Pumas, Condors, Guanaco … and Now Dinosaurs?

A team of paleontologists from the University of Chile researchers recently discovered 74-million-year-old dinosaur fossils in Torres del Paine. Uncovered in an inhospitable area just outside the national park, the nearly complete skeleton was identified as a new species of armored dinosaur called Stegouros elengassen.

A report in the Chilean online news site Emol.com, the discovery is of global importance because this particular stegosaurus was previously unknown. In addition, the prehistoric beast had several remarkable features including a tail with seven pairs of laterally projected dermal bones shaped like a macuahuitl, a war club used by the ancient Aztecs.

Sergio Soto, one of the team leaders, told Emol.com that whole Stegouros elengassen shares some traits with other stegosaurus — in particular a tiny skull in relation to its overall body size — many others are absent.

Because the new dinosaur’s closest relatives are Antarctopelta in Antarctica and Kunbarrasaurus in Australia, the Torres del Paine discovery helps reenforce the continental link that existed in the southern hemisphere during prehistoric times.

While the dig isn’t open to the public, Stegouros elengassen certainly adds an entirely new dimension to staying at Reserva Las Torres or visiting Torres del Paine National Park.