Scientists Discover New Species of Tyrannosaurus That Lived Millions of Years Ago

Scientists have uncovered a previously unknown species of tyrannosaur—Khankhuuluu mongoliensis—which, presumably, lived around 86 million years ago. This discovery was reported by RIA Novosti, citing ABC News.

According to research, this species may be a direct ancestor of the giant tyrannosaurs, such as Tyrannosaurus rex, which roamed the Earth approximately 20 million years later.

Initially, the fossils were found in the 1970s in the Gobi Desert but did not garner much scientific attention at the time. However, in 2023, a graduate student from a Canadian university noticed these remains during an expedition and initiated a renewed study, having detected some unusual features—such as an air cavity near the nose, a characteristic not typical of similar species.

Science Alert highlights that this tyrannosaur was "relatively small" — comparable in size to a large horse: approximately 2 meters tall and weighing around 750 kilograms. Its long legs suggest it was capable of running swiftly, though the structure of its skull indicates it may not have been a deadly predator.

This discovery sheds light on a previously unknown period in the evolutionary history of tyrannosaur