Introducing a new addition to the realm of peculiar dinosaurs, this creature dons magnificent (albeit slightly perilous) headgear that can rival any fashion runway creation. Lociceratops rangiformis is the latest discovery in the realm of dinosaurs, described as one of the largest and most ornate ceratopsians ever found.
Among the distinct features of this ceratopsian are elements previously unseen by scientists, notably the immense, curved, blade-like horns located on the underside of its frill, the largest ever observed on a ceratopsian.
This dinosaur sports an unconventional, asymmetrical spike at the center of its frill, and most uniquely, it lacks a nose horn seen in other horned dinosaurs.
The first part of the dinosaur’s name, Lociceratops, pays homage to the blade-wielding Norse god Loki, while the latter part ‘rangiformis’ indicates its antler-like formations, similar to those of a caribou or reindeer.
The name ‘rangiformis’ was chosen to reflect the peculiarity of this dinosaur’s antler-like feature, reminiscent of the asymmetrical spines seen in caribou or reindeer.
Published in the journal Peer J, this fossil was unearthed in 2019 in the badlands of northern Montana, USA, not far from the Canadian border, where ceratopsians roamed over 78 million years ago.
Despite its blade-like horns and status as the largest ceratopsian of its time, this dinosaur was an herbivore and likely fell prey to predators like Tyrannosaurus rex.
Ceratopsians emerged during the Late Cretaceous period, evolving extravagant features and distinct horn patterns, including those of Lociceratops rangiformis. These dinosaurs were part of an isolated lineage on the island continent of Laramidia (modern-day North America) and exhibited rapid evolution. Ceratopsians survived until the mass extinction event that wiped out all dinosaurs.
The paleontologists involved in the study, led by Joseph Sertich from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and Colorado State University, noted that this new dinosaur showcases the peak of eccentricity in ceratopsian head adornments, boasting the largest frill horns ever seen in a ceratopsian.
These findings challenge previous assumptions about dinosaur diversity, expanding the known coexisting species of ceratopsians to five during that era, transforming our understanding of dinosaur life at the time.
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Source: www.sciencefocus.com
