wanted to be a paleotologist and discover a dinosaur, old or new. And you know what? I still do! It would be a great job, Michael Tough: Dinosaur (fossil) Hunter!

Albertaceratops is a pretty cool name, its a pretty there's not more pics to see how it looked...

Oh and if I found a dinosaur, it would be called the Tookeyasaurus and it would be the biggest dino ever found!

*Raph's Girl* · 03-12-2007, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tookie

As a kid, I always wanted to be a paleotologist and discover a dinosaur, old or new. And you know what? I still do! It would be a great job, Michael Tough: Dinosaur (fossil) Hunter!

When I was younger my dream was to be a Paleontoogist. For years I baught tons and tons of paleontology books....unfortunatly due to my alergy to heat and the fact that all the digs are taken in the summer months....my dream was shattered....and I found a love for genealogy.

I have been to numerous exhibits (I should scan the pic of me laying down in a T-Rex footprint someday) and even Dinosaur park on the Colorado/Utah border (u can touch bones that are still in the ground! ). I have also been to one of Europe's largest Paleontology museums in Frankfurt, Germany (they have the stuffed remains of a Dodo there!! That was awesome! ). One of these days I need to visit the Paleontology museum in Vancouver...

03-04-2007, 12:33 AM	#1
Raph's Girl Dierna Soul, Reporter Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Jakku Posts: 10,831	New dinosaur species identified http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070304/...c/new_dinosaur A new dinosaur species was a plant-eater with yard-long horns over its eyebrows, suggesting an evolutionary middle step between older dinosaurs with even larger horns and the small-horned creatures that followed, experts said. The dinosaur's horns, thick as a human arm, are like those of triceratops — which came 10 million years later. However, this animal belonged to a subfamily that usually had bony nubbins a few inches long above their eyes. Michael Ryan, curator of vertebrate paleontology for the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, published the discovery in this month's Journal of Paleontology. He dug up the fossil six years ago in southern Alberta, Canada, while a graduate student for the University of Calgary. "Unquestionably, it's an important find," said Peter Dodson, a University of Pennsylvania paleontologist. "It was sort of the grandfather or great-uncle of the really diverse horned dinosaurs that came after it." Ryan named the new dinosaur Albertaceratops nesmoi, after the region and Cecil Nesmo, a rancher near Manyberries, Alberta, who has helped fossil hunters. The creature was about 20 feet long and lived 78 million years ago. The oldest known horned dinosaur in North America is called Zuniceratops. It lived 12 million years before Ryan's find, and also had large horns. That makes the newly found creature an intermediate between older forms with large horns and later small-horned relatives, said State of Utah paleontologist Jim Kirkland, who with Douglas Wolfe identified Zuniceratops in New Mexico in 1998. He predicted then that something like Ryan's find would turn up. "Lo and behold, evolutionary theory actually works," he said. Here is an image of what they believed it looked like: __________________

03-06-2007, 02:38 PM	#2
Death's Head Foot Soldier Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: I'll just say that I'm a Texan. Posts: 116	Now that is a bad-ass looking reptile. I just don't like the facial expression that much. Still, it's interesting news, none the less. __________________

03-07-2007, 11:03 PM	#3
Shredder Admin/Layton Apprentice Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Isla Nublar Posts: 481	Cool. I've always loved dinosaurs, and it's always interesting to read/hear about new finds. __________________ "Well, actually, I always wanted to be a writer. Being a ruthless conqueror was my second choice." --Shredder, Take Me to Your Leader

03-10-2007, 04:27 PM	#5
Rooish Devil's Advocate Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Toronto, Ontario Posts: 2,130	Cool find. I've always adored the ceratopsians, so this is happy news for me! __________________ Thanks evan2000 for the sig!

03-12-2007, 03:53 PM	#6
discordiatookie facehugger Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Aberdeen, Scotland Posts: 2,817	As a kid, I always wanted to be a paleotologist and discover a dinosaur, old or new. And you know what? I still do! It would be a great job, Michael Tough: Dinosaur (fossil) Hunter! Albertaceratops is a pretty cool name, its a pretty there's not more pics to see how it looked... Oh and if I found a dinosaur, it would be called the Tookeyasaurus and it would be the biggest dino ever found! __________________ Oh Discordia! Charyou Tree! Come, Reap! Don't tell us to grow up and out of it I got my cloak and dagger in a bar room brawl You actually trying to read this tiny text? Damn, you're dedicated! This is all just for effect you know... original TMNT art collection

03-09-2007, 11:27 PM	#4
~~LogicDonny~~ Banned Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 1,643	Um it's the great Shredder. Never met you yet but hello. Yes interesting to see another dino species..