Nanotyrannus or “Nanotyrannus lancensis” was found by researchers at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences in October. The dinosaur was a part of the Dueling Dinosaurs fossil found in the Hell Creek Formation of Montana before it was given to the museum.

Originally, the fossil was believed to just be a juvenile T. rex. There was a debate about whether the Nanotyrannus is just a small T. rex or its own unique species. It was found to be fully grown at 20 years old, and unlike a T. rex, it has longer forelimbs, a greater number of teeth, fewer tail vertebrae and a different skull nerve and sinus patterns. This fossil now ends that debate.

The dinosaur was much smaller than a T. rex and also had longer legs, as well as a shorter tail for quick agility. It had blade-like teeth and horns above their eyes. It’s believed its eyes faced forward and it had feathers.

Junior Isabella Del Signore is interested in learning more about dinosaurs and archeology.

“This work should fascinate children because it is a big dinosaur. Kids love dinosaurs because they are no longer around and you can picture them however you want. Some adults like archeology and dinosaurs because there’s something they can look back to from their childhood and that fascination never left,” said Del Signore.

People can go to the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh to see the “Dueling Dinosaurs” exhibit. It has the most complete skeleton of the Nanotyrannus in a fighting position with a triceratops. It is still being examined in the public lab so visitors can watch them work.

Del Signore said, “I think that this could, in fact, create more archeologists because there are still new species to discover.”