Scientists Uncover 78-Million-Year-Old Species With Peculiar, Blade-Like Horns

78-Million-Year-Old Dinosaur With Bizarre Horns Discovered

For over a year, the Museum of Evolution in Maribo, Denmark, displayed a dinosaur without a name. Visitors often stopped at its display sign, which read, "New dinosaur under study, stay tuned!" However, after five years of careful research, scientists finally named it Lokiceratops rangiformis. Joseph Sertich, a paleontologist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and Colorado State University, stated in an interview with the journal PeerJ , "If you were into dinosaurs and loved bizarre headgear on dinosaurs, this was probably the craziest, coolest horned dinosaur to come along in a long time." Scientists were excited; this discovery helped them learn more about the late Cretaceous period and its species.

Extraordinary Horn Design

Scientists discovered one of the largest horns on Lokiceratops rangiformis. The horns consisted of two huge, blade-like structures that curved down from the back of its frill, along with an uneven spike in the middle. Joseph Sertich, a paleontologist and co-leader of the study, shared with CNN , "Initially, it looked like a known dinosaur named Medusaceratops. But as we reassembled the skull, the number of horns and the shapes of the horns indicated that it was a different species." He added, "Triceratops had very small triangular horns, almost imperceptible, but this dinosaur and many of its close relatives had huge, paddle-shaped horns at the back, along with smaller horns on the edges of the frill."

Discoveries Unveiling the Late Cretaceous Ecosystem

The 6.7-meter-long Lokiceratops was believed to have lived about 78 million years ago alongside the famous Triceratops on an island continent called Laramidia, which is now part of North America. Knewz.com noted that other horned dinosaurs from the Ceratopsidae family were also discovered in the same area. Sertich told EL PAÍS , "This was the first time five horned dinosaurs were found living in the same place and time. This was unexpected." Lokiceratops lived in a warm, wet coastal plain filled with thick forests, open scrub, and swamps. This discovery helped researchers learn more about how Lokiceratops adapted to its environment and coexisted with other dinosaurs in North America.

The Secrets of Fossil Discovery

The fossil was discovered on Laramidia Island, which was a separate area in North America. Sertich explained to CNN , "The fossil was discovered on private land in 2019 by Mark Eatman, who was a commercial paleontologist. He went out, dug up fossils, and eventually sold them." Furthermore, he found the fossil tangled with a Triceratops. Later, in 2006, the fossil was finally acquired by the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh after a few failed attempts. The fossil was then bought by the Museum of Evolution in 2021, and Lokiceratops has been on display since March 2023. The strange horns and peculiar features attracted visitors, as the museum paid tribute to the Norse god Loki and highlighted the different shapes found on the dinosaur’s skull.

Role of Asymmetric Spikes on the Frill

The uneven spikes on the frill of Lokiceratops had garnered attention, and many had wondered if there was a specific purpose for them. Scientists studying this dinosaur found that, besides their captivating appearance, these spikes helped attract mates and communicate with other dinosaurs. With many ceratopsid species living together, these spikes helped Lokiceratops identify and stay connected with their clan, according to Earth.com . Lokiceratops with these horns displayed fitness that made them more appealing. Additionally, these spikes helped the species scare off rivals and reduce their chances of injury.