Discovered a new species of platypus

Paleontologists identify a 72 million-year-old fossil on Hokkaido island belonging to an unknown species of platypus.

The team, led by Professor Yoshitsugu Kobayashi from the Hokkaido University Museum, unearths an almost complete dinosaur skeleton in a marine sedimentary deposit near the town of Mukawa on the island of Hokkaido, northern Japan. The fossil analysis showed that the specimen belonged to a new speculum dinosaur , named Kamuysaurus japonicus .

Graphic simulating the Kamuysaurus japonicus species(Photo: UPI).

Research published in Scientific Reports on September 5 described Kamuysaurus japonicus as a large herbivorous dinosaur about 9 meters long and weighing 4-5 tons. They lived in the Cretaceous period 100.5 - 66 million years ago and were identified as Edmontosaurini.

The scientists compared the 350 bone fragments found in Hokkaido with other platypus dinosaurs and discovered many differences. Specifically, the cranial groove of Kamuysaurus japonicus is located at a lower position, the development of the jawbone is shorter and the spinal nerve spines at the 6th to 12th vertebra are slightly inclined forward compared to their relatives.

The new findings provide further evidence of the diversity and high adaptability of platypus dinosaurs because very few specimens have been found in marine sediments. Kobayashi suggested that the ancestors of the Kamuysaurus japonicus could migrate from North America to Asia via a land bridge in the past.

1. Discovered a new giant platypus dinosaur in Mexico
2. Found fossilized remains of 3 speculum dinosaurs