Unveiling the ‘Goblin Prince’: The Fascinating Discovery of a Creatures That Roamed the Earth Alongside Dinosaurs

A newly unearthed creature, named Bolg amondol, adds a fascinating chapter to our understanding of prehistoric life. Imagine a giant lizard that lived among dinosaurs—a real-life monstersaur! This species gets its name from the goblin prince in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, and it truly feels like something out of a fantasy tale.

Paleontologist Hank Woolley from the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County is excited about this discovery. He describes Bolg as resembling a Gila monster, especially when looking at its skull. Interestingly, Bolg’s bones have been sitting in museum drawers since 2006. It wasn’t until recently that scientists took a closer look, piecing together a skeleton that was largely fragmented but still significant enough to classify it as a new species.

Bolg amondol is part of the Monstersauria group, which includes modern lizards like the Gila monster. While today’s Gila monsters reach about 50 centimeters (20 inches) in length, Bolg is believed to have been much larger—up to three feet long! Woolley suggests this size makes Bolg a creature you’d want to steer clear of, much like the Savannah monitor lizard.

Discovered in Utah, these remains date back roughly 76 million years, towards the end of the age of dinosaurs. What’s particularly intriguing is that Bolg’s closest known relative was found in Asia’s Gobi Desert. This suggests that ancient species were capable of migrating across vast distances, sharing the planet long before we think of modern animals doing the same.

This finding not only enriches our knowledge of Monstersauria but also highlights the diversity of reptilian life coexisting with dinosaurs. It’s a reminder that many fascinating creatures once roamed the Earth alongside these iconic giants.

For more on the study of Bolg amondol, see the research published in the journal Royal Society Open Science here.

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