New dinosaur closely related to the T. rex discovered by scientists
An international team of researchers has identified a previously undiscovered species of gigantic theropod dinosaur, a close relative of the infamous Tyrannosaurus rex (T. rex). The findings, published in the journal Cretaceous Research, were drawn from fossil skull and jaw bones discovered in China, and set out the characteristics of the newly named dinosaur species 'Zhuchengtyrannus magnus'. The researchers believe Zhuchengtyrannus magnus probably measured about 11 metres long, stood about 4 metres tall, and weighed somewhere in the region of 6 tonnes. Comparable in size and scale to the T. rex, this new dinosaur is one of the largest theropod (carnivorous) dinosaurs ever identified by scientists. Alongside T. rex and the Asian Tarbosaurus, Zhuchengtyrannus magnus is one of a special group of gigantic theropods called tyrannosaurines. The tyrannosaurines existed in North America and eastern Asia during the Late Cretaceous Period, which lasted from about 99 million years to 65 million years ago. The tyrannosaurines were huge carnivores who were characterised by their small arms, two-fingered hands, and large powerful jaws that could deliver powerful bone-crushing bites. Scientists believe that they were likely to have been both predators and scavengers. However, this new species of dinosaur is undoubtedly a new species owing to certain features that set it apart from previously discovered dinosaurs. 'Zhuchengtyrannus can be distinguished from other tyrannosaurines by a combination of unique features in the skull not seen in any other theropod,' explains lead author of the study Dr David Hone from the School of Biology and Environmental Science at University College Dublin, Ireland. 'With only some skull and jaw bones to work with, it is difficult to precisely gauge the overall size of this animal. But the bones we have are just a few centimetres smaller than the equivalent ones in the largest T. rex specimen. So there is no doubt that Zhuchengtyrannus was a huge tyrannosaurine.' The research was the result of collaboration between Ireland and China. A key member of the international team of scientists involved in the study was Professor Xu Xing of the Beijing Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology in China; he is a world leader in describing new dinosaur species, having named more than 30 dinosaurs. Dr David Hone explained that the new genus (a taxonomic rank on the biological classification scale for fossil organisms) is named Zhuchengtyrannus magnus after the city of Zhucheng, in eastern China's Shandong Province, which is where the bones were found. The name means 'Great Tyrant from Zhucheng': the Latin tyrannus means 'king' or 'tyrant', and magnus means 'great'. The quarry in Shandong Province, eastern China where the remains of Zhuchengtyrannus magnus were found contains one of the largest concentrations of dinosaur bones in the world. It is believed that this area contains such a high concentration of dinosaur fossils due to it being a large flood plain where many dinosaur bodies were likely washed together during large floods before being fossilised there.For more information, please visit:University College Dublin:http://www.ucd.ie
Countries
China, Ireland