Scientists Find Small Arm Dinosaur Fossil In Argentina

Short-sleeved Dinosaur Fossil/Photo: Antara

JAKARTA - Scientists have succeeded in lifting the fossil of a dinosaur that has small arms in Argentina, it is estimated that it lived 70 million years ago.

This dinosaur, named Guemesia ochoai, comes from the Cretaceous Period. Its fossil was found in the province of Salta, Argentina, quoted from Reuters, Sunday, February 27.

Scientists suspect Guemesia ochoai is a carnivore from the abelisaurus group, which walked on two legs and had small hands. It was smaller in stature than Tyrannosaurus-rex in North America.

This small hand size required the dinosaur to rely on its head and jaws.

"This is very unique and very different from other carnivorous dinosaurs. We understand that we are dealing with a completely new species," said CONICET Argentine science council researcher Federico Agnolin was quoted by Antara.

This dinosaur is thought to be young. Scientists believe the abelisaurus roamed what is now Africa, South America, and India. Several species of abelisaurus were unearthed in Argentina, mostly in southern Patagonia.

Guemesia ochoai, according to Agnolin, had a keen sense of smell and was farsighted.

"Some scientists think this animal hunted prey by attacking with its head," said Agnolin.

The name Guemesia ochoai comes from the hero Argentina, Martin Miguel de Guemes, and the museum worker who discovered this fossil, Javier Ochoa.