A new carnivore came to town — at least 165 million years ago.
According to Germany's Bavarian State Collection of Natural History, a new species and genus of theropod dinosaur, Alpkaraqşkyrgyzicus, was discovered in Kyrgyzstan by an expedition made up of German and Kyrgyz researchers.
Alpkaraksh-kyrgyzicus is the first theropod dinosaur discovered in Kyrgyzstan, “making this discovery one of the most important in Central Asia,” the institute said in a news release.
Prior to the discovery of the new species, no large, carnivorous dinosaurs were known to have lived in the region around Kyrgyzstan, between Central Europe and East Asia, according to the institute.
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Artist's depiction of Alpkaraqş kyrgyzicus, a new species and genus of theropod dinosaur discovered in Kyrgyzstan. (Bavarian State Collection of Natural History)
The first fossils of Alpkaraqsh-kyrgyzicus were discovered in 2006 by Kyrgyz paleontologist Ayzek Bakirov in a mountainous desert area near the city of Tashkumil in the country.
Between 2006 and last year, more fossils were discovered, including a skull, pelvic vertebrae and a forearm.
The dinosaur is thought to have been about 30 feet long.
The remains of this dinosaur were found in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. (Bavarian State Collection of Natural History)
“Particularly striking is the extreme protrusion of the 'eyebrows' of the skull behind the eye sockets, called the postorbital, which indicates the presence of horns in this area,” the institute said. “Other unique features are found in the dorsal vertebrae and femur.”
Both Alpkaraqşkyrgyzicus and Tyrannosaurus rex (T. rex) are theropods, but T. rex lived in different parts of the world during the Late Cretaceous period. Both walked on strong hind legs and had short forelimbs. Modern birds evolved from theropods.
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Tyrannosaurus rex and Alpkaraqş kyrgyzicus are both theropods. (Mark Wilson/Newsmakers)
“This discovery fills a major gap in our knowledge of Jurassic theropods,” Professor Oliver Rauhut of the Bavarian Collection of Palaeontology and Geology in Munich, lead author of the study published in the Linnean Journal of Zoology, said in a statement. “This discovery leads to important new insights into the evolution and biogeography of these animals.”
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Along with the adult dinosaur, a smaller juvenile specimen of Alpkaraqşkyrgyzicus was found at the site, which the researchers believe may have been parent and child.
Alpkarakush kyrgyzicus is named after a mythical Kyrgyz bird called Alpkarakush, found in the Kyrgyz Republic, which often helps heroes at crucial moments.
