Paleontologists have announced the discovery of a previously unknown small armored dinosaur discovered in southern Argentina. The creature probably walked upright on its hind legs about 100 million years ago.
This is reported by The Guardian.
The dinosaur of the Cretaceous period was named Yakapil Kanyukura. It is armored, as it was well protected by rows of bony plates along its neck, back and up to its tail. The dinosaur was about 1.5 meters long and weighed only 4-7 kg, like a domestic cat. His fossilized remains were excavated near a dam in Patagonia in the La Buitrera paleontological zone of the Río Negro province.
This is the first such discovery of an armored dinosaur from the Cretaceous period in South America. It is part of the thyreophoran dinosaur group, which is known for its bony dorsal plates and pointed tail.
The leading paleontologist, Sebastian Apestegia, and his colleagues discovered the partial skeleton of Yakapil along with 15 fragments of leaf-shaped teeth similar to those of an iguana.
- In November, it was reported that scientists found the first species of dinosaur that lived in Greenland 214 million years ago.
- Two new species of dinosaurs, each the size of a school bus, were discovered earlier in England on the Isle of Wight.
- In the summer of 2021, scientists confirmed the discovery of a new species of dinosaur in Australia, whose remains are the largest among those found on the continent.