14 DAY TRIAL // In a new report, University of Pennsylvania paleontologist Steven Jasinski and fellow researchers describe a new dinosaur species that walked the Earth during the Late Cretaceous, i.e. about 100 to 65 million years ago.
This species was identified with the help of just one 75-million-year-old skull fragment. When found in New Mexico, US, in 1999, this fossil was wrongly said to belong to a well-known type of theropod dinosaurs.
However, a closer investigation revealed it to be unique and therefore belonging to a previously undocumented species. Steven Jasinski named this species Saurornitholestes sullivani.
In the study detailing his work, the paleontologist explains that, anatomically-wise, these ancient creatures were similar to Velociraptors. However, they had larger olfactory bulbs and therefore a keener sense of smell.
It is estimated that Saurornitholestes sullivani measured about 6 feet (1.8 meters) in length and 3 feet (0.9 meters) across at their hips. Otherwise put, they weren't all that big.
Even so, researcher Steven Jasinski and his colleagues believe that they were fierce and agile predators that hunted in packs and that other creatures most likely feared and did their best to avoid.
“Although it was not large, this was not a dinosaur you would want to mess with,” the University of Pennsylvania paleontologist explained in an interview.