(CNN) – Tyrannosaurus rex, the king of dinosaurs, has won a new family member.
Fragments of a fossilized skull belonging to a previously unknown tyrannosaurus species were found in southern Alberta, Canada. And all thanks to John De Groot, a paleontology farmer and enthusiast who found the fossil, according to a statement from the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Alberta, where the fossils will be shown later this year.
This is the first new tyrannosaurus found in Canada in 50 years and one of the oldest tyrannosaurus species found in North America. And researchers believe that Thanatotheristes degrootorum lived approximately 2.5 million years before his close relative, Tyrannosaurus rex.
Fossil fragments of a tyrannosaurus skull that include teeth.
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Thanatotheristes degrootorum stalked what is now North America as a formidable predator 79.5 million years ago. It could reach between 8 and 9 meters long and weighed more than two tons as an adult. Tyrannosaurus rex could reach about 12 meters long.
His name combines Thanatos, the Greek god of death, with theristes, or “someone who reaps.” The second part of the name is in honor of De Groot.
He found the fossils during a walk near Hays, Alberta.
“The jaw was an absolutely impressive find. We knew it was special because fossilized teeth could be clearly seen, ”said De Groot.
The unique aspects of the fossil helped researchers determine that it was a different species, according to a study published in the journal on Monday. Cretaceous Research.
“Thanatotheristes can be distinguished from all other tyrannosaurs by numerous skull features, but the most prominent are the vertical crests that extend along the upper jaw,” said Jared Voris, lead author of the study and a PhD candidate. the University of Calgary.
John De Groot holds the fossil he found.
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Over the years, a large number of dinosaur fossils have been discovered in Canada, specifically in Alberta. And it also houses the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology, the only museum in Canada dedicated to researching ancient life. This newly discovered fossil joins the family of other tyrannosaurs found in Canada: Daspletosaurus, Gorgosaurus, Albertosaurus and Tyrannosaurus rex.
Daspletosaurus was the last discovery of tyrannosaurus fossils in Canada, found in 1970.
The discovery of this fossil also allowed researchers to determine that different groups of tyrannosaurs lived in North America, separated from each other during the late Cretaceous period 74 and 80 million years ago.
The Daspletosaurini group, to which Thanatotheristes belonged, roamed between southern Alberta and Montana, while others could be found in central Alberta or southern U.S.
The known contemporaries of Thanatotheristes also discovered in Alberta include the horned dinosaur Xenoceratops and the Colepiocephale dome-headed dinosaur. Many other dinosaurs found in Alberta date back 66 and 77 million years ago.
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Thanatotheristes highlights diversity, not only in the fossil record of Canada, but also in the family of tyrannosaurs.
“This discovery is significant because it fills a gap in our understanding of the evolution of the tyrannosaurus,” said Dr. François Therrien, curator of dinosaur paleoecology at the Royal Tyrrell Museum.
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