Mongolia's 'Dragon Prince' dinosaur was forerunner of T rex
Named Khankhuuluu mongoliensis (pronounced khan-KOO-loo mon-gol-ee-EN-sis), it lived roughly 86 million years ago during the Cretaceous Period and was an immediate precursor to the dinosaur lineage called tyrannosaurs.
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Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Meet the 'Dragon Prince': New dinosaur discovery rewrites the Tyrannosaur family tree
A fascinating fossil discovery in Mongolia has uncovered a new species of dinosaur that could reshape everything we thought we knew about the evolution of Tyrannosaurs. Named Khankhuuluu Mongoliensis, or "Dragon Prince of Mongolia", this 86-million-year-old predator is now considered the closest known ancestor of the fearsome Tyrannosaurus rex. With its transitional traits and smaller size, the find reveals a crucial evolutionary chapter between small, agile hunters and the massive apex predators that ruled the Late Cretaceous. Scientists say the discovery, buried for decades in a museum collection, offers fresh insight into how Tyrannosaurs evolved their powerful bite, skull shape, and dominant ecological role in both Asia and North America. A dinosaur fossil of 'Dragon Price' hidden in plain sight The partial skeletons that led to this discovery were actually excavated in Mongolia back in the 1970s. At the time, they were thought to belong to a species called Alectrosaurus. It wasn't until PhD student Jared Voris took a closer look, decades later, that the unique features of this new species began to emerge. Working alongside Professor Darla Zelenitsky from the University of Calgary, Voris spotted key differences in the skull and nasal bones that clearly separated it from other known dinosaurs. What is Khankhuuluu Mongoliensis Named after the word for 'dragon' in Mongolian and the region it was found in, Khankhuuluu Mongoliensis bridges a crucial gap in the Tyrannosaur timeline. Weighing around 750 kilograms, it was far smaller than the T. rex, which could tip the scales at over 6 tonnes. But it had key traits that hint at the future kings of the dinosaur world. Its skull showed signs of strengthening, and its jaw was developing the structure needed for the bone-crushing bite Tyrannosaurs are known for. The evolution of Tyrannosaurs Early members of the Tyrannosaur family were small, quick-footed hunters living in the shadows of larger meat-eaters. Khankhuuluu represents a shift from these agile predators towards the bulkier, more powerful giants of the Late Cretaceous. With stronger jaws and a larger build than its predecessors, it shows how evolution favoured size and strength over time. These adaptations eventually led to the dominance of species like T. rex, which could take down massive prey and even crush bones. A journey across continents Another important insight from this discovery is the role of ancient land bridges between Asia and North America. During the Late Cretaceous period, areas like Siberia and Alaska were connected, allowing species like Tyrannosaurs to migrate and evolve in new environments. This movement helped spark the emergence of distinct groups on different continents, explaining how similar predators could be found in both Asia and North America. Rewriting the family tree With the addition of Khankhuuluu Mongoliensis to the record, palaeontologists now have a clearer picture of how Tyrannosaurs evolved. It fills a key gap between the small early forms and the gigantic predators that came later. The findings, published in the journal Nature, could prompt scientists to revisit other old fossils that may have been misclassified. This discovery serves as a reminder that sometimes the answers to big questions have been waiting quietly in storage. What museum collections can still teach us What makes this story even more remarkable is that the fossil had been sitting in a Mongolian museum for over 40 years. It highlights how valuable museum collections are and how new techniques, fresh perspectives and even young researchers can uncover major breakthroughs from existing specimens. Not every discovery requires a dig, some are hidden in plain sight. Before the kings, there were princes The discovery of Khankhuuluu Mongoliensis gives us a rare look at the early days of a dynasty. While this dinosaur didn't have the size or fearsome presence of its famous descendants, it carried the building blocks of what would become one of Earth's most iconic predators. As Professor Zelenitsky put it, 'Before Tyrannosaurs became the kings, they were princes.' And this dragon prince may just be the missing link we didn't know we needed.
Time of India
12-06-2025
- Time of India
New dinosaur species, the 'Dragon Prince', discovered — what did it look like?
Representational image Hold onto your fossil hats, dinosaur lovers—there's a new prehistoric rockstar in town, and it goes by a name that sounds like it just flew out of a fantasy novel. Say hello to Khankhuuluu mongoliensis, nicknamed the 'Dragon Prince. ' And yes, it's just as cool as it sounds. The findings have been published in Nature . So, what exactly is Khankhuuluu? This ancient predator stomped around what's now Mongolia about 86 million years ago, way before the iconic Tyrannosaurus rex came on the scene. Khankhuuluu was no tiny lizard—but it definitely wasn't the hulking beast T. rex turned out to be. Think of it as the lean, speedy older cousin that paved the way for future dinosaur royalty. It weighed 750 kilos. The wild part? Scientists actually found Khankhuuluu's fossils back in the 1970s, but they thought it was part of a different species. Fast forward a few decades and some super high-tech scans later, and—boom!—turns out we've had a brand-new species hiding in plain sight this whole time. Talk about a plot twist in the fossil record. What did it look like? Unlike the bulky, bone-crushing T. rex, Khankhuuluu was all about agility. It had a slim build, long legs made for sprinting, and a narrow snout packed with sharp teeth—perfect for snapping up smaller prey like oviraptorosaurs and ornithomimosaurs. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Men Over 50: Frequent Urination & Weak Stream? Do this Before Bed healthydayscare Click Here Undo Picture a fast, fierce dino ninja with a serious attitude. "'Prince' refers to this being an early, smaller tyrannosauroid," explained Prof Darla Zelenitsky, a palaeontologist from the University of Calgary in Canada told BBC. Tyrannosauroids are the superfamily of carnivorous dinosaurs that walked on two legs. "They were these really small, fleet-footed predators that lived in the shadows of other apex predatory dinosaurs," PhD student Jared Voris, who led the research with Prof Zelenitsky, told the media. They added that Khankhuuluu probably weighed around 750 kilos (about 1,650 pounds). Not bad for an early tyrannosaur, right? A dino with a passport? Besides being a missing puzzle piece in the tyrannosaur family tree, Khankhuuluu is also helping scientists figure out where these dinos came from and how they moved around. The new theory? Tyrannosaurs may have started in Asia, made their way to North America, and then boomeranged back to Asia. This epic dino road trip might explain the range of species we've dug up across continents. Why this matters The discovery of the 'Dragon Prince' is more than just another cool name—it's a reminder that our planet's past is full of surprises waiting to be uncovered. Every fossil, every re-examined bone, tells a deeper story about where life came from and how it evolved. So next time someone mentions the mighty T. rex, throw a little respect to its slimmer, faster, older cousin—Khankhuuluu mongoliensis, the prehistoric royalty that sprinted so the king could roar.
Hindustan Times
11-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
Tyrannosaurus Rex relative discovered: New dinosaur species identified in Mongolia
A new dinosaur species, related to the famous Tyrannosaurus rex, has been discovered by paleontologists. The fossils, originally found in the 1970s, were recently reanalyzed after Jared Voris, a Ph.D student in the University of Calgary's Department of Earth Energy and Environment, noticed the dinosaur remains during a trip to Mongolia in 2023. The new species has been named Khankhuuluu mongoliensis, meaning 'Prince of Dragons of Mongolia." The fossils consisted of two partial skeletons found in Mongolia's Gobi Desert in the 1970s. A Mongolian paleontologist had initially attributed the remains as those of the meat-eating dinosaur Alectrosaurus olseni, Darla Zelenitsky, an associate professor at the University of Calgary's Faculty of Science, told ABC News. The fossils had not been "seriously" looked at since then, she noted. She was part of a group that authored a study related the new discovery in the journal Nature. According to ABC News, Jared Voris noticed the fossils in a glass case while on a visit to the Central Museum of Dinosaurs of Mongolia. He realized that the remains had characteristics that were never seen before in a Tyrannosaurus species. The skull contained an air cavity close to the nose. The toe bones were attached to the leg of a predator in a different manner. The results of the study mean that the fossils help fill a gap between the early ancestors of Tyrannosaurus rex and the predators that evolved later. 'They're almost the immediate ancestor of the family that we call tyrannosaurs,' Dr Darla Zelenitsky told the Guardian. The dinosaurs were believed to weigh around 750 kilos. The creature was about four meters in length. According to Voris, if humans had lived at the same time as the dinosaur, they would have been a perfect meal for the Khankhuuluu. As per researchers, the species was related to the Eutyrannosaurias, which originated in North America and included T-rex. The discovery sheds light on Alioramus, a group of small, long-nosed tyrannosaurs also called 'Pinocchio rexes.' Some experts had proposed that the species might sit closer to the ancestors of tyrannosaurs than believed earlier. However, the discovery of the Khankhuuluu has shown this was not the case. The T-Rex was among the biggest predators in North America until 66 million years ago, when an asteroid slammed into the Gulf of Mexico, wiping out three-quarters of all life on Earth. It is a new dinosaur species related to the Tyrannosaurus rex. Its name means 'Prince of Dragons of Mongolia'. The dinosaur was an apex predator. Its size, speed and portrayal in films has made it among the most famous dinosaurs of all time. The fossils of the Khankhuuluu mongoliensis were found in Mongolia in the 1970s.
