Chile discovered a new 'armored' dinosaur with a strange tail

The fossil of a new 'armored' dinosaur discovered in Chile is surprising scientists because it has a tail unlike any other dinosaur. The tail has a weapon-like shape that is considered to have been of great help to it in survival.

An artist recreates the image of Stegouros elengassen.

Averaged at nearly 2m, this 'armored' dinosaur was named ankylosaur. They may have lived during the late Cretaceous period from about 71.7 million to 74.9 million years ago. The new fossil skeleton is highly complete and was found in the southernmost Magallanes province of Chile.

However, a special feature is that the fossils unearthed this time have a tail unlike any other dinosaur of the same species. It has a peculiar shape, similar to the one used by the ancient Aztec warriors.

The study, published in the journal Nature, states: 'Although its skull shared features with those of ankylosaurs, its tail armament was uncanny. The tail of this dinosaur has a flattened structure…'.

Sergio Soto Acuña, lead author of the study, said: 'The tail is extremely strange because the bone has evolved into a unique weapon. The structure resembles a rattlesnake or a spiny-tailed lizard, but is not related to the two creatures."

The dinosaur is now named Stegouros elengassen with Stegouros meaning 'paddle-like tail' in Greek.Also unlike the northern hemisphere ankylosaurs, the new dinosaur had an 'armored' skin. They are thinner, have slimmer legs and are not as large, which is explained by their adaptations to the warm southern climate.