The stegouros elengassen was nearly six feet tall, but barely reaching the thigh of humans in height.
Photo: MARTIN BERNETTI / AFP / Getty Images
He had the stature of a dog and a strange appearance that was crowned with a unique characteristic: fossil remains discovered in Chile point to a dinosaur in the area had a tail that served to cut.
Experts say some dinosaurs had spiky tails that served to wound, while others showed some as decks.
However, the discovery of this new species in Chile, highlighted by the journal Nature, reveals a feature not seen before: seven pairs of blades on the edge of the tail as a weapon to cut.
“This is a really peculiar weapon. Children’s books on prehistoric animals need to be updated to include this strange tail. Simply it seems crazy”Says Alex Vargas, lead author of the study.
This is a rare member of the ankylosaurus family of dinosaurs, endowed with armor. They were in the southern hemisphere.
The remains found date back between 72 and 75 million years. The specimen was found as if it had been trapped in quicksand. The stegouros elengassen He was nearly six feet tall, but barely reached the thigh of humans in height.
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