Science

Fossil found by teenager in 1998 is 3-foot-tall relative of Tyrannosaurus rex


A fossil found by a teenager 21 years ago has proved to be a ‘Mini-Me’ three foot tall relative of Tyrannosaurus rex.

Much smaller than the ‘King of the Dinosaurs’ made famous in many films and books, such as Jurassic Park, it was around nine feet long and roamed the Earth 92 million years ago.

Experts say that the newly named Suskityrannus hazelae stood roughly three feet (one metre) tall at the hip.

The entire animal was only marginally longer than the just the skull of a fully grown T-rex.

A fossil found by a teenager 20 years ago has proved to be a 'Mini-Me' three foot tall relative of Tyrannosaurus rex. This image shows an artist's impression of the creature

A fossil found by a teenager 20 years ago has proved to be a ‘Mini-Me’ three foot tall relative of Tyrannosaurus rex. This image shows an artist’s impression of the creature

Much smaller than the 'King of the Dinosaurs' made famous in many films and books, such as Jurassic Park, it was around nine feet long and roamed the Earth 92 million years ago. This image shows the fossilised remains of its skeleton

Much smaller than the ‘King of the Dinosaurs’ made famous in many films and books, such as Jurassic Park, it was around nine feet long and roamed the Earth 92 million years ago. This image shows the fossilised remains of its skeleton

Dr Sterling Nesbittf ound the fossil, aged just 16 , while a high school student taking part in a dig expedition to New Mexico in 1998 (pictured top left)

Dr Sterling Nesbittf ound the fossil, aged just 16 , while a high school student taking part in a dig expedition to New Mexico in 1998 (pictured top left)

Dr Sterling Nesbitt, an Assistant Professor at the Virginia Tech College of Science, is behind the research.

Dr Nesbitt found the fossil, aged just 16, while a high school student taking part in a dig expedition to New Mexico in 1998, led by Doug Wolfe, an author on the paper.

In all, Suskityrannus hazelae is believed to have weighed between 45 and 90 pounds (20 to 40 kilos). The typical weight for a full-grown T-rex was roughly nine tons.

Its diet likely consisted of the same as its larger meat-eating counterpart, with Suskityrannus hazelae likely hunting small animals, although what it hunted is unknown.

The dinosaur was at least three years old at death, according to the researchers, based on an analysis of its growth from its bones.

The fossil dates back 92 million years to the Cretaceous Period, a time when some of the largest dinosaurs ever found lived.

Experts say that the newly named Suskityrannus hazelae stood roughly three feet tall at the hip. This image shows the fossilised remains where they were found in New Mexico in 1998

Experts say that the newly named Suskityrannus hazelae stood roughly three feet tall at the hip. This image shows the fossilised remains where they were found in New Mexico in 1998

The dinosaur was at least three years old at death, according to the researchers, based on an analysis of its growth from its bones. This image shows the creature's remains after restoration

The dinosaur was at least three years old at death, according to the researchers, based on an analysis of its growth from its bones. This image shows the creature’s remains after restoration

Dr Nesbitt said: ‘Suskityrannus gives us a glimpse into the evolution of tyrannosaurs just before they take over the planet.

‘It also belongs to a dinosaurian fauna that just proceeds the iconic dinosaurian faunas in the latest Cretaceous that include some of the most famous dinosaurs, such as the Triceratops, predators like Tyrannosaurus rex, and duckbill dinosaurs like Edmotosaurus.’

He added: ‘Suskityrannus has a much more slender skull and foot than its later and larger cousins, the Tyrannosaurus rex.

‘The find also links the older and smaller tyrannosauroids from North America and China with the much larger tyrannosaurids that lasted until the final extinction of non-avian dinosaurs.’

The entire animal was only marginally longer than the just the skull of a fully grown T-rex. This image shows a closeup of fossilised bones

The entire animal was only marginally longer than the just the skull of a fully grown T-rex. This image shows a closeup of fossilised bones

In all, Suskityrannus hazelae is believed to have weighed between 45 and 90 pounds (20 to 40 kilos). The typical weight for a full-grown T-rex was roughly nine tons. This image shows Dr Nesbitt with his fossil remains

In all, Suskityrannus hazelae is believed to have weighed between 45 and 90 pounds (20 to 40 kilos). The typical weight for a full-grown T-rex was roughly nine tons. This image shows Dr Nesbitt with his fossil remains

The creature's diet likely consisted of the same as its larger meat-eating counterpart, with Suskityrannus hazelae likely hunting small animals, although what it hunted is unknown. This image shows a diagram of its skeleton

The creature’s diet likely consisted of the same as its larger meat-eating counterpart, with Suskityrannus hazelae likely hunting small animals, although what it hunted is unknown. This image shows a diagram of its skeleton

Two partial skeletons were found. The first included a partial skull that was found in 1997 by Robert Denton, now a senior geologist with Terracon Consultants, and others in the Zuni Basin of western New Mexico during an expedition organized by Zuni Paleontological Project leader Doug Wolfe.

The second, more complete specimen was found in 1998 by Dr Nesbitt, then a high school junior with an interest in paleontology, and Wolfe, with assistance in collection by James Kirkland, now of the Utah Geological Survey.

Dr Kitkland said: ‘Following Sterling out to see his dinosaur, I was amazed at how complete a skeleton was lying exposed at the site.’

For most of the 20 years since the fossils were uncovered, the science team did not know what they had.

Dr Nesbitt said: ‘Essentially, we didn’t know we had a cousin of Tyrannosaurus rex for many years.’

He said the team first thought they had the remains of a dromaeosaur, such as Velociraptor.

During the late 1990s, close relatives of Tyrannosaurus rex were not known or not recognised.

Since then, more distant cousins of T-rex, such as Dilong paradoxus, have been found across Asia.

Dr Sterling Nesbitt found the fossil, aged just 16, while a high school student taking part in a dig expedition to New Mexico in 1998, led by Doug Wolfe, an author on the paper. This image shows Dr Nesbitt holding a part of the fossil

Dr Sterling Nesbitt found the fossil, aged just 16, while a high school student taking part in a dig expedition to New Mexico in 1998, led by Doug Wolfe, an author on the paper. This image shows Dr Nesbitt holding a part of the fossil

The fossil dates back 92 million years to the Cretaceous Period, a time when some of the largest dinosaurs ever found lived. This image shows the jaw of the miniature T Rex compared to that of its larger cousin

The fossil dates back 92 million years to the Cretaceous Period, a time when some of the largest dinosaurs ever found lived. This image shows the jaw of the miniature T Rex compared to that of its larger cousin

The team first thought they had the remains of a dromaeosaur, such as Velociraptor. This image shows an artist's impression of the creature

The team first thought they had the remains of a dromaeosaur, such as Velociraptor. This image shows an artist’s impression of the creature 

During the late 1990s, close relatives of Tyrannosaurus rex were not known or not recognised. Since then, more distant cousins of T-rex, such as Dilong paradoxus, have been found across Asia. This image shows Dr Nesbitt on the dig site in 1998

During the late 1990s, close relatives of Tyrannosaurus rex were not known or not recognised. Since then, more distant cousins of T-rex, such as Dilong paradoxus, have been found across Asia. This image shows Dr Nesbitt on the dig site in 1998

The fossil remains were found near other dinosaurs, along with the remains of fish, turtles, mammals, lizards, and crocodylians.

From 1998 until 2006, the fossils remain stored at the Arizona Museum of Natural History in Mesa, Arizona.

After 2006, Dr Nesbitt brought the fossils with him through various postings as student and researcher in New York, Texas, Illinois, and now Blacksburg.

He credits the find, and his interactions with the team members on the expedition, as the start of his career.

He said: ‘My discovery of a partial skeleton of Suskityrannus put me onto a scientific journy that has framed my career.

‘I am now an Assistant Professor that gets to teach about Earth history.’

He explained that the name Suskityrannus hazelae is derived from ‘Suski’ – the Zuni Native American tribe word for ‘coyote,’ and from the Latin word ‘tyrannus’ meaning king and ‘hazelae’ for Hazel Wolfe, whose support made possible many successful fossil expeditions in the Zuni Basin.

The findings were published online by the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution.

WHAT KILLED THE DINOSAURS?

Around 65 million years ago non-avian dinosaurs were wiped out and more than half the world’s species were obliterated.

This mass extinction paved the way for the rise of mammals and the appearance of humans.

The Chicxulub asteroid is often cited as a potential cause of the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event.

The asteroid slammed into a shallow sea in what is now the Gulf of Mexico.

The collision released a huge dust and soot cloud that triggered global climate change, wiping out 75 per cent of all animal and plan species.

Researchers claim that the soot necessary for such a global catastrophe could only have come from a direct impact on rocks in shallow water around Mexico, which are especially rich in hydrocarbons.

Within 10 hours of the impact, a massive tsunami waved ripped through the Gulf coast, experts believe.

Around 65 million years ago non-avian dinosaurs were wiped out and more than half the world's species were obliterated. The Chicxulub asteroid is often cited as a potential cause of the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event (stock image)

Around 65 million years ago non-avian dinosaurs were wiped out and more than half the world’s species were obliterated. The Chicxulub asteroid is often cited as a potential cause of the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event (stock image)

This caused earthquakes and landslides in areas as far as Argentina.

But while the waves and eruptions were  The creatures living at the time were not just suffering from the waves – the heat was much worse.

While investigating the event researchers found small particles of rock and other debris that was shot into the air when the asteroid crashed.

Called spherules, these small particles covered the planet with a thick layer of soot.

Experts explain that losing the light from the sun caused a complete collapse in the aquatic system.

This is because the phytoplankton base of almost all aquatic food chains would have been eliminated.

It’s believed that the more than 180 million years of evolution that brought the world to the Cretaceous point was destroyed in less than the lifetime of a Tyrannosaurus rex, which is about 20 to 30 years.

 



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