Scientists have found the stays of a brand new dinosaur – feasting on an historic crocodile bone.
The brand new discover in Argentina hails from a mysterious group of dinosaurs referred to as megaraptorans – and was regarded as 23ft lengthy.
It most likely lived between 66 and 70 million years in the past – near the time dinosaurs went extinct – and was not less than 19 years previous when it died, though scientists have no idea what killed it.
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An artist’s illustration of the newly found dinosaur. Pic: Andrew McAfee, Carnegie Museum of Pure Historical past through AP
Researchers mentioned they uncovered a part of a cranium in addition to an arm, leg and tail bones from the Lago Colhue Huapi rock formation in Patagonia.
They seen distinctive options within the bones that made them realise this could possibly be a brand new species.
The entrance leg bone pressed in opposition to its jaws – belonging to an historic relative of crocodiles – might reveal clues to its weight-reduction plan.
Megaraptorans prowled throughout what’s now South America, Australia and elements of Asia, splitting off into completely different species over tens of millions of years, in accordance with consultants.
They had been identified for his or her stretched-out skulls and “huge and very powerful claws”, the scientists added.
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Researcher Marcelo Luna holding a dinosaur claw. Pic: Marcelo Luna through AP
This newest member of the megaraptoran clan – named Joaquinraptor casali – “fills a major gap by providing one of the most complete skeletons yet”, mentioned Federico Agnolin, with the Argentine Museum of Pure Science Bernardino Rivadavia.
Lucio Ibiricu with the Patagonian Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, who was a part of the invention group, named the brand new dinosaur in reminiscence of his son Joaquin.
The analysis was printed within the journal Nature Communications.
