Chilean paleontologists discovered the remains of an unknown species of gadrosaurid, Gonkoken nanoi, which inhabited the Earth 72 million years ago. They are related to the lineage of gadrosaurid evolution, traces of whose presence in the Southern Hemisphere have not been found until now. This discovery allowed us to learn more about what the ancestors of the gadrosaurid species studied looked like.
According to the University of Chile, the new species is a herbivorous dinosaur that lived 72 million years ago in the far south of Chile. Gonkoken nanoi lizards reached 3.5 to 4 m in length and weighed up to 1 ton. They were of slender build, easily capable of standing on either two or four legs, depending on vegetation level. They had large, flattened beaks similar to those of ducks, but with sharper edges and rows of huge teeth.
The first part of the name can be translated from the language of the Teuelche people as “resembling a silver duck or swan.” The second word in the name is a tribute to the man who helped them in their excavations.
The discovery of the Gonkoken nanoi was an important step in the study of dinosaurs. Scientists continue their research to find out more information about the life of these ancient creatures.