In Images: A Baby Dinosaur Unearthed

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Tiniest Intact Ceratopsid

ceratopsid skeleton

(Image credit: Philip J. Currie, Robert Holmes, Michael Ryan Clive Coy, Eva B. Koppelhus)

The smallest intact ceratopsid skeleton was recently unearthed in Alberta

Rich fossil site

dinosaur national park

(Image credit: Philip J. Currie, Robert Holmes, Michael Ryan Clive Coy, Eva B. Koppelhus)

The fossil was unearthed in Dinosaur National Park in Canada, a rich site for Cretaceous Era fossils

First impression

ceratopsid

(Image credit: Philip J. Currie, Robert Holmes, Michael Ryan Clive Coy, Eva B. Koppelhus)

The team first noticed the edge of the frill sticking out of the ground. When they investigated further, they realized it was a tiny ceratopsid, just about 5-feet long.

Mostly intact

ceratopsid skeleton being unearthed

(Image credit: Philip J. Currie, Robert Holmes, Michael Ryan Clive Coy, Eva B. Koppelhus)

The skeleton was mostly intact, with just the front limbs missing. Because of its excellent preservation, the team believes the toddler dino drowned in a stream and was quickly buried in sediments, where it remained undisturbed for millions of years.

Chasmosaurus

chasmosaurus

(Image credit: Philip J. Currie, Robert Holmes, Michael Ryan Clive Coy, Eva B. Koppelhus)

The dino likely was a chasmosaurus.

Dino growth rates

ceratopsid head of chasmosaurus

(Image credit: Philip J. Currie, Robert Holmes, Michael Ryan Clive Coy, Eva B. Koppelhus)

The new discovery will allow the researchers to better understand how the horned dinosaurs grew over time.