Oldest Horned Dinosaur Found in Montana

Montana dinosaurSay hello to North America's oldest-known horned dinosaur.

Paleontologists are saying that a skull unearthed in Montana in 1997 represents a new species of dinosaur that lived about 104–109 million years years ago during the Early Cretaceous period. The skull suggests a bizarre crow-sized creature whose face sported sharply pointed cheeks and a prominent beak-like structure.

A paper describing the newly identified species, Aquilops americanus, was published online in the journal Plos One on December 10, 2014.

The researchers were surprised to note certain similarities between Aquilops and horned dinosaurs from Asia. The similarities suggest that the Aquilops's ancestors migrated from Asia to North America around 113 million years ago, Live Science reported.

"Aquilops lived nearly 20 million years before the next oldest horned dinosaur named from North America," Dr. Andrew Farke, a researcher at the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology in Claremont, Calif. and the paper's lead author, said in a written statement. "Even so, we were surprised that it was more closely related to Asian animals than those from North America."

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By Jenna Caplette

Jenna Caplette migrated from California to Montana in the early 1970s, first living on the Crow Indian reservation. A Healing Arts Practitioner, she owns Bozeman BodyTalk & Integrative Healthcare. She says, " Health is resiliency, a zest for the journey. It’s about coming awake to the joy of being alive. As a practitioner, its a privilege to facilitate that healing process, to help weave new patterns of health & well-being. “ And by the way, healthier, happier people help create a healthier, happier world.