New Dinosaur Species Ptychotherates Bucculentus Discovered in New Mexico, Sheds Light on Triassic Period
A new genus and species of carnivorous dinosaur, named Ptychotherates bucculentus, has been identified from a well-preserved skull found in northern New Mexico. This discovery, made by paleontologists Simba Srivastava and Sterling Nesbitt, provides significant insights into the diversity of early dinosaurs during the Rhaetian stage of the latest Triassic period, approximately 201 million years ago. The fossil, discovered in the Coelophysis Quarry, features a mostly complete skull with a braincase and skull roof, indicating a dinosaur with a tall, narrow head and massive cheekbones. This species is part of the Herrerasauria family, one of the earliest-evolving groups of carnivorous dinosaurs, and is closely related to other Triassic dinosaurs like Tawa hallae and Chindesaurus bryansmalli. The findings suggest that some early dinosaur lineages persisted longer than previously thought, surviving until just before the end-Triassic extinction. 
