Dinosaur Fossil Found in Southern Brazil After Heavy Rains and Floods
2024-07-22
Following record-breaking heavy rains and floods that hit southern Brazil from late April to May (a major disaster that affected 2 million people and forced 600,000 to evacuate), an exposed fossil was found near the small town of São João do Polêsine, about 280 km west of Porto Alegre, the state capital of Rio Grande do Sul.
A team of paleontologists from the Federal University of Santa Maria excavated a block of rock containing a "nearly complete" dinosaur fossil. The fossil is estimated to be a species of the Herrerasauridae family from about 200 million years ago and is said to be the second most complete Herrerasauridae fossil ever discovered (the best-preserved one is Gnathovorax cabreirai, excavated in the same town of São João do Polêsine in 2014).
New Dinosaur from Tambasasayama City, Hyogo - Hypnovenator matsubaraetoheorum
2024-07-27
A theropod dinosaur fossil discovered in 2010 and 2011 in a stratum from the Early Cretaceous (110 million years ago) in Tambasasayama City (formerly Sasayama City) has been identified as a new genus and species after detailed research by the Museum of Nature and Human Activities, Hyogo (Sanda City), and others. It has been named Hypnovenator matsubaraetoheorum. It is estimated to have been 1.1 meters long and weighed about 2.5 kilograms.
The fossil was found in a state as if it were sleeping curled up like a modern bird, and it is said to be an important key in tracing the evolutionary process towards birds.
A CT scan revealed that the two excavated rock blocks contained a total of 81 bones, including features not seen in other troodontid dinosaurs.
In the scientific name (genus name) <Hypnovenator>, "Hypno" means "sleep" in Greek, and "venator" means "hunter" in Latin.
This is the 12th dinosaur fossil, excluding birds, reported from mainland Japan to have a currently valid scientific name.
New Iguanodontian Genus and Species Comptonatus chasei Discovered in the UK
2024-08-06
A fossil of a new species of herbivorous dinosaur that lived on an island off the coast of southern England about 125 million years ago has been found. The fossil, consisting of 149 bones, was discovered in 2013 in the Wessex Formation on the Isle of Wight off the coast of England. Based on features such as the jaw skeleton and a large pelvis, the dinosaur was identified as a new species and named "Comptonatus chasei." It is presumed to belong to the Iguanodontia group.
Comptonatus is estimated to have weighed about 1 ton. Additionally, footprint fossils found nearby suggest that it may have lived in herds.
New Ceratopsian from Tambasasayama City, Hyogo, "Sasayamagnomus saegusai"
2024-09-07
A fossil discovered between 2007 and 2008 in a stratum from the Early Cretaceous (about 110 million years ago) (Sasayama Group) spanning Tambasasayama City, Hyogo Prefecture, has been identified as a new genus and species of ceratopsian dinosaur. Including specimens found in subsequent investigations, a total of 17 fossils were examined. It was found that 15 were from the skull, one from the coracoid (shoulder bone), and one from the tibia (hind leg bone). The fossil showed three features not seen in any other ceratopsian, such as a unique projection on the cheekbone and a knob on the coracoid, and was described as a new genus and species of ceratopsian.
It was named "Sasayamagnomus saegusai." The genus name "Sasayamagnomus" means "dwarf guarding the treasure hidden underground in Sasayama," and the species name "saegusai" is in honor of the late Dr. Haruo Saegusa of the Museum of Nature and Human Activities, Hyogo, who led the investigation and research of vertebrate fossils found in the Sasayama Group for many years.
Since the newly discovered dinosaur is a primitive ceratopsian, it had no horns and only a small frill. It is estimated to have been about 80 cm in total length, but observation of the microstructure and growth rings inside the tibia revealed that it was a young, growing individual, so the adult is thought to have been slightly larger.
This is the 13th dinosaur fossil, excluding birds, reported from mainland Japan to have a currently valid scientific name.
New Ceratopsian Named After Loki, Lokiceratops rangiformis
2024-06-20
A fossil of a new species of horned dinosaur has been discovered in the badlands of northern Montana, USA. This dinosaur is one of the most ornate ceratopsians ever found, with two huge, blade-like horns at the back of its frill. Due to its distinctive horn pattern, it has been named "Lokiceratops rangiformis," which means "Loki's horned face that looks like a caribou."
Lokiceratops lived more than 78 million years ago in the swamps and floodplains along the east coast of the continent of Laramidia. This discovery suggests a rapid diversification of ceratopsid dinosaurs during the Late Cretaceous and is of great paleontological significance.
New Ornithopod, Iani smithi, Survived Mid-Cretaceous Climate Change
2024-06-07
A fossil discovered in Utah, USA, has been identified as a new species of ornithopod dinosaur and named "Iani smithi." The name is derived from "Ianus," the Roman god of doorways and transitions, suggesting that it lived during a time of changing climate.
Iani smithi was discovered in a stratum from the mid-Cretaceous period, about 99.6 million years ago. This era is thought to be when many dinosaurs went extinct due to rising global temperatures caused by large-scale volcanic eruptions. The discovery of Iani smithi is an important clue to understanding how the lineage leading to the later successful hadrosaurids survived this challenging period.