A group of US researchers discovered the oldest horned dinosaur from North America. They found dinosaur equal to the size of a house cat which is nearly 15 million years old.
In 1997, a Scott Madsen uncovered the jaw and skull of Aquilops Americuns. After several years researchers identified it as a milestone work of art. However, the new species is known as Aquilops americanus which means Eagle Face. It lived around 107 million years ago on the earth.
Andrew Farke, a paleontologists informed at first Scott thought it was generic. Later on, it becomes apparent that it is an early horned dinosaur. The new discovery will certainly give an insight about the life style of early dinosaurs. These dinosaurs lived in North America nearly 108 million years ago.
This new specie is pretty similar to the animals of Asia such as Archaeoceratops oshimai and leptoceratops gracilis. Researchers were surprised with the size of the Aquilops. It is approximately weigh around 3.5 pounds and was around two feet in length. The plant eater animal is so small that anyone can hold it with one arm. The remnants of skull would fit quite effortlessly in one hand.
The little dinosaur does not possess horn like Triceratops. It has numerous other features which were not present in the horned dinosaurs such as toothless beak. This kind beak is also present on turtles and Triceratops. Commonly, it is known as rostral bone.
The report is published in 10 December’s edition of Journal PlOS One.