Make room for the Wendiceratops: a new dinosaur has been identified

Make room for the Wendiceratops: a new dinosaur has been identified

Remains of a new species of dinosaur were located and identified in Canada.

Jurassic World just got a new character. A new dinosaur has been identified in Canada.

As 14U News reports, skeletal remains of a previously undiscovered dinosaur were found in the Oldman Formation of Southern Alberta in Canada five years ago by renowned fossil finder Wendy Sloboda. Now, a study by research team PLOS ONE has been released describing the new species. It’s name? Wendiceratops.

Thought to be a member of the Triceratops family, the dinosaur has a horned skull that is more elaborate than any other species. The creature had three horns on the front of its face and then a crown of horns all around the skull and neck plate. It’s nose is also distinctive with a sharp horn used to harvest low-lying crops.

NDTV news reports that the Wendiceratops was a herbivore that measured 6 meters long and weighed over a ton.

The Wendiceratops lived nearly 79 million years ago during the Cretaceous period, making it a counterpart to such famous dinosaurs as the Tyrannosaurus Rex and Duckbilled. It was found on a fossil bed with over 200 different bones of 4 other dinosaurs.

Dr. David Evans of the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto commented that the new find “helps us understand the early evolution of skull ornamentation.” The fossils are currently on display in Canada.

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