New kind of dinosaur discovered in Montana

May 20, 2004, 8:38AM
New kind of dinosaur discovered in Montana
Associated Press
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/nation/2581787



PHILADELPHIA - A curious piece of bone spotted by a University of Pennsylvania professor during a horseback ride in southern Montana led to the discovery of a new dinosaur with a long neck, a whip-like tail and a mysterious extra hole in its skull.

The new find -- a Suuwassea emilieae -- is a sauropod, a classification of plant-eating dinosaurs with long necks and tails, small heads, and four elephant-like legs. At 50 feet long, it's a smaller cousin of better-known sauropods Diplodocus and Apatosaurus.

"It has a number of distinguishing features, but the most striking is this second hole in its skull, a feature we have never seen before in a North American dinosaur," said Peter Dodson, senior author of the research study and anatomy professor at Penn's veterinary school.

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Researchers have named the dinosaur Suuwassea emilieae (SOO-oo-WAH-see-uh eh-MEE-LEE-aye), after a Crow Indian word meaning "ancient thunder" and for the late Philadelphia socialite Emilie deHellebrath, who funded the digs that unearthed more than 50 bones, from a 43-inch shoulder blade and a 53-inch rib to the two-holed skull that has scientists stumped.

"The extra hole in the skull is still a mystery," said Jerry Harris, study co-author and Penn graduate student researcher. "It has only been seen before in two dinosaurs from Africa and one from South America." While its Diplodocus relatives have a single hole on the top of the skull for the nasal cavity, Suuwassea second hole's purpose is unknown, he said.

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god got so pissed off at the dinosaurs and other related creatures that they didn`t make it to Noah's boat? ask a fundy about this problem,it`s really interseting...