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An exciting new analysis of fossils suggests that specimens believed to be T. rex juveniles are actually adults of a different species! The small tyrannosaur, Nanotyrannus lancensis, has narrower jaws, longer legs, and bigger arms than T. rex—challenging previous beliefs that it was simply a younger T. rex
The first skull of Nanotyrannus was found in Montana in 1942, and scientists have debated over whether it was a separate species or merely a juvenile T. rex ever since.
Dr. Nick Longrich, from the Milner Centre for Evolution at the University of Bath, and Dr. Evan Saitta, from the University of Chicago, examined the fossils, studying growth rings, the anatomy of Nanotyrannus, and a previously unrecognized young T. rex fossil.
By analyzing the growth rings in Nanotyrannus bones, the researchers demonstrated that these creatures were nearly full size rather than being rapidly growing juveniles.
The findings, which have been published in Fossil Studies, suggest that the animals would have reached a maximum of around 900–1,500 kilograms and five meters.
“These results are pretty conclusive,” said Longrich. “We kept getting low growth rates, so it’s looking like the end for the hypothesis that these animals are young T. rex.”
Moreover, the researchers found no evidence of fossils combining features of both the Nanotyrannus and T. rex. The growth patterns in other tyrannosaurs also did not align with the hypothesis that these were young T. rex.
Dr. Longrich added, “If you look at juveniles of other tyrannosaurs, they show many of the distinctive features of the adults. In the same way that kittens look like cats and puppies look like dogs, the juveniles of different tyrannosaurs are distinctive. And Nanotyrannus just doesn’t look anything like a T. rex.”
But this raises an interesting question—if Nanotyrannus isn’t a juvenile Tyrannosaurus, then why hasn’t anyone ever found a young T. rex? Find out more about this fascinating discovery here. Read More rnrn