Scientists have hailed the wondrous discovery of a dinosaur so mummified even its skin and guts are still intact. The find is said to be the best-preserved dinosaur specimen ever discovered, with one researcher proudly announcing. “We have a dinosaur as it would have been.”
The nodosaur takes pride of place at the dinosaur exhibit within the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology in Alberta, Canada. The museum declares itself as Canada’s only museum “dedicated exclusively to the study of ancient life.”
The dinosaur was aptly named Borealopelta markmitchelli in honor of the museum technician, Mark Mitchell, who spent over six years and 7000 hours prepping the fossil. By slowly and gently removing rock from around the find, the specimen represents the best-preserved armored dinosaur ever found and one of the best dinosaur specimens in the world, researchers say. (1)
Dinosaur ‘Mummy’ Family
Nodosaurids are closely related to the Ankylosauridae family of armored dinosaurs that evolved 125 million years ago. They became extinct roughly 65 million years ago during the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction. This was a period where catastrophic events such as huge asteroid impacts and/or increased massive volcanic activity may have caused a significant disruption in the earth’s ecology. (2)
Remains have been found in North America, Europe and East Asia. Good specimens are rare and quite often only bones or bone fragments are found.
The nodosaurids were heavily armored, plant-eating herbivore dinosaurs. They had a club-like tail and a body covered in hulking scales and rigid spikes. This they used for protection against the huge carnivorous predators around at the time.
The well-preserved animal weighed in at approximately 2500 pounds, only 500 pounds lighter than when it actually walked the earth 110 million years ago. (3)
Dinosaur ‘Mummy’ Discovery
Accidentally found by excavators digging in an oil sands mine in 2011, scientists theorize the nodosaur may have been swept away by a torrential flood and carried out to sea. After millions of years, minerals may have settled on the armor and skin, thus preserving the creature until the day it was re-discovered. The discovery was so unique being preserved in three dimensions, means the original shape was miraculously retained.
Such was the quality of the preservation, researchers were able to tell the dinosaur’s dark reddish-brown skin color using a technique called mass spectrometry to detect pigmentation. The skin color was most likely used as camouflage to protect it from the gigantic carnivores of the time. Known as countershading, this form of camouflage is seen in a number of animals today, including penguins and deer. Countershading in animals suggests they are under pressure from predators. Despite the enormous size of the discovered nodosaur, the two-toned pigment showed it was probably under significant stress. (3)
Further Research On The Dinosaur ‘Mummy’
Researchers are now looking into the nodosaur’s stomach. Trying to speculate about what it may have eaten for its last meal, before being washed out to sea. They also hope to study the dinosaur’s body armor more closely.
Caleb Brown, a scientist at the museum said. “It will go down in science history as one of the most beautiful and best-preserved dinosaur specimens – the Mona Lisa of dinosaurs.” (3)
