New predator dinosaur species, 'one who causes fear', discovered
The species, known as 'Llukalkan aliocranianus', is believed to have roamed South America 85 million years ago.
FollowPalaeontologists in Argentina have discovered the remains of a new species of dinosaur.
The species, known as 'Llukalkan aliocranianus', is believed to have roamed South America 85 million years ago.
Llukalkan, derived from the Mapuche language, translates to 'the one who causes fear' while 'aliocranianus' is Latin for 'unusual skull'.
The dinosaur, a carnivorous predator, belonging to the abelisaurids family, is believed to have had a large skull and a strong bite.
According to scientists, the Llukalkan weighed around five tonnes and was around 5 metres long.Â
Scientists also said that the Llukalkan probably lived around the period just a few million years before the age of dinosaurs ended.
Research on the new dinosaur has been published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.
Lead author Dr Federico Gianechini, a palaeontologist at the National University of San Luis, Argentina, said, "This is an extremely important discovery suggests that the diversity and abundance of abelisaurids were remarkable, not only across Patagonia but also in more local areas during the dinosaurs' twilight period."
Representative Image used
