New dinosaur uncovered
The Age newspaper, Australia,,March 25, 2010
Paleontologist Mark Loewen with the fossil. Photo: AP
WASHINGTON : A new species of dinosaur has emerged from the rocks in Utah. Buried by a collapsing sand dune, perhaps 185 million years ago, the dinosaur was likely a plant eater and an early relative of the giant animals later known as sauropods, researchers reported in the journal PLoS One.
Named Seitaad ruessi, the species was three to 4.5 metres long and 0.91 metres to 1.2 metres high. Its bones were found directly below an ancient Anasazi cliff dwelling.
''We were absolutely shocked by the discovery of this dinosaur,'' said Utah Museum of Natural History palaeontologist Mark Loewen (left). It was found in 2004 by a local artist studying rock paintings and scientists went to the area as soon as they learnt of it, he said.
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