Recently, an international team of paleontologists, including experts from Penn State and the New Mexico Museum of Natural History, revisited fossils discovered in 1916. Their research, published in the Bulletin of the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, revealed a new dinosaur called Ahshiselsaurus wimani, which belongs to a group of herbivorous dinosaurs that thrived in North America’s Western Interior Basin.
Originally, the fossil was thought to be part of the Kritosaurus species back in 1935. However, D. Edward Malinzak, a biology professor at Penn State, pointed out that differences in the skull and vertebrae convinced researchers it should be classified as a unique genus. This reveals newly significant insights into the hadrosaurid family, which includes famous dinosaurs like Parasaurolophus and Edmontosaurus.
The specimen of Ahshiselsaurus included an incomplete skull and several bones. Comparing these with other hadrosaurids highlighted its unique features, confirming its separate classification after decades of misconceptions.
Ahshiselsaurus wimani was a large plant-eater. Estimates suggest it grew over 35 feet long and weighed about nine tons. Unlike some of its relatives, it lacked the typical head crest, which helps differentiate it within its family.
Insights into its ecosystem suggest that Ahshiselsaurus would have lived in a diverse environment alongside other dinosaurs, like armored ankylosaurids and the horned Navajoceratops. This discovery emphasizes the complexity of ancient habitats and how various dinosaur species contributed to their ecosystems.
Furthermore, the study of Ahshiselsaurus sheds light on dinosaur migration across North America. Experts believe these dinosaurs moved from the southwest to other areas, including Canada and South America. Malinzak and his team suggest this movement was part of a broad pattern driven by environmental changes.
Fossil findings indicate that Ahshiselsaurus evolved in New Mexico before spreading to different regions. The species is older than Kritosaurus, with fossils found in deeper rock layers. This points to a rich evolutionary background for these dinosaurs, enhancing our understanding of how they adapted and thrived during the Late Cretaceous.
This recent discovery is important not just for understanding Ahshiselsaurus but also for piecing together the broader picture of dinosaur evolution and their ecosystems. It shows how much we still have to learn about these ancient creatures and their roles in shaping the world millions of years ago.
