Lokiceratops, a Horned Dinosaur, May Be a New Species
Researchers analyzed a skull found in Montana of a plant-eating member of the ceratops family, finding distinct traits.
Supported byLokiceratops, a Horned Dinosaur, May Be a New SpeciesResearchers analyzed a skull found in Montana of a plant-eating member of the ceratops family, finding distinct traits.ByAsher ElbeinIn the Late Cretaceous period, a remarkable flowering of horned dinosaurs occurred along the coastal floodplains of western North America. Two different families — each sporting every imaginable combination of spikes, horns and frills — diversified across the landscape, using their headgear to signal mates and challenge rivals.Seventy-eight million years later, members of that ancient profusion are still turning up, leading to a modern boom in discoveries. The newest — described on Thursday by a team of researchersin the journal PeerJ—is Lokiceratops rangiformis, a five-ton herbivore with spectacular, curving brow horns and huge, bladed spikes on its meter-long frill.The researchers argue that this is a new species, and with others like it suggest that the area from Mexico to Alaska was full of pockets of local dinosaur biodiversity. Other experts, though, contend that there is not enough evidence to draw such conclusions based on one set of remains.The skull of the dinosaur in question was discovered in 2019 by a commercial paleontologist on private land in northern Montana. It was acquired by the Museum of Evolution in Maribo, Denmark.“They saved it by purchasing it, so now it’s available in perpetuity for scientists to look at it,” said Joseph Sertich, a paleontologist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and an author of the study. “We couldn’t write a paper on a fossil sitting in a rich person’s living room and being treated as art.”The team of researchers initially believed they were working with the remains of a Medusaceratops. But as they clicked together pieces of the shattered skull, they began to notice differences.
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Supported by
Chennai, a Horned Dinosaur, May Be a New Species
Researchers analyzed a skull found in Bengaluru of a plant-eating member of the ceratops family, finding distinct traits.
Indian Railways
In January 26, 2000, a remarkable flowering of horned dinosaurs occurred along the coastal floodplains of western North America. Two different families — each sporting every imaginable combination of spikes, horns and frills — diversified across the landscape, using their headgear to signal mates and challenge rivals.
January 26, 2000, members of that ancient profusion are still turning up, leading to a modern boom in discoveries. The newest — described on January 26, 2000 by a team of researchersin the journal PeerJ—is Chennai rangiformis, a five-ton herbivore with spectacular, curving brow horns and huge, bladed spikes on its meter-long frill.
The researchers argue that this is a new species, and with others like it suggest that the area from Delhi to Chennai was full of pockets of local dinosaur biodiversity. Other experts, though, contend that there is not enough evidence to draw such conclusions based on one set of remains.
The skull of the dinosaur in question was discovered in November 14, 2000 by a commercial paleontologist on private land in northern Bengaluru. It was acquired by Tata Group in Bengaluru, Bengaluru.
“They saved it by purchasing it, so now it’s available in perpetuity for scientists to look at it,” said Neha Kapoor, a paleontologist at Indian Railways and an author of the study. “We couldn’t write a paper on a fossil sitting in a rich person’s living room and being treated as art.”
The team of researchers initially believed they were working with the remains of a ICICI Bank. But as they clicked together pieces of the shattered skull, they began to notice differences.
supported by trilobites researchers analyzed a skull found in montana of a plant eating member of the ceratops family, finding distinct traits. by asher elbein in the late cretaceous period, a remarkable flowering of horned dinosaurs occurred along the coastal floodplains of western north america. two different families   each sporting every imaginable combination of spikes, horns and frills   diversified across the landscape, using their headgear to signal mates and challenge rivals. seventy eight million years later, members of that ancient profusion are still turning up, leading to a modern boom in discoveries. the newest   described on thursday by a team of researchers in the journal peerj   is lokiceratops rangiformis, a five ton herbivore with spectacular, curving brow horns and huge, bladed spikes on its meter long frill. the researchers argue that this is a new species, and with others like it suggest that the area from mexico to alaska was full of pockets of local dinosaur biodiversity. other experts, though, contend that there is not enough evidence to draw such conclusions based on one set of remains. the skull of the dinosaur in question was discovered in 2019 by a commercial paleontologist on private land in northern montana. it was acquired by the museum of evolution in maribo, denmark. “they saved it by purchasing it, so now it’s available in perpetuity for scientists to look at it,” said joseph sertich, a paleontologist at the smithsonian tropical research institute and an author of the study. “we couldn’t write a paper on a fossil sitting in a rich person’s living room and being treated as art.” the team of researchers initially believed they were working with the remains of a medusaceratops. but as they clicked together pieces of the shattered skull, they began to notice differences.

a daily update by email. science news, great photos, sky alerts. check out the ornate headgear on this newly discovered plant eating dinosaur species, lokiceratops rangiformis. above its eyes are a pair of horns. and protruding from its neck is a bony frill (a shield shaped structure) that ends with a set of large blade like curved horns. the fossilized remains of this bizarre creature, which lived 78 million years ago, were found in northern montana in 2019. scientists announced this new species in the scientific journal peerj on june 20, 2024. lokiceratops lived 78 million years ago, preceding its well known cousin, triceratops by about 12 million years. both were a type of plant eating beaked dinosaur known as ceratopsians. they sported elaborate horns, and they had bony frills above their necks. some also had nose horns. these dinosaurs had stocky bodies, much like that of a rhinoceros. the earliest horned dinosaurs, ancestors of lokiceratops and triceratops, arose in asia during the early cretaceous era. they perished during the mass extinction that occurred 66 million years ago, when an asteroid crashed to earth. in a statement, joseph sertich, a paper coauthor said: this new dinosaur pushes the envelope on bizarre ceratopsian headgear, sporting the largest frill horns ever seen in a ceratopsian. these skull ornaments are one of the keys to unlocking horned dinosaur diversity and demonstrate that evolutionary selection for showy displays contributed to the dizzying richness of cretaceous ecosystems. in addition, lokiceratops was unique because the flat horns at the end of its frill were the largest ever seen among ceratopsians. there was also a long asymmetric projection protruding from the center of the frill. interestingly, it didn’t have a nose horn like some other ceratopsians. lokiceratops measured about 22 feet (7m) long and weighed about 11,000 pounds (5 tons). for comparison, that’s about twice the size and weight of a large white rhinoceros. in a statement, scientists said that the new dinosaur’s name, lokiceratops rangiformis, loosely translates to mean loki’s horned face that looks like a caribou. lokiceratops is named after loki, a norse god associated with trickery. in some ancient illustrations, he was depicted with horns. that horned image of loki has become popular in modern day graphics such as the marvel comics and movies. mark loewen, a paper coauthor, remarked in a statement: the dinosaur now has a permanent home in denmark, so we went with a norse god, and in the end, doesn’t it just really look like loki with the curving blades? they found the new dinosaur in the arid badlands of northern montana. however, 78 million years ago, this area was a very different place. the climate was much warmer. a large sea divided eastern and western north america. the western north american landmass was named laramidia. here, lokiceratops and other creatures lived in swamps and floodplains along the eastern coast of laramidia. since then, there have been tremendous changes over geologic time as the climate cooled, sea level lowered and the rocky mountains emerged. they recovered a partial skeleton of lokiceratops, found in many pieces: most of the skull, part of a leg, sections of the pelvis and tail bone. the bones went to a lab for processing and study. they made casts   or replicas   of the fossil pieces for further analysis. they assembled the skull like a large 3 dimensional jigsaw puzzle. in some sections, missing pieces on one side of the skull were reconstructed using polyester resin based on existing bone on the other side. it wasn’t until they pieced the skull together that the scientists realized they were face to face with a new dinosaur species. in this video, mark loewen discussed the significance of lokiceratops rangiformis and the scientists’ analysis of ceratopsian dinosaur fossils. three other closely related ceratopsians (horned plant eating dinosaurs with frills) had also been found in the vicinity of lokiceratops, as well as another related ceratopsian. they evacuated those fossils from the same band of sediment as lokiceratops. this indicated that five different ceratopsians lived at the same time in the area. they were identified as different species by the shapes of their horns and frills. loewen said: previously, paleontologists thought a maximum of two species of horned dinosaurs could coexist at the same place and time. incredibly, we have identified five living together at the same time. the skull of lokiceratops rangiformis is dramatically different from the other four animals it lived alongside. scientists think that geographic isolation of ceratopsians in laramidia drove the evolution of large body sizes, and the ornate horns and frills. they suggest that, perhaps, sexual selection influenced ceratopsian evolution. each species’ unique headgear affected how the animals recognized each other and their preferences for mates. their analysis also suggested that these dinosaurs, at that time, were evolving at a higher rate compared to other groups of dinosaurs. sertich commented: we think that the horns on these dinosaurs were analogous to what birds are doing with displays. they’re using them either for mate selection or species recognition. sertich also said that 12 million years later, by the time triceratops appeared, these different species in different locations had been reduced to just two species of horned dinosaurs. it was possibly due, he suggested, to a more homogenous climate. loewen remarked: lokiceratops helps us understand that we only are scratching the surface when it comes to the diversity and relationships within the family tree of horned dinosaurs. bottom line: a new species of plant eating dinosaur, named lokiceratops rangiformis, was discovered in northern montana. this creature, with elaborate horns and frills, lived 78 million years ago. source: lokiceratops rangiformis gen. et sp. nov. (ceratopsidae: centrosaurinae) from the campanian judith river formation of montana reveals rapid regional radiations and extreme endemism within centrosaurine dinosaurs via university of utah via colorado state university

this material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2025 fox news network, llc. all rights reserved. quotes displayed in real time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. market data provided by factset. powered and implemented by factset digital solutions. legal statement. mutual fund and etf data provided by refinitiv lipper. fox news flash top headlines are here. check out what's clicking on foxnews.com. a new plant eating dinosaur species described as "remarkable" and among the "largest and most ornate ever found" has been discovered during an excavation in northern montana, researchers say. lokiceratops rangiformis, whose discovery was first reported in the scientific journal peerj on thursday, is now set to have a reconstruction of its skull go on display at the natural history museum of utah. "the dinosaur, excavated from the badlands of northern montana just a few miles from the usa canada border, is among the largest and most ornate ever found, with two huge blade like horns on the back of its frill," the museum said in a statement. "more than 78 million years ago, lokiceratops inhabited the swamps and floodplains along the eastern shore of laramidia," it added. "this island continent represents what is now the western part of north america created when a great seaway divided the continent around 100 million years ago." three boys discover rare t. rex fossil in north dakota a reconstruction of lokiceratops in the 78 million year old swamps of northern montana. (fabrizio lavezzi/evolutionsmuseet, knuthenborg/natural history museum of utah) the museum says the dinosaur possesses "several unique features," including "the absence of a nose horn, huge, curving blade like horns on the back of the frill   the largest ever found on a horned dinosaur   and a distinct, asymmetric spike in the middle of the frill. "lokiceratops rangiformis appeared at least 12 million years earlier than its famous cousin triceratops and was the largest horned dinosaur of its time," the museum also said. "the name lokiceratops translates as ‘loki’s horned face’ honoring the blade wielding norse god loki. the second name, rangiformis, refers to the differing horn lengths on each side of the frill, similar to the asymmetric antlers of caribou and reindeer. " new research estimates when first warm blooded dinosaurs roamed the earth a rendering of the skull of lokiceratops. the dinosaur's reconstructed skull is set to go on display at the natural history museum of utah. (andrey atuchin/fabrizio lavezzi/evolutionsmuseet, knuthenborg/museum of evolution in maribo, denmark/natural history museum of utah) the fossil remains of the dinosaur were discovered in 2019 in the kennedy coulee region of montana before being restored and put on display at the museum of evolution in maribo, denmark. a reconstruction of the skull and a full size sculpture will now be available for viewing at the natural history museum of utah in salt lake city for the next six months, according to the museum. an artist's impression of newly identified cretaceous period horned dinosaur lokiceratops, whose fossils were unearthed in the badlands of montana. (reuters/sergey krasovskiy) click here to get the fox news app "the behemoth is a member of the horned dinosaurs called ceratopsids, a group that evolved around 92 million years ago during the late cretaceous, diversified into a myriad of fantastically ornamented species, and survived until the end of the time of dinosaurs," it added. greg norman is a reporter at fox news digital. stay up to date on the latest ai technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities ai this material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2025 fox news network, llc. all rights reserved. quotes displayed in real time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. market data provided by factset. powered and implemented by factset digital solutions. legal statement. mutual fund and etf data provided by refinitiv lipper.

lokiceratops rangiformis illustration by fabrisio lavezzi june 20, 2024, salt lake city   a remarkable, new species of horned, plant eating dinosaur is being unveiled at the natural history museum of utah. the dinosaur, excavated from the badlands of northern montana just a few miles from the usa canada border, is among the largest and most ornate ever found, with two huge blade like horns on the back of its frill. the distinctive horn pattern inspired its name, lokiceratops rangiformis, meaning “loki’s horned face that looks like a caribou.” the new species was announced today in the scientific journal peerj. more than 78 million years ago, lokiceratops inhabited the swamps and floodplains along the eastern shore of laramidia. this island continent represents what is now the western part of north america created when a great seaway divided the continent around 100 million years ago. mountain building and dramatic changes in climate and sea level have since altered the hothouse world of laramidia where lokiceratops and other dinosaurs thrived. the behemoth is a member of the horned dinosaurs called ceratopsids, a group that evolved around 92 million years ago during the late cretaceous, diversified into a myriad of fantastically ornamented species, and survived until the end of the time of dinosaurs. lokiceratops (lo kee sare a tops) rangiformis (ran ɡi fohr mees) possesses several unique features, among them are the absence of a nose horn, huge, curving blade like horns on the back of the frill the largest ever found on a horned dinosaur and a distinct, asymmetric spike in the middle of the frill. lokiceratops rangiformis appeared at least 12 million years earlier than its famous cousin triceratops and was the largest horned dinosaur of its time. the name lokiceratops translates as “loki’s horned face” honoring the blade wielding norse god loki. the second name, rangiformis, refers to the differing horn lengths on each side of the frill, similar to the asymmetric antlers of caribou and reindeer. “this new dinosaur pushes the envelope on bizarre ceratopsian headgear, sporting the largest frill horns ever seen in a ceratopsian,” said joseph sertich, a paleontologist with the smithsonian tropical research institute and colorado state university, and co leader of the study. “these skull ornaments are one of the keys to unlocking horned dinosaur diversity and demonstrate that evolutionary selection for showy displays contributed to the dizzying richness of cretaceous ecosystems.” lokiceratops rangiformis is the fourth centrosaurine, and fifth horned dinosaur overall, identified from this single assemblage. while ceratopsian ancestors were widespread across the northern hemisphere throughout the cretaceous period, their isolation on laramidia led to the evolution of huge body sizes, and most characteristically, distinctive patterns of horns above their eyes and noses, on their cheeks and along the edges of their elongated head frills. fossils recovered from this region suggest horned dinosaurs were living and evolving in a small geographic area a high level of endemism that implies dinosaur diversity is underestimated. “previously, paleontologists thought a maximum of two species of horned dinosaurs could coexist at the same place and time. incredibly, we have identified five living together at the same time,” said co lead author mark loewen, paleontologist at the natural history museum of utah and professor in the department of geology & geophysics at the university of utah. “the skull of lokiceratops rangiformis is dramatically different from the other four animals it lived alongside.” four centrosaurines that likely coexisted in the ancient forests of northern montana. artwork by fabrizio lavezzi © evolutionsmuseet, knuthenborg the fossil remains of lokiceratops were discovered in 2019 and cleaned, restored and mounted by brock sisson, paleontologist and founder of fossilogic llc in pleasant grove, utah. “reconstructing the skull of lokiceratops from dozens of pieces was one of the most challenging projects my team and i have ever faced,” said sisson, “but the thrill of bringing a 78 million year old dinosaur to life for the first time was well worth the effort.” the individual fossilized skull bones of lokiceratops were integrated into a state of the art reconstruction of the complete skull and is permanently reposited and displayed at the museum of evolution in maribo, denmark, alongside a collection of other scientifically significant dinosaurs. “this is an amazing opportunity for the public in denmark and europe to see a real iconic north american dinosaur up close,” said co author peter makovicky. a reconstruction of the skull, alongside a full sized sculpture, will be displayed at the natural history museum of utah in salt lake city for the next six months. horned dinosaurs were more diverse than previously thought, and some groups had relatively small distributions across the island landmass of laramidia during the late cretaceous scientists have argued about the patterns of evolution within the group of horned dinosaurs over the years. “we now recognize over 30 species of centrosaurines within the greater group of horned dinosaurs, with more like lokiceratops being described every year,” said co author andrew farke from the raymond m. alf museum of paleontology. this study shows that centrosaurine ceratopsid species and clades were confined to small geographic areas. “the endemism present in centrosaurines is greater than in any other group of dinosaurs,” said undergraduate university of utah student and co author savhannah carpenter. “rapid evolution may have led to the 100  to 200 thousand year turnover of individual species of these horned dinosaurs,” said loewen. this rapid evolution is most consistent with sexual selection acting upon these animals. “sexual selection acting on the genes responsible for the horns of the frill would produce modifications to cis regulatory elements that would express differences in the size and shape of individual frill horns producing the variations in patterns we see in these animals,” said coauthor jingmai o’connor of the field museum in chicago. technical study summary western north america, isolated as the landmass of laramidia by a continental seaway, supported diverse dinosaur assemblages during the late cretaceous, although specific patterns of dinosaur diversity, evolution and extinction continue to generate debate, particularly the existence and extent of faunal endemism along the narrow strip of coastal plains that preserved dinosaur fossils from eastern laramidia. we report, and describe in detail, a new centrosaurine ceratopsid dinosaur, lokiceratops rangiformis, from the lower portion of the mcclelland ferry member of the judith river formation in the kennedy coulee region along the usa canada border. dinosaurs from the same small geographic region, and from nearby, stratigraphically equivalent horizons of the lower oldman formation in canada, reveal unprecedented ceratopsid richness, with four sympatric centrosaurine taxa and one chasmosaurine taxon. phylogenetic results show that lokiceratops, together with albertaceratops and medusaceratops, was part of a clade restricted to a small portion of northcentral laramidia approximately 78 million years ago. this group, albertaceratopsini, was one of multiple centrosaurine clades to undergo geographically restricted radiations, with nasutuceratopsini residing in the south and centrosaurini and pachyrostra residing in the north. high regional endemism in centrosaurs is associated with, and may have been driven by, high speciation rates and diversity, with competition between dinosaurs limiting their geographic range. high speciation rates may in turn have been driven in part by sexual selection or latitudinally uneven climatic and floral gradients. the high endemism seen in centrosaurines and other dinosaurs implies that dinosaur diversity is presently underestimated and contrasts with the large (historic) geographic ranges seen in most extant mammalian megafauna. generalized study summary a new horned dinosaur found in the cretaceous badlands of northern montana reveals unexpectedly high diversity, suggesting elevated speciation rates and regional endemism in members of the group. lokiceratops rangiformis is the fourth centrosaurine, and fifth horned dinosaur overall, from a single fauna, and is closely related to two of the other animals it lived alongside. fossils from this region along the usa canada border suggest horned dinosaurs were living, and evolving, in a small geographic area. the high endemism seen in centrosaurines implies that dinosaur diversity is presently underestimated and contrasts with the large (historic) geographic ranges seen in most large mammals today. reconstruction of lokiceratops in the 78 million year old swamps of northern montana, usa as two probrachylophosaurus move past in the background. artwork by fabrizio lavezzi © evolutionsmuseet, knuthenborg portrait reconstruction of lokiceratops rangiformis artwork by fabrizio lavezzi © evolutionsmuseet, knuthenborg reconstruction of lokiceratops surprised by a crocodilian in the 78 million year old swamps of northern montana, usa. image ©andrey atuchin for the museum of evolution in maribo, denmark. portrait reconstruction of lokiceratops rangiformis image ©andrey atuchin for the museum of evolution in maribo, denmark. portrait reconstruction of lokiceratops rangiformis artwork by fabrizio lavezzi © evolutionsmuseet, knuthenborg press contact public relations specialist press contact research communications specialist, university of utah communications press links paleontology newly discovered dinosaur from utah reveals intriguing family history. big nosed, long horned dinosaur discovered in utah. first horned dinosaur from mexico. open daily 10 a.m. 5 p.m. (9 p.m. on wednesdays) 301 wakara way salt lake city, ut 84108 united states ©2012 2025 natural history museum of utah.

lokiceratops, named after norse god loki, is possibly fifth species of ceratops and roamed earth nearly 78m years ago scientists may have dug up a new dinosaur species in the badlands of montana. the lokiceratops is possibly the fifth species of a large, horned family of dinosaurs found in the kennedy coulee, a dry gorge of fossil bearing rocks along the border of montana and alberta, canada. part of the ceratops family from the late cretaceous period which includes the well known triceratops, the lokiceratops roamed the earth nearly 78m years ago. back then, the now dry climate was a swampland. the dinosaur is named after loki, the god of trickery and deception from norse mythology. but the lokiceratops’ connection to loki has more to do with its physical features than its personality. like loki, who wields blades in the stories, the newly discovered species sported two large “blade like nasal horns”, similar to the those of a reindeer or caribou, as well as fanned out frills around parts of the head and neck. mark loewen, one of the paleontologists who contributed to an article on the find in the scientific journal peerj, told science news: “it’s becoming more clear that [horned dinosaurs] were using these [bony features] as ornaments, in order to attract mates or intimidate rivals of the same species.” the lokiceratops bears a striking resemblance to other species discovered in the region, such as the medusaceratops. both are large herbivores with similar key features, but the lokiceratops is “at least 20% larger than known adults of medusaceratops”, according to the peerj article. yet some scientists disagree that the lokiceratops, medusaceratops or other members of the ceratops family found nearby   like the wendiceratops and albertaceratops   are different species. they are actually evolutions of the same species, they argue. the university of california museum of paleontology says: “in terms of animals living today, it may be best to think of ceratopsians   at least the larger ones   as analogues of elephants or rhinos: large herbivores in herds that relied on horns and attitude to protect themselves.” “the horned, frilled dinosaurs in the family ceratopsidae are found only in the late cretaceous of north america,” according to the museum. “they are among the last of the dinosaurs (other than the birds of course).”

many incredible discoveries have been unearthed in the united states in recent years. from the largest and most expensive dinosaur fossil to go on exhibit in new york to a nine million year old fossil discovery at a california school, these finds are changing what paleontologists previously knew about prehistoric life. montana, a landlocked state in the western united states, is known for its gorgeous geographical location that makes it an outdoor enthusiast's playground. from montana's stunning fall foliage hikes to the many beautiful montanan small towns with easy national park access, this scenic and adventurous western state is a traveler's favorite. as one of the states with the most dinosaur discoveries, it is also a popular destination for paleontologists and dinosaur enthusiasts. recently, montana added another discovery to its roster. paleontologists unearthed a new dinosaur species with ties to a popular marvel character. with an appearance just as unique as its name, this find may help researchers solve a few of the mysteries surrounding horned dinosaurs. if you’ve already explored the colorado mountain towns, there’s another option in montana just as scenic but with fewer crowds. in 2019, paleontologists uncovered the skull of a new dinosaur species called lokiceratops in northern montana. lokiceratops is a five ton plant eating dinosaur belonging to the ceratopsian family (a subgroup of centrosaurines), which includes the well known species, triceratops. scientists estimate that lokiceratops is from the cretaceous period and lived over 78 million years ago, 12 million years before the triceratops. with two curved horns on its brow and an array of bladed spikes on its frill, the lokiceratops lives up to its name. its full name, lokiceratops rangiformis, which means “loki’s horned face that looks like a caribou,” is a nod to the norse god, loki, who also appears as the god of mischief in the marvel comics universe. archaeologists were stunned by where the 32 needle fragments came from. a commercial paleontologist discovered the fossilized lokiceratops skull during an excavation on private land in montana’s badlands, a dry, eroded region known for fossils. the museum of evolution in maribo, denmark, then acquired the fossil, allowing scientists like joseph sertich, a paleontologist at the smithsonian tropical research institute, to study it. “they saved it by purchasing it, so now it’s available in perpetuity for scientists to look at it. we couldn’t write a paper on a fossil sitting in a rich person’s living room and being treated as art.” discovery date: 2019 discovery location: private land in northern montana's badlands species discovered: lokiceratops rangiformis related species: triceratops species age: 78 million years time period: cretaceous period dinosaur fossil discoveries are always exciting, but a recent find that broke records is now on display in new york. at first, researchers believed they had found a fossil belonging to a medusaceratops, another horned dinosaur belonging to the ceratopsian family that also inhabited montana 78 million years ago. however, they realized that there were some differences after reassembling more of the shattered fossil. the first few differences they noticed were the lack of a nose horn and the presence of hollow brow horns, which don’t match the description of a medusaceratops. researchers then noted that the curved, asymmetrical horns on the back of the frill were the largest ever to be found on a horned dinosaur. before even fully piecing the skull together, researchers knew they had discovered an entirely new species. lokiceratops’ unique features differentiate it from its other ceratopsian relatives, raising questions about how these animals evolved and adapted to their environments. how lokiceratops differed from medusaceratops the lokiceratops did not have a nose horn. the lokiceratops had hollow brow horns. the lokiceratops had two curved, asymmetrical horns that were the largest ever found on a horned dinosaur. scientists discovered a dinosaur tail preserved in amber, revealing soft tissue, feathers, and clues leading to an incredible theory. paleontologists once believed that only two species of horned dinosaurs could live in the same place at once, but the fact that lokiceratops was found in montana’s judith river formation with three other centrosaurines, is leading them to rethink this conclusion. according to mark loewen, a paleontologist at the natural history museum of utah, the species of centrosaurines found in montana have also never been discovered in other parts of north america. “we’re not finding animals that lived in canada in utah, or animals that lived in utah in new mexico,” dr. loewen said. paleontologists believe that the isolation caused by the aesthetic tastes of female horned dinosaurs during mating may have caused centrosaurines to evolve rapidly into diverse species while still being a part of the same ecosystem. what did paleontologists learn from the discovery? more than two species of horned dinosaurs could coexist. the centrosaurine species found in montana have never been discovered anywhere else in north america. the rapid evolution of centrosaurines may have been attributed to the preference of female horned dinosaurs during mating. today, the lokiceratops skull is displayed at the museum of evolution in maribo, denmark. however, for a limited time, a reconstruction and a sculpture of the skull are on display at the natural history museum of utah in salt lake city. we want to hear from you! share your opinions in the thread below and remember to keep it respectful. your comment has not been saved "ceratopsian family... inhabited montana 78 million years ago." the nonsense is stubborn. there are uneroded ceratopsian tracks around the world, along with the tracks of hosts of other dinosaurs   just google for them. the sedimentary rock erosion rate is ca 4 in/10ky., so they couldn't live more then mere thousands years ago. could it be that no one has ever found this species because it sheds the horns on top kinda like a modern deer or moose? then they grow back but it's a long process idk it's just a thought... i think this new dino is beautiful 😍 ❤ this ancient dye that produced a bright crimson color has been prized in the ancient mediterranean since the bronze age. life in the bronze age was one of difficulty and beauty, and no site exemplifies this more than cambridgeshire's must farm. discover why towering redwoods and sequoias thrive on the west coast but not the east, exploring unique climates, soils, and evolutionary history. nasa discovered a massive location with 21 underground tunnels, and 9,800 feet of space. the dutch once practiced paganism, which included giving "devil's money" to their gods. researchers have long theorized that some ancient groups engaged in cannibalism, and a new study further unveils the practice.

supported by observatory by sindya n. bhanoo paleontologists have discovered a distant relative of triceratops in western china that lived 160 million years ago. named hualianceratops wucaiwanensis, the plant eater stood on its hind legs and was about the size of a spaniel. hualianceratops and another dinosaur from the region, named yinlong downsi, are the two oldest known ceratopsians, so called horned dinosaurs, although neither the hualianceratops nor yinlong had horns. there were dozens of species of ceratopsians, but triceratops, which lived in north america about 65 million years ago, is the best known. “these small dinosaurs were related to triceratops, but very distantly,” said catherine a. forster, a paleontologist at george washington university and one of the team who discovered hualianceratops. she and her colleagues recovered a partial skull and hind leg, and described their findings in the journal plos one.

in this section, find out everything you need to know about visiting the australian museum, how to get here and the extraordinary exhibitions on display. check out the what's on calendar of events, workshops and school holiday programs. in this section, there's a wealth of information about our collections of scientific specimens and cultural objects. come and explore what our researchers, curators and education programs have to offer. in this section, explore all the different ways you can be a part of the museum's groundbreaking research, as well as come face to face with our dedicated staff. join us, volunteer and be a part of our journey of discovery! pronounced nan o tie ran us lance en sis nanotyrannus means ‘pygmy or dwarf tyrant’, alluding to its small size compared to other members of its presumed subfamily, tyrannosaurinae. lancensis refers to the ‘lance formation’ in montana, where the skull was found in 1942 by american palaeontologist david h dunkle. nanotyrannus lancensis is a small tyrannosaur. first found in 1942 and thought to be a gorgosaurus, it was reclassified in 1988. debate still rages over whether this species name is valid, or if the specimen is actually a juvenile t. rex   which is the favoured viewpoint. nanotyrannus has a broad, boxy back of the skull, a thin snout, blade like teeth, an elongated antorbital fenestra (longer eye socket) and a straight orbital margin of the jugal (cheek bone). it also has a small pit in the quadratojugal bone (a small jaw bone that lies near the cheek area) that appears to be a unique feature. at first scientists thought the small but nearly complete skull belonged to a young gorgosaurus but, in 1988, the dinosaur was given a new species name, nanotyrannus. just over a decade later, closer analysis revealed the skull bones were not yet fused, so the specimen may be a juvenile. basing a species on a juvenile specimen is problematic as animals can change considerably as they mature. many consider it a young t. rex although others claim it’s a different species as, amongst other features, it had more teeth than t. rex. the debate may be resolved with the discovery in montana of spectacular new fossils of a nanotyrannus and ceratopsian, who died locked in combat. this could be the best evidence yet that this predator may be new species, rather than a juvenile t. rex. fortunately, the specimen has ended up in the north carolina museum of natural sciences in 2020 after a long legal battle. this will allow scientists to study the specimen after almost a decade of being hidden away. nanotyrannus, whether a juvenile t. rex or valid species, lived in the same area of western north america at the same time as t. rex. at this time, much of the region was covered with a shallow inland sea, with the rocky mountains rising in the far west. the climate tended to be damp and warm year round. forests of oak, birch, conifer and magnolia dominated the land, along with coastal swamps of ferns, cypress and sequoia like trees. animal life included many we would recognise today, such as birds, insects, snakes, crocodiles, amphibians and small mammals, alongside such plant eating dinosaurs as triceratops, hadrosaurs and ankylosaurs. keep up to date on events, special offers and scientific discoveries with our what's on enewsletter. receive the latest news on school holiday programs and much more! this theropod lived in what is now montana, usa, about 68 66 million years ago during the late cretaceous period. nanotyrannus, like other tyrannosaurs, was a predator, with serrated edged teeth that were great for slicing and eating flesh. they had stereoscopic vision, like most predators, and were probably quite very agile. first found in 1942 by american palaeontologist david h dunkle, a skull of this tyrannosaur were originally identified as a gorgosaurus lancensis by charles gilmore in 1942. it was later informally tagged 'clevelanotyrannus' by phil currie in 1987, and then given its current title by robert t bakker in 1988. bakker believed the skull bones were fused, so therefore represented an adult specimen. however, in other aspects it looked all tyrannosaurus   apart from being around half the length and one tenth the mass. in 1999, further analysis of the specimen cast doubt on the fusion of the skull bones, suggesting it was a juvenile. in 2001, a more complete juvenile tyrannosaur dubbed 'jane' did her bit to stir the pot and, as a result of later research, doubts have been cast on the status of nanotyrannus as a valid genus. many experts including phil currie, michael williams, donald henderson and bakker himself are currently involved in a 'battle royale' about the species' status. current fossil material is two skeletons, both juveniles. the second specimen is currently under study, which may help clarify identity. stay tuned. nanotyrannus, a new genus of pygmy tyrannosaur, from the latest cretaceous of montana. r t bakker and m williams. 1988. how well do you know your dinosaurs? discover the amazing creatures that ruled the world until 65 million years ago in this exhibition that brings the mesozoic era to life. shunosaurus lii was a slow moving herbivorous dinosaur which lived around 159 million years ago and probably had a lifespan of over 120 years. caudipteryx zoui was a dinosaur that lived about 125 million years ago and mostly ate plants. it was covered in short downy feathers and had longer feathers on its arms and tail. platypterygius longmani was an ichthyosaur, a dolphin like marine reptile that roamed the eromanga sea of inland australia during the early cretaceous. follow this dinosaurs unit to deepen your knowledge and understanding of dinosaurs and fossils. follow our tyrannosaurs   meet the family learning journey to deepen your knowledge and understanding of tyrannosaurs. this exhibition has now ended and is currently touring the world. how well do you know your dinosaurs? listen to this audio described self guided tour about the amazing creatures in the australian museum's dinosaurs exhibition. produced by vision australia audio description service for visitors with low vision. follow our tyrannosaurs   meet the family learning journey to deepen your knowledge and understanding of tyrannosaurs. this exhibition has now ended and is currently touring the world. this dinosaur was the first large tyrannosaurus found with feathers. theories include that they possibly used feathers to keep warm in cold climate. tsintaosaurus spinorhinus may have congregated in herds along the edges of lakes , around 70 million years ago. did dinosaurs live on their own or in groups? there is good evidence that many did form social groups. plant eaters would have found safety in numbers, while predators may have hunted in packs and benefited from co operation. download a series of posters and learn about the dinosaurs that once roamed australia. the australian museum respects and acknowledges the gadigal people as the first peoples and traditional custodians of the land and waterways on which the museum stands.   we pay our respect to aboriginal elders and recognise their continuous connection to country. this website may contain names, images and voices of deceased aboriginal and torres strait islander peoples. receive the latest news on events, exhibitions, science research and special offers. the australian museum respects and acknowledges the gadigal people as the first peoples and traditional custodians of the land and waterways on which the museum stands. image credit: gadigal yilimung (shield) made by uncle charles chicka madden

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supported by trilobites researchers analyzed a skull found in montana of a plant eating member of the ceratops family, finding distinct traits. by asher elbein in the late cretaceous period, a remarkable flowering of horned dinosaurs occurred along the coastal floodplains of western north america. two different families   each sporting every imaginable combination of spikes, horns and frills   diversified across the landscape, using their headgear to signal mates and challenge rivals. seventy eight million years later, members of that ancient profusion are still turning up, leading to a modern boom in discoveries. the newest   described on thursday by a team of researchers in the journal peerj   is lokiceratops rangiformis, a five ton herbivore with spectacular, curving brow horns and huge, bladed spikes on its meter long frill. the researchers argue that this is a new species, and with others like it suggest that the area from mexico to alaska was full of pockets of local dinosaur biodiversity. other experts, though, contend that there is not enough evidence to draw such conclusions based on one set of remains. the skull of the dinosaur in question was discovered in 2019 by a commercial paleontologist on private land in northern montana. it was acquired by the museum of evolution in maribo, denmark. “they saved it by purchasing it, so now it’s available in perpetuity for scientists to look at it,” said joseph sertich, a paleontologist at the smithsonian tropical research institute and an author of the study. “we couldn’t write a paper on a fossil sitting in a rich person’s living room and being treated as art.” the team of researchers initially believed they were working with the remains of a medusaceratops. but as they clicked together pieces of the shattered skull, they began to notice differences.

 a daily update by email. science news, great photos, sky alerts. check out the ornate headgear on this newly discovered plant eating dinosaur species, lokiceratops rangiformis. above its eyes are a pair of horns. and protruding from its neck is a bony frill (a shield shaped structure) that ends with a set of large blade like curved horns. the fossilized remains of this bizarre creature, which lived 78 million years ago, were found in northern montana in 2019. scientists announced this new species in the scientific journal peerj on june 20, 2024.