A Remarkably Complete Fossil Offers New Insights into Dinosaur Evolution
A newly discovered dinosaur fossil, weighing less than one kilogram despite being a fully grown adult, is among the smallest known dinosaurs from South America. Microscopic analysis confirmed the diminutive size of the specimen.
Researchers were able to compare the fossil with previously discovered specimens housed in museums across North America, and Europe. This comparison revealed that alvarezaurians originated and spread much earlier than previously believed. The discovery similarly sheds light on how these creatures were able to traverse between South America and Asia.
When the ancestors of Alnashetris lived, the two continents were connected by land bridges, facilitating this movement. This finding adds to the growing body of knowledge about dinosaur migration patterns.
“Going from fragmentary skeletons, which are difficult to interpret, to having an almost complete and very well-preserved animal, is like finding a paleontological Rosetta Stone,” stated lead researcher Peter Makovicky in a statement. The completeness of the fossil is allowing paleontologists to reconstruct a more accurate picture of this dinosaur species.
