The Dracorex: A New Dinosaur Discovery

About 7 years ago, paleontologists from Midwest Paleontology discovered a new genus of dinosaur called the Dracorex

. The Dracorex is a unique discovery because it is its own genus as well as species (although it does resemble the Pachycephalosaurus), and nothing quite like it has ever been discovered before. The Dracorex is also interesting to both scientists and the general public because it closely resembles the dragons commonly found in myths and legends. This resemblance can clearly be seen in digital reconstructions of the dinosaur.

The Dracorex is also popular because of its unique name. The full name of this dinosaur is "Dracorex hogwartsia," which is a tribute to both dragons as well to the popular "Harry Potter" book series by J.K. Rowling. "Dracorex" means "dragon king," and Hogwarts is the name of the magical school in Rowling's popular series, which incidentally also feature several dragons.

The Dracorex is a herbivore and has a skull with spiky horns, bumps, and a long muzzle. It is from the Late Cretaceous period and is known for its flat skull. The Dracorex is also known for its large number of osteoderms and nodes as well as for its large hornlets and spikes. In addition to its flat, nodal skull, the Dracorex also features large and unrestricted temporal openings, a unique feature that differs from other pachycephalosaurs.

Many scientists suspect that the Dracorex is actually an earlier growth stage of the Pachycephalosaurus, which is known for its dome-shaped skull as opposed to a flat skull. Some scientists believe that although a young Pachycephalosaurus may have had a flat, shielded head, it could have developed a more dome-shaped and spiked head as it became an adult.

However, many scientists disagree and believe the Dracorex is unique and separate from the Pachycephalosaurus. There is also great debate over whether the Dracorex is more morphologically primitive than other known pachycephalosaurs or if the dome-headed pachycephalosaurs are actually more primitive. The debate centers on whether the flattening or the doming of the head was a positive evolutionary change.

Study of the newly discovered Dracorex is being conducted by several institutions, including the University of California, Berkeley, and the Museum of the Rockies. The specimen that was excavated was mostly likely a young adult and was approximately 10 feet long. Despite any debates and questions that surround the Dracorex, it remains one of the largest discoveries in paleontology in the last several decades.

by: Art Gib

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