Win “cool mom” points with your dino-loving kids by telling them about the discovery of a new horned dinosaur, Albertaceratops nesmoi. The half-ton, plant-eating beast lived nearly 78 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous Period in what is now southernmost Alberta, Canada. Dr. Michael J. Ryan of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History found and identified it, marking the discovery of a new genus and species. The Museum reports:
Albertaceratops nesmoi belongs to the Centrosaurinae, one of two subfamilies of the horned dinosaur family Ceratopsidae. Typically members of this subfamily have very short horns over their eyes, a long horn over their nose and either spikes or hooks coming off of the frill that projects from the back of their skulls.
What makes this dinosaur unique is that it is the first centrosaur with long brow horns typically found in the other subfamily, Chasmosaurine, which includes Triceratops and Torosaurus. In addition, Albertaceratops nesmoi lived more than 10 million years earlier than Triceratops.
I’m sensing a new name for one of Calgary, Alberta’s professional sports teams.
More pictures at the Web site of the Southern Alberta Dinosaur Research Group.
Oooooooo! Thanks, Dana. I am now ready to impress!