New dinosaur discovery rewrites T. rex family tree

dinosaur species Khankhuuluu mongoliensis has significantly altered the understanding of the Tyrannosaurus rex family tree. Found in Mongolia, this 86-million-year-old species is identified as the closest known ancestor to tyrannosaurs, including T. rex . Weighing approximately 750 kg, Khankhuuluu mongoliensis exemplifies a crucial transitional phase in the evolutionary history of these formidable predators. The findings illustrate a progression from smaller predatory forms to larger giants like T. rex, thereby reshaping our comprehension of tyrannosaur evolution .

tyrannosaurs.

Researchers concluded that two 86 million-year-old skeletons they studied belonged to a species that is now the closest known ancestor of all tyrannosaurs - the group of predators that includes the iconic T.rex.

The researchers named the species Khankhuuluu (pronounced khan-KOO-loo) mongoliensis, meaning Dragon Prince of Mongolia.

Experts say the new species – identified from two partial skeletons – helps fill a gap in the fossil record between the small, early ancestors of tyrannosaurs and the huge predators that evolved later.

“They’re almost the immediate ancestor of the family called that we call tyrannosaurs,” said Dr Darla Zelenitsky, co-author of the study at the University of Calgary.

Zelenitsky and colleagues report how they re-examined fossils unearthed in Mongolia in the early 1970s, and now held at the Institute of Paleontology of the Mongolian Academy of Sciences.

Brusatte sad the relatively small size of Khankhuuluu showed it was only later that tyrannosaurs became colossal, while the study also reveals a few big migration events back and forth between Asia and North America were the drivers of much of tyrannosaur evolution. “The tyrannosaur family tree was shaped by migration, just like so many of our human families,” he said.

This discovery underscores important evolutionary developments within tyrannosaurs, particularly regarding physical adaptations such as a robust jaw structure that contributed to their predatory prowess . Moreover, evidence suggests that geographic migrations between Asia and North America played a pivotal role in the diversification and growth of tyrannosaur species . Consequently, Khankhuuluu mongoliensis not only enhances our knowledge about individual species but also provides insights into broader patterns of dinosaur evolution during this period.

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Sara H

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