Post: 2 new dinosaurs found in Utah
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09-23-2010, 08:32 PM
#1
Inferno_Ace
Hi
SALT LAKE CITY – Scientists said Wednesday they've discovered fossils in the southern Utah desert of two new dinosaur species closely related to the Triceratops, including one with 15 horns on its large head.
The discovery of the new plant-eating species — including Kosmoceratops richardsoni, considered the most ornate-headed dinosaur known to man — was reported Wednesday in the online scientific journal PLoS ONE, produced by the Public Library of Science.
The other dinosaur, which has five horns and is the larger of the two, was dubbed Utahceratops gettyi.
"It's not every day that you find two rhino-sized dinosaurs that are different from all the other dinosaurs found in North America," said Mark Loewen, a Utah Museum of Natural History paleontologist and an author of the paper published in PLoS ONE.
"You would think that we know everything there is to know about the dinosaurs of western North America, but every year we're finding new things, especially here in Utah," he said.
[Related: How and where you can find fossils]
The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument has been a hotbed for dinosaur species discoveries in the past decade, with more than a dozen new species discovered. While it is a rocky, arid place now, millions of years ago it was similar to a swamp.
The Utahceratops has a large horn over the nose and short eye horns that project to the side rather than upward, similar to a bison. Its skull is about 7 feet long, it stood about 6 feet high and was 18 to 22 feet long. It is believed to have weighed about 3 to 4 tons.
The Kosmoceratops has similar facial features at the Utahceratops, but has 10 horns across the rear margin of its bony frill that point downward and outward. It weighed about 2.5 tons and was about 15 feet long.
The horns on both animals range in length from about 6 inches to 1 foot.
[Related: Just what are fossils, anyway?]
Paleontologists say the discovery shows that horned dinosaurs living on the same continent 76 million years ago evolved differently.
Scientists say that other horned dinosaurs lived on the same ancient continent known as Laramidia in what is now Alberta, Canada.
The numerous horns are believed to have been used to attract mates and intimidate sexual competitors, similar to horns on deer.
"The horns really are probably developed at puberty, because most likely these are signals for mate recognition, competition between males, things like that," Loewen said. "They're sexual signals and really that's how we think this group of dinosaurs divided."
Thanks Lady for the pics.
"Kosmoceretops"
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The discovery of the new plant-eating species — including Kosmoceratops richardsoni, considered the most ornate-headed dinosaur known to man — was reported Wednesday in the online scientific journal PLoS ONE, produced by the Public Library of Science.
The other dinosaur, which has five horns and is the larger of the two, was dubbed Utahceratops gettyi.
"It's not every day that you find two rhino-sized dinosaurs that are different from all the other dinosaurs found in North America," said Mark Loewen, a Utah Museum of Natural History paleontologist and an author of the paper published in PLoS ONE.
"You would think that we know everything there is to know about the dinosaurs of western North America, but every year we're finding new things, especially here in Utah," he said.
[Related: How and where you can find fossils]
The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument has been a hotbed for dinosaur species discoveries in the past decade, with more than a dozen new species discovered. While it is a rocky, arid place now, millions of years ago it was similar to a swamp.
The Utahceratops has a large horn over the nose and short eye horns that project to the side rather than upward, similar to a bison. Its skull is about 7 feet long, it stood about 6 feet high and was 18 to 22 feet long. It is believed to have weighed about 3 to 4 tons.
The Kosmoceratops has similar facial features at the Utahceratops, but has 10 horns across the rear margin of its bony frill that point downward and outward. It weighed about 2.5 tons and was about 15 feet long.
The horns on both animals range in length from about 6 inches to 1 foot.
[Related: Just what are fossils, anyway?]
Paleontologists say the discovery shows that horned dinosaurs living on the same continent 76 million years ago evolved differently.
Scientists say that other horned dinosaurs lived on the same ancient continent known as Laramidia in what is now Alberta, Canada.
The numerous horns are believed to have been used to attract mates and intimidate sexual competitors, similar to horns on deer.
"The horns really are probably developed at puberty, because most likely these are signals for mate recognition, competition between males, things like that," Loewen said. "They're sexual signals and really that's how we think this group of dinosaurs divided."
Thanks Lady for the pics.
"Kosmoceretops"
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09-23-2010, 09:11 PM
#2
NeedaLifeSoon
Retired Life
And I thought I was horney!!!
It is hard to comprehend how long dinosaurs walked the earth or how long ago they became extinct.
Earth is 4.5 billion yrs old, dinosaurs walked around for 265 million yrs, died off 65 million yrs ago and homo sapien man has been around for less than 50,000 yrs.
We have been around 1/5300 the time they were and are destroying something it took 4.5 billion yrs to make in less than 200 yrs.
And who has the better brain??
It is hard to comprehend how long dinosaurs walked the earth or how long ago they became extinct.
Earth is 4.5 billion yrs old, dinosaurs walked around for 265 million yrs, died off 65 million yrs ago and homo sapien man has been around for less than 50,000 yrs.
We have been around 1/5300 the time they were and are destroying something it took 4.5 billion yrs to make in less than 200 yrs.
And who has the better brain??
09-23-2010, 10:49 PM
#3
xSiiK---AT0MIK
ಠ_ಠ
Originally posted by needalifesoon
And I thought I was horney!!!
It is hard to comprehend how long dinosaurs walked the earth or how long ago they became extinct.
Earth is 4.5 billion yrs old, dinosaurs walked around for 265 million yrs, died off 65 million yrs ago and homo sapien man has been around for less than 50,000 yrs.
We have been around 1/5300 the time they were and are destroying something it took 4.5 billion yrs to make in less than 200 yrs.
And who has the better brain??
It is hard to comprehend how long dinosaurs walked the earth or how long ago they became extinct.
Earth is 4.5 billion yrs old, dinosaurs walked around for 265 million yrs, died off 65 million yrs ago and homo sapien man has been around for less than 50,000 yrs.
We have been around 1/5300 the time they were and are destroying something it took 4.5 billion yrs to make in less than 200 yrs.
And who has the better brain??
u do know the earth has warm and cold periods? humanity is just speeding up the process
09-24-2010, 11:13 AM
#5
ShinigamiUzi
Proud to be a Player
The following 2 users say thank you to Roar for this useful post:
09-24-2010, 11:39 AM
#7
Inferno_Ace
Hi
09-24-2010, 11:44 AM
#8
Roar
Guest
Originally posted by Ace
Thanks for the pic, can I add it to the thread?
hehe thats why i replies wif its! <3
---------- Post added at 06:44 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:43 AM ----------
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"Kosmoceretops"
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09-24-2010, 02:04 PM
#9
Bacon-Head
I hope you're offended
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