Nanotyrannus: The Swift Predator Set to Rewrite Dinosaur History

A new study has conclusively identified Nanotyrannus as a distinct predator species, separate from the famed Tyrannosaurus, resolving a debate that's spanned years in the paleontological community. The research scrutinized fossils found in Montana from the late Cretaceous period, uncovering unique anatomical features that differentiate Nanotyrannus from its larger cousin.

With distinctive traits like more teeth, and a vestigial third finger, Nanotyrannus emerges as a smaller, faster relative of the Tyrannosaurus. These findings have significant implications, necessitating a reevaluation of previous studies that mistakenly modeled teenage T. rex behavior after Nanotyrannus specimens.

The discovery underscores the vast diversity of the dinosaur ecosystem just before their mass extinction 66 million years ago, contradicting earlier beliefs of a gradual decline. It presents new insights into how these prehistoric creatures thrived until a cataclysmic asteroid impact abruptly ended their reign.