In Novosibirsk will show the skull of a dinosaur that lived in Siberia 120 million years ago
The Museum of Nature has been replenished with the reconstruction of the skull of a kiyacursor - previously unknown to science species of dinosaurs
In the Novosibirsk Museum of Nature there will be a new exhibit - the reconstruction of the skull of a kiyacursor, a dinosaur that lived in Siberia about 100-120 million years ago. This was reported in the press service of the Novosibirsk Museum of Local History.
Kiyakursor lived in the early Cretaceous era. Its name translates as "long-legged runner from the Kia River." According to paleontologists, the ancient animal moved on two legs and was distinguished by the structure of the hind limbs, adapted for fast running.
The remains of the dinosaur were discovered in the summer of 2023 by members of the expedition of the Kuzbass State Museum of Local History. Scientists were able to find fragments of the spine, shoulder bones and hind limbs. In 2024, researchers Alexander Averyanov, Pavel Skuchas and their colleagues published a scientific description of the new species.
According to experts, the discovered skeleton belonged to a young individual aged about three years. The length of the dinosaur from the head to the tip of the tail was about 2.5 meters. It is assumed that adult representatives of the species could reach larger sizes.
During the Kiyacursor’s lifetime, the climate of Siberia was semi-arid. Ferns and conifers grew in the region, and the neighbors of the ancient lizard were psittacosaurus, sauropods and other dinosaurs.
Presumably, the kiyacursor hunted small animals, but could eat plant foods.
Since the skull could not be found during excavations, scientists had to restore its appearance to the structure of the closest relatives of the dinosaur. The reconstruction was carried out by Krasnoyarsk paleontologist Yakov Kolesnikov.
Now the recreated skull has joined the paleontological collection of the Novosibirsk Museum of Nature. In the near future, visitors will be able to see the exhibit in the exhibition hall at 11 Railway Station.
Earlier, “MK in Novosibirsk” told about an unusual find that a resident of the region tried to sell as a fossilized dinosaur egg for 10 million rubles.
