Student Shri Vastava at the Virginia Institute of Technology was able to repair a severely damaged dinosaur skull and classify a new species that lived more than 200 million years ago.
This followed a detailed study of a fossil extracted in 1982 from the Coluophiles quarry in northern New Mexico. The research was published in the journal Papers in Palaeontology.
The extinct species was named Ptychotherates bucculentus, based on a nearly complete skull measuring about 22 centimeters in diameter, which allowed researchers to reconstruct its approximate form. This creature is believed to have had prominent cheekbones, a broad skull, and a short mouth.
This dinosaur dates back approximately 200 million years, to the late Triassic period. It belongs to the Herrerasauridae family, a group considered among the oldest known carnivorous dinosaurs.
It was previously thought that this family became extinct before the end of the Triassic period, with the rise of theropods, but the new analysis suggests that some of its lineages may have persisted for longer than previously thought, perhaps even until the mass extinction.
The researchers suggest that the current southwestern regions of the United States may have formed a late refuge for these species.
Shri Vastava noted that "this specimen represents important evidence of the continued existence of these dinosaurs and their distinctive anatomical characteristics."
Scientists assert that damaged fossils, even if incomplete, can bring about significant changes in our understanding of the evolution of ancient ecosystems.
