An excavation in Argentina has unearthed a species of dinosaur that had not been discovered before and the tyrannosaur-like predator has been given a name that fits what we know so far: Llukalkan aliocranianus, or “one who causes fear.”
Able to grow as long as an elephant, with sharp teeth and a powerful bite, L. aliocranianus it would certainly have been a formidable sight for any other creature that passed through it during the Late Cretaceous period, leading to the extinction of the dinosaurs 66 million years ago.
The new species is a bee-eater, although it probably had better hearing (similar to a current crocodile) than the other nine species in the family found so far. The dinosaurs also had huge claws on their feet and a keen sense of smell, according to the researchers.
Impression of the artist Llukalkan aliocranianus. (Jorge Blanco and Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology)
“This is a particularly important finding because it suggests that the diversity and abundance of abelisaurids were remarkable, not only throughout Patagonia, but also in more local areas during the twilight period of the dinosaurs,” says paleontologist Federico Gianechini of the University. National from San Luis to Argentina.
Patagonia and other areas of the ancient supercontinent Gondwana, now divided into Africa, India, Antarctica, Australia, and South America, were the places where abelisaurids roamed.
Although their short forearms gave them a similar appearance to the T. rex, had unusually short, deep skulls, which often bore crests, bumps, and horns. This particular dino would have had bumps on its head similar to the monster lizard Gila.
Researchers have determined this L. aliocranianus shared the same part of the world at the same time as another abelisaurid, Viavenator exxoni, although the new species would have been smaller.
“These dinosaurs were still testing new evolutionary pathways and diversifying rapidly just before they died completely,” says paleontologist Ariel Mendez of the Patagonian Institute of Geology and Paleontology in Argentina.
Skull of Llukalkan aliocranianus. (Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology)
Some of the fossilized remains of the “cause of fear” include a brain box, which shows a unique feature among abelisaurids: a small posterior sinus filled with air in the middle ear area, which helped with this hearing. resembling a coconut.
It is possible that this hearing has improved the abilities of dinosaur predators and the research team says that both L. aliocranianus i V. exxoni it would have been one of the most dangerous meat eaters of the time.
Map and images showing where the specimen was found in Argentina. (Gianechini et al., Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 2021)
It is likely that there are more things to be found in the region, from about 80 million years ago, a period that seems to have been prosperous for the abelisaurids and furileusaurs (“rigid-backed lizards”) that formed this part. of the family.
“This finding also suggests that there are probably more abelisaurids than we have yet found, so we will look for other new species and a better understanding of the relationship between furilesaurs,” says Gianechini.
The research has been published in Journal of Paleontology of Vertebrates.