New Dinosaur Discovered in Montana Has a Rockin’ Vibe
I can still remember telling my Mother how I wanted to be either a paleontologist or a radio DJ. (Clearly, we can see how that turned out.) Much like any young kid, I was fascinated with dinosaurs. I had dinosaur playsets and action figures. I had a miniature "dino dig" playset. Plus, I grew up in Montana where all the good dinosaurs are found.
Just recently a new species of dinosaur has been discovered in Montana. Researchers found the fossilized remains of an interesting-looking creature near the Canadian border. A dinosaur that resembles something straight out of a heavy metal music video. An extinct creature that looks similar to a triceratops, but with just a little more flare.
LOKICERATOPS
According to CNN
Lokiceratops in particular have horns just like Triceratops over the eyes, but they bend off to the sides instead of pointing forward. The other feature of horned dinosaurs that’s unique is the frill, the big shield that extends from the back of the head over the neck. Different types of horned dinosaurs have distinct horns along the edge of that frill.
The fossil of the Lokiceratops was a unique find, as it was purchased right out of the ground. It was purchased by the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh. They painstakingly pieced the creature's bones together to unveil a new dinosaur species.
Steve Brusatte, personal chair of paleontology and evolution at the University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom told CNN.
Its headgear looks like something a heavy metal rocker would wear onstage. It is a member of the same group as Triceratops but has its own style, as do the dozens of other horned dinosaurs that have been found recently. The horns and frills of these dinosaurs were their badges of identity, their billboards for attracting mates and intimidating rivals.
The purchase by the museum is considered a big success story because the bones did not end up in a private buyer's hands. Now the Lokiceratops can continue to be researched and studied for years to come.
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Gallery Credit: Phylicia Peterson, Townsquare Media Laramie/Cheyenne