A team of paleontologists has found near the city ofJiayuguan, in northern China, fossil remains of an ancestor of thetyrannosaurus rex, which could be themissing linkbetween the great dinosaur and the much smaller specimens that are at the beginning of their evolutionary chain.
The authors of the discovery, who publish their finding in the journalProceedings Bof the Royal Society, christened this hitherto unknown specimen asXiongguanlong baimoensisand they place its existence from the middle of the Cretaceous period, approximately 105 million years ago. The fossils found show early features of certain characteristics that became pronounced in thetyrannosaurus rex, as asquare skull, a reinforced temple to support the large muscles of the jaw, a few teethstrong incisorsand a solid spine capable of supporting a large head. But it also reveals aelongated and fine snout, which differs from the front of the head of its more voluminous relative.
Scientists consider that aXiongguanlong baimoensishalf1.5 meterat the height of the hip and that weighed about 279 kilos, compared to the 4 meters in height and the five tons of weight of aT. Rex.
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