How many species of dinosaurs existed in total? And how many remain to be discovered? Their remains appear in different parts of the globe and each discovery is a reason for joy for paleontologists. Therefore, the news of the new dinosaur from Argentina, the so-called Kank australis, excites the scientific community.
Where were the fossil remains found? They were found to the south, in the province of Santa Cruz. The investigation was carried out by a multinational team. Scientists from Argentina and Japan estimate that it lived in southern Patagonia approximately 70 million years ago. In this regard, an article was published in the 'Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology' with all the details.
medium size
Several details are known about the morphology of this new species. It was not one of the giants, but rather it was a medium-sized dinosaur, comparable to a large modern rhea. Its mass could be calculated. It is estimated at about 27 kg and it is thought that it fed on fish.
«In this discovery, only teeth, vertebrae and phalanges were found. But all this shows us that this dinosaur, as well as other unenlagids, clearly differs from raptors from the Northern Hemisphere, such as Velociraptor. What characterizes it is that it has conical teeth with small grooves on its sides. "In addition, it was proven that it has neck vertebrae with unique characteristics." This is how the magazine article quotes one of the authors of the study, Mathias Motta.
Southern
The new species was named Kank australis. the word kank It comes from the mythology of the Tehuelche people, and means old rhea. This gave rise to the Choiols constellation, known as the Southern Cross. Australis It means from the south and refers to the latitude at which the discovery was made.
According to experts, the discovery of the new dinosaur from Argentina confirms the existence of a link between the ancient fauna of Patagonia and Antarctica. There investigators had already recorded traces of representatives of the Unenlagia family.
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