In Argentina, researchers found new fossils that could correspond to a close relative of a group of armless dinosaurs that roamed the southern hemisphere more than 70 million years ago.
On this occasion, the scientists found a partially complete skull of this new species that has been named Gemesia Ochoai.
According to the researchers, the finding provides new information about a unique ecosystem from the Late Cretaceous.
“This new dinosaur is quite unusual for its kind,” says Professor Anjali Goswami, lead author of the research.
“It shows that the dinosaurs that lived in this region were quite different from those in other parts of Argentina, which supports the idea of distinct provinces in Cretaceous South America. It also shows us that there is much more to discover in these areas that receive less attention than some of the more famous fossil beds.”
The skull, including the top and back parts, was found in the Los Blanquitos Formation near Amblayo in northern Argentina in rocks dating between 75 and 65 million years old.
According to the researchers, this means that this animal lived just before the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous that saw the extinction of most of the dinosaurs.
Although some details of the skull are still unclear, scientists estimate that there is enough evidence to ensure that it is a new species (Gemesia Ochoai).
This name is due to General Martín Miguel de Güemes, hero of the Argentine War of Independence, and Javier Ochoa, museum technician in charge of the discovery.
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