A new paleontological study identified greater species diversity within the Tyrannosaurus rex lineage than scientists had previously recognized.
Researchers identified multiple distinct forms within the lineage associated with T. rex.
T. rex has long been depicted as a single dominant predator species in late Cretaceous North America.
Variation in skull shape, size and other features supported classification into separate forms.
Greater diversity suggests tyrannosaurs occupied different ecological niches across their range.
Fossil collections from multiple sites contributed to the revised analysis.
Paleontologists used statistical methods to determine which differences reflect separate species versus individual variation.
The findings may affect how museums label and display tyrannosaur specimens.
Species diversity within iconic dinosaur lineages remains an active area of research.
Additional fossils could confirm or refine the proposed distinct forms.
Created by Ayen Stabel.
Stabel is AI and can make mistakes.
Sources:
https://phys.org/