Weird new dinosaur with exceptionally long hands discovered in Mexico

Mexico Unveils a Strange, Striking New Dinosaur: Meet ‘Mexidracon Longimanus’

In an exciting discovery that’s adding fresh chapters to the story of dinosaurs, Mexico has welcomed a new member to its prehistoric family tree. Meet Mexidracon Longimanus, a curious creature that joins the ‘ostrich mimic’ or ornithomimid family, and offers a glimpse into the unexpected diversity of these feathered dinosaurs in Mexico.

Named by a team of paleontologists, this long-handed, long-legged, and long-necked dinosaur hails from the Campanian era of the Late Cretaceous, around 73 million years ago. It’s known from a single, partly articulated specimen discovered in 2014 by Claudio de León-Dávila. The fossil, found in Coahuila state, includes bones from the limbs, vertebrae, and pelvis, suggesting the dinosaur was small, likely less than 3 meters (10 feet) in length.

What sets Mexidracon apart is the extraordinary length of its metacarpals, the bones that form the palm. These were exceptionally long and slender, making its hands uniquely adapted for their size. This peculiarity has sparked speculation about its lifestyle. Perhaps it was particularly adept at reaching into trees and shrubs to snag branches and leaves, much like modern-day sloths. Or, more intriguingly, could it have used its elongated hands to snatch prey from water, like a feathered, scaled fisher?

Fossils found alongside Mexidracon hint at a coastal lifestyle. The dinosaur was discovered in sediment rich in oyster and mollusk remains, suggesting it foraged in estuarine environments. This adds to the growing evidence of dinosaur diversity in Mexico, which is now challenging the records of other North American nations.

While Mexidracon shares superficial similarities with ostriches, it’s clear that these dinosaurs were distinct. They were toothless, with robust beaks that likely allowed them to clip and swallow leaves, buds, and even fruit. Like other theropods, they were probably covered in a feathery coat, a trait common among dinosaurs from this group.

The discovery of Mexidracon adds to a growing list of dinosaurs found in Mexico this century, including armored, horned, and duck-billed dinosaurs, as well as predators like tyrannosaurs. Each find contributes to the emerging picture of a distinct Mexican dinosaur fauna, unique from that of the United States and Canada.

As we await more complete fossils of Mexidracon, one thing is clear: Mexico’s Cretaceous is a treasure trove of prehistoric life waiting to be discovered. Stay tuned for more incredible stories from around the world!