Paleontologists have identified a new specie of dinosaur , a giant bird - like theropod thatroamed the badlands of Alberta in Canada during the Late Cretaceous period of time around 71 million years ago .
Paleontologists first think the bones and teeth of this specimen go to another two - legged dinosaur called Troodon that stalked North America 76 million age ago , often moot one of thesmartestof all dinosaurs . But new inquiry , print in theCanadian Journal of Earth Sciences , suggests that it ’s in reality from a whole new coinage of dinosaur .
The research worker have identified and named the new speciesAlbertavenator curriei , intend " Currie ’s Alberta hunter " , in purity of renowned Canadian paleontologistDr Philip J Currie .
" The delicate bones of these small feather dinosaurs are very uncommon . We were lucky to have a critical piece of the skull that allowed us to distinguishAlbertaventaoras a new species,“project leader Dr David Evans , temerty chairperson and senior curator of vertebrate fossilology at the Royal Ontario Museum , said in astatement . “We hope to find a more sodding skeleton ofAlbertavenatorin the future , as this would secern us so much more about this fascinating beast . "
This was all based on the psychoanalysis of os fragments . elusive conflict in its skull , namely it appear shorter and more full-bodied , suggest that Currie ’s Alberta hunter in all probability was not as smart as a Troodon .
As is often the eccentric with fossilology , these estimates were made using bits and piece of bone . This area in Alberta is scattered with C of tooth . However , the paleontologist were fortunate enough to get their hands on a significant assembling of skull finger cymbals , from which they could then discern the two species based onanatomical and statistical comparisons .
Once again , this research foreground that North America was plausibly home to many different species that have n’t been found yet , or even more probable , we have n’t yet identified as a freestanding coinage because the fossil are too split and obscure .
" This find really highlights the importance of find and examining skeletal material from these rare dinosaur , " concluded Derek Larson , cobalt - author on the study and adjunct curator of the Philip J Currie Dinosaur Museum .
