Palaeontology

Near-complete tyrannosaur fossil found in Utah

By T.K. Randall
October 22, 2017

Image: Tyrannosaurus Rex Holotype
Credit: ScottRobertAnselmo / CC BY-SA 3.0 (adapted) The remarkably well-preserved tyrannosaur, which is thought to belong to the species Teratophoneus curriei, was discovered on a field site in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah.

"With at least 75 percent of its bones preserved, this is the most complete skeleton of a tyrannosaur ever discovered in the southwestern US," said palaeontologist Dr. Randall Irmis.

"We are eager to get a closer look at this fossil to learn more about the southern tyrannosaur's anatomy, biology, and evolution."First discovered back in July 2015, the skeleton took up to 3,000 man-hours to excavate.

Measuring around 20ft long, the dinosaur was 12-15 years old when it died and its remarkable preservation has been attributed to its location within a prehistoric river channel or floodplain.

The species roamed what is now North America between 66 and 90 million years ago.

Source: Russia Today

Tags: Tyrannosaur, Dinosaur