Virginia Tech Student Discovers New Dinosaur Species, Redefining Early Dinosaur Evolution
A geosciences student at Virginia Tech, Simba Srivastava, has identified a new species of carnivorous dinosaur from a heavily damaged skull fossil. This discovery, published in Papers in Palaeontology, reveals a species that lived over three times earlier than the Tyrannosaurus rex. The fossil, initially overlooked due to its poor condition, was digitally reconstructed using advanced CT scanning, unveiling unique anatomical features. These features include pronounced cheekbones and a broad braincase, suggesting early dinosaurs were diversifying in unexpected ways. The species, named Ptychotherates bucculentus, provides new insights into the late Triassic period, a time of significant ecological competition and mass extinction. 
