Paleontologists have discovered a new bonehead dinosaur. Its alien-like features are something scientists haven’t commonly found on Earth and look to answer some questions about the now extinct species.
ALIEN LOOKALIKE DINOSAUR FOUND
For fans of The Land Before Time, the Pachycephalosaurus may seem familiar to you. If that name doesn’t jog up your memory, think “bonehead” dinosaur. If that still doesn’t do anything for you think about the movie Alien, combine that creature with a dinosaur and you can manage a rough image. Or you know, just Google it. Pachycephalosaurus formed the western part of North America between 68 and 66 million years ago. They are famous for their thick, round skill domes surrounded by a series of little spikes. It sounds like a menacing creature, and for the most part, it was. The latest bones discovered by paleontologist, however, cast a light on this beast in its youth.
SMALL BONES HELP US SEE THE HISTORY OF EARTH
Looking at the hatchling bones of the boneheaded dinosaur have helped paleontologist get closer to understanding it’s early days on Earth. They only found three bones, but it was enough material to type together a hypothesis about this alien creature. Up until 2009, paleontologist thought there were three different pachycephalosaurs found in the Hell Creek Formation in Montana. One they called Dracorex, the other Stygimoloch. Now, after some more digging around the earth, they concluded that this skull was from just an immature bonehead. The differences in their skulls were simply signs of growth instead of a dinosaur from a different species.
MYSTERY OF THE PATCHY SOLVED
Now, the baby skull of the Pachy that was just found makes a whole lot more sense. The mysteries are far less alien like now. The baby skull dug up in the earth was the final piece of the puzzle in seeing its evolution. At a young age, that alien looking head was developed early on. The spikes came a little later, but the knobbly skulls were a part of them from very early on. Contrary to popular belief, the spikes skulls weren’t really used for defense against predators walking the Earth. Instead, paleontologists think it was a signal of class. It was a way to check each other out and see who was who. If you still want to think of them as the rough and tough dino from Jurassic Park: The Lost World, that’s cool too.
