The fossil of a newly discovered “armored” dinosaur in Chile is astonishing the scientific community due to its tail, which is unlike any other dinosaur. This tail, shaped like a weapon, is believed to have greatly aided its survival.
An artist’s depiction of Stegouros elengassen.
Measuring nearly 2 meters in length, this “armored” dinosaur is classified as an ankylosaur. It is believed to have lived during the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 71.7 to 74.9 million years ago. The newly discovered fossil is highly complete and was found in the Magallanes region of southern Chile.
However, the remarkable feature of this fossil is its tail, which is unlike any other known dinosaur of its kind. It has a bizarre shape, resembling a weapon used by ancient Aztec warriors.
A study published in the journal Nature states: “Although its skull shares common features with other ankylosaurs, the weapon at the end of its tail is very unusual. The tail of this dinosaur has a flat structure…”
Sergio Soto Acuña, the lead author of the study, noted: “The tail is extremely strange because the bones have developed into a unique weapon. The structure resembles that of a rattlesnake or a spiked lizard, but it is not related to either of these creatures.”
The dinosaur has been named Stegouros elengassen, with “Stegouros” meaning “tail resembling a paddle” in Greek. Unlike ankylosaurs from the Northern Hemisphere, this new dinosaur has thinner “armored” skin, more slender legs, and is not as large. This is explained by its adaptations to the warmer climate of the Southern Hemisphere.
