Scientists have made an thrilling discovery in Chile, uncovering the stays of a beforehand unknown species of herbivorous dinosaur within the southern hemisphere. This discover challenges present beliefs concerning the vary of duck-billed dinosaurs.

The newly found dinosaur, named Gonkoken nanoi, was round 4 meters lengthy and weighed roughly a ton. It lived 72 million years in the past in what’s now Chilean Patagonia. Alexander Vargas, director of the paleontological community on the College of Chile, defined that these dinosaurs had a slender look and will alter their posture between bipedal and quadrupedal to succeed in vegetation at totally different heights.

This discovery has revealed that Chilean Patagonia served as a refuge for historical species of hadrosaurs, a sort of duck-billed dinosaur that was generally present in North America, Asia, and Europe throughout the Cretaceous interval. The presence of those dinosaurs in such a distant southern location has shocked scientists, who’re keen to know how their ancestors arrived there.

Gonkoken nanoi, the fifth dinosaur species found in Chile, was first present in 2013, initiating a decade-long investigation. Its identify, derived from the Tehuelche language spoken by the area’s indigenous folks, means “just like a wild duck or a swan.”

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