96-Million-Year-Old Herbivorous Dinosaur Unearthed in North Texas Would Have Been the Size of a Border Collie

In North Texas, paleontologists found fossils of a newly identified herbivorous dinosaur, Ampelognathus coheni, that lived 96 million years ago and is related to Qantassaurus intrepidus.

Initially discovered in 2020 near Lake Grapevine, the fossilized jawbone was confirmed in a paper to belong to this new species after thorough examination by paleontologists Ronald Tykoski, Dori Contreras, and Christopher Noto. Described as a "little bitty animal," its size is comparable to a border collie, as noted by Tykoski in a 2020 interview.

New Dinosaur Species: Cohen's Grapevine Jaw

The name Ampelognathus coheni translates to Cohen's Grapevine jaw, derived from the region of its discovery and Murray Cohen, the volunteer who found the jawbone.

Tykoski, the Perot Museum of Nature and Science's Vice President of Science, explained that upon closer examination in the lab, the bone revealed itself as a new dinosaur species. Contrary to initial perceptions of a crocodile-like bone, it exhibited distinct features, and further analysis ruled out any resemblance to previously discovered dinosaur jawbones.

In their research paper, titled "The first small-bodied ornithopod dinosaur from the Lewisville Formation (middle Cenomanian) of Texas" published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Tykoski, Contreras, and Noto outlined specific factors like the 'low coronoid process' and the 'number of dentary tooth positions' that contributed to the identification of the new dinosaur species.

Noto emphasized in an interview the excitement of naming a new species, pointing out that the discovery is a valuable addition of information to science.

Significant Implications of Finding the Fossils of the New Dinosaur Species

Finding fossils of Ampelognathus coheni's is a significant discovery as it is the first small-bodied plant-eater identified within the Woodbine Group, offering crucial insights into the terrestrial ecosystem of this geological formation. The jawbone's revelation helps fill gaps, enriching understanding of the Woodbine's ecological dynamics.

More so, this discovery of small herbivorous dinosaurs is groundbreaking for North Texas, marking a novel contribution to scientific knowledge, according to Tykoski. The find holds broader implications for the scientific community and future fossil exploration in the region, with the last species discovery in the same rock formation dating back to 2010.

The scarcity of dinosaur fossils from 96 million years ago in North America creates a hazy understanding of life during that period. This fossil provides a rare snapshot of life in eastern North America, east of the Seaway, shedding light on the existence of plant-eating dinosaurs and animals in the region.

Tykoski anticipates more discoveries in the years ahead, emphasizing that the findings so far are just the beginning of unraveling the life in North Texas 96 million years ago. The ongoing exploration is expected to reveal additional insights into the diverse ecosystems that once thrived in this area.