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Archaelogists unearthed the fossilized remains of what they believe to be a new inosaur species. The fossil was discovered in Alaska.
The bones of the large dinosaur were found in 69 million years rocks. The dinosaur is a hadrosaurus, more commonly known as duck-billed dinosaurs. According to experts, this type of dinosaurs were very large herbivores that existed in herds. The new dinosaur species was called Ugrunaaluk kuukpiknesis, which in Inupiaq – the language of Inupiat inhabitants of Alaska – means ancient grazer.
The fossilized remains of the dinosaur were found in the northern parts of Alaska. In prehistoric times, the climate in the region was far warmer than today and it was covered with forests. Paleontologists believe that the ancient animals probably only migrated to the area and went back in the south once the cold winters settled in.
The dinosaur was previously confused with another species, called Edmontosaurus, whose fossils are very common in the Canadian and northern United States regions.
Pat Druckenmiller, curator of earth science at the University of Alaska Museum, said that after a new examination of the dinosaur’s skull features, scientists have discovered major differences, which makes the new dinosaur a totally different species than Edmontosaurus. However, because the dinosaur is of a young age, it is hard to pinpoint the differences between the new species and the Edmontosaurus.
More precisely, the fossilized remains of the ancient animal were unearthed from Prince Creek Formation. Scientists have estimated that these dinosaurs were less about 9 feet long, while adults are believed to grow up to 24 feet long.
Scientists are currently debating whether this new species was warm blooded or cold blooded animals. The majority of people believe that dinosaurs thrive in the warmer climates, but 69 million years ago, the region that is now known as Alaska had average temperatures in the low 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Researchers noted that apart from the low temperatures, the region was also covered in complete darkness for about give months a year.
The group of scientists who examined the dinosaur are fascinated and they cannot believe how and why the dinosaur lived in this region. The temperatures would have been way too chilly for reptilian species, so maybe they have evolved in such ways to withstand the freezing temperatures.
Photo Credits wikimedia.org
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