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Triceratops Once Roamed Europe, Fossils Reveal
10 Jan
Summary
- Horned dinosaurs, including Triceratops relatives, have been discovered in Europe.
- Previously, these dinosaurs were thought to exist only in Asia and North America.
- New skull fossils of Ajkaceratops aided this significant paleontological breakthrough.
Recent paleontological findings have uncovered evidence that horned dinosaurs, including relatives of the well-known Triceratops, once roamed the European continent millions of years ago. This discovery significantly alters the long-held scientific consensus that these herbivorous giants, known as Ceratopsians, were exclusively found in Asia and North America.
The breakthrough was spurred by the examination of newly found, more complete skull fossils belonging to the Ajkaceratops, a dinosaur closely related to the Triceratops. This investigation has yielded surprising insights, suggesting that some dinosaur species previously categorized with the Iguanadon family were, in fact, early members of the ceratopsian lineage.
This revelation prompts a reevaluation of dinosaur distribution and evolutionary pathways. The presence of these distinctive horned dinosaurs in Europe indicates a more complex prehistoric ecosystem and migration pattern than previously understood, opening new avenues for research into ancient life on the continent.
