Search Here

Two more dinosaur species were discovered in Montana and Utah, both of which are believed to be older relatives of the Triceratops which should help shed more light on the diversity close to the end of their existence.

Uncovered were the Machairoceratops cronusi over in Utah and the Spiclypeus shipporum found in Montana. Both are said to be members of the Ceratopsia species, a group of horn-face herbivorous dinosaurs that lived during the Cretaceous Period.

"Evolution just went crazy with these horned dinosaurs in the last phase of the dinosaur era," Paul Sereno, a paleontologist at the University of Chicago said via the Monitor.

The two newly discovered species were said to be creatures carrying parrot-like beaks along with spikes sticking out from their skulls. They were also believed to have massive shields at the back of their heads.

With the discover, the Machairoceratops cronusi and the Spiclypeus shipporum append the dino diversity in North America believed to have happened about 75 to 77 years ago. Though the two species are believed to be members of the same clan, they are said to be not closely related.

For reference, the Ceratopsia is made up of two main lineages - Centrosaurines and Chasmosaurines. The latter one is said to be the line that is associated with Triceratops.

Machairoceratops are species that came out early in the Centrosaurine lineage, something that is traced to as far as 77 million years ago according to lead author Eric Lund, a PhD student at Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine.

On the other hand, the Spiclypeus is believed to have been around 76 million years ago and could be a Triceratops relative.

"As we start to put together the record of dinosaurs in North America 75 million years ago, or thereabouts, you get very localized patterns of species," says Dr. Mallon. "The species that you find in, say, Alberta, tend to be different from the ones you find in Montana, which tend to be different from the ones you find further south. So we think these dinosaurs occupied sort of different provinces."

The remains also narrate a bit on the life story of the newly found species and that included rife with suffering — an upper arm bone shows significant deformities from arthritis and osteomyelitis.

Despite the deformity, scientists believe that the dinosaur would have been at least 10 years old before it died.