A colossal, herbivorous dinosaur species discovered in Mexico

He was a priori peaceful and communicative. Mexican paleontologists have identified a new species of dinosaur from a specimen found in northern Mexico, the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) said Thursday. The discovery was published in the scientific journal Cretaceous Research.

“72 or 73 million years ago, a colossal herbivorous dinosaur died in what must have been a body of sediment-rich water, so its body was quickly covered with earth and could be preserved through the ages “, explains the Inah in a press release.

This is the species Tlatolophus galorum. The word Tlatolophus is derived from the words tlahtolli, in the Nahua language, and lophus, in Greek, which mean word and crest respectively.

Its tail was discovered in 2013 in the municipality of General Cepeda, in the state of Coahuila (northern Mexico). Scientists, continuing the excavation, then found 80% of his skull, its 1.32-meter crest, as well as bones such as the femur and scapula, which allowed them to define “in 2021” that it is a new species of dinosaur, notes the Inah.

“We know they had ears capable of receiving low frequency sounds, so they must have been peaceful but communicative dinosaurs.”, also advances the Institute National Anthropology and History. Paleontologists also believe that they “emitted loud sounds to frighten carnivores or for breeding purposes” and believe that “the ridges were brightly colored”.