Tiny Titan: The Chicken-Sized Dinosaur Unearthed as North America’s Ancient Marvel

Paleontologists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have discovered Ahvaytum bahndooiveche, in what is now Wyoming. This discovery is significant, suggesting that dinosaurs may have existed in the northern hemisphere millions of years earlier than previously believed, based on findings published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.

“With these fossils, we now have the oldest known equatorial dinosaur on Earth — it is also the oldest dinosaur discovered in North America,” remarked Dave Lovelace, a research scientist at the University of Wisconsin Geology Museum, who collaborated with graduate student Aaron Kufner on this study, as mentioned in a press statement.

Where did A. bahndooiveche Reside?

Paleontologists widely accept that dinosaurs first emerged in the southern region of the supercontinent Pangea, approximately 230 million years ago. This area was recognized as Gondwana, where dinosaurs thrived for millions of years prior to moving towards the northern region known as Laurasia 6 to 10 million years later.

Nevertheless, the fossils of the newly recognized dinosaur, A. bahndooiveche, also date back approximately 230 million years, marking it as the oldest Laurasian dinosaur ever identified.

Read More: Complete Dinosaur Timeline to Extinction: How Long Did They Exist on Earth?

Type of Dinosaur

According to the study, researchers located fossilized fragments of A. bahndooiveche legs in 2013. The remnants were found embedded in the Popo Agie Formation, and it took several years before the research team could classify them as a new dinosaur and determine its age.

With the limited bone fragments discovered, the team estimated the probable size and weight of A. bahndooiveche and confirmed its classification as a dinosaur.

“Its size was roughly that of a chicken, but it had an exceptionally long tail,” Lovelace explained during a press statement. “We often envision dinosaurs as gigantic creatures, but they didn’t start out in that manner.”

A. bahndooiveche was likely a little over 1 foot tall and measured around 3 feet in length. Although the skull was not located, the team suspects it was likely omnivorous, akin to other sauropod-like dinosaurs of that era. Additional evidence gathered from the site suggests that A. bahndooiveche probably lived during, or closely following, a notable climatic shift known as the Carnian pluvial episode. This episode correlates with a period of diversification among dinosaurs.

The climate during this time was likely warmer and more humid compared to the previous dry conditions.

“We are progressively elucidating this narrative, indicating that the long-held concepts — which were substantiated by the fragmented evidence we possessed — weren’t entirely accurate,” Lovelace remarked in a press statement. “We now have a new piece of evidence indicating that dinosaurs were present in the northern hemisphere much earlier than we believed.”

Naming A. bahndooiveche

In the process of naming the oldest-known Laurasian dinosaur, the research team chose to use the language of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe to honor the cultural land where the fossil was discovered. Members of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe, including both elders and youth, contributed to the name, which translates as “long ago dinosaur” in Shoshone.

Members of the Shoshone Tribe assisted the UW-Madison research team during the excavation to ensure that the authors of the study respected the land and gained insightful perspectives from tribal members.

“The ongoing relationship established between Dr. Lovelace, his team, our school district, and our community stands out as one of the most significant outcomes of the discovery and naming of Ahvaytum bahndooiveche,” stated Amanda LeClair-Diaz, a co-author of the paper and a member of both the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes, in a press statement.

“Generally, the research process in communities, especially Indigenous communities, has been one-sided, predominantly benefiting the researchers,” LeClair-Diaz continued in a press statement. “The collaboration we have engaged in with Dr. Lovelace disrupts this cycle and establishes mutual benefits in the research process.”

Read More: Oldest-Known Fossil of Creature That Appears to Be Part Reptile, Part Mammal Found

Article Sources

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A graduate of UW-Whitewater, Monica Cull has contributed to numerous organizations, including one that specialized in bees and the natural world, before joining Discover Magazine. Her current writings are also featured on her travel blog and Common State Magazine. Her passion for science was sparked by watching PBS programs during her childhood with her mother and spending extensive time binge-watching Doctor Who.