New Mexico Fossil Suggests Earlier Ancestors of Tyrannosaurus Rex

A fossil discovered in New Mexico has been identified as belonging to a dinosaur that may be an ancestor of the Tyrannosaurus Rex. This finding suggests that large tyrannosaurs may have existed in New Mexico millions of years earlier than previously understood.

This discovery could contribute to a clearer understanding of how tyrannosaurs evolved.

The research was coauthored by Dr. Anthony Fiorillo and Dr. Spencer Lucas from the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, and it was published in Scientific Reports.

The Fossil: A Re-Evaluated Shin Bone

The fossil, identified as a shin bone, was located in the Bisti De-Na-Zin wilderness. It was initially categorized as Bistahieversor but was later re-evaluated. The new assessment found that it more closely resembled Tyrannosaurus.

Radioactive dating methods estimated the fossil's age to be between 74 and 75 million years old.

Shifting the Timeline for Large Predators

Dr. Anthony Fiorillo stated that this discovery shifts the timeline for the evolution of large predators and offers new insights into their origins. He suggested that ancestors of the Tyrannosaurus Rex might have evolved in the region now known as New Mexico.

Ongoing Research and Scientific Debate

Dr. Nick Longrich, the study's lead author, noted that while additional evidence is required to definitively confirm the fossil as a T. rex ancestor, the existing data supports this hypothesis. Longrich also emphasized that scientific debate is crucial for progress, encouraging further investigation of museum collections and new field discoveries to either support or refute the hypothesis.