First-of-its-kind green dinosaur skeleton recovered in Utah could be new species, says National Geographic
Discovery offers a 'rare glimpse' into dinosaur science, paleontologist tells Fox News Digital
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A new dinosaur species has potentially been recovered after the reconstruction of its remains.
The first-of-its-kind green dinosaur fossil was discovered in southeastern Utah, and was reassembled by a team from the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHMLAC).
The 150-million-year-old dinosaur was first spotted in 2007, according to a report from National Geographic, among a "logjam" of various dinosaur bones belonging to diplodocus, stegosaurus, allosaurus, camarasaurus and other species.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}DINOSAUR QUIZ! HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THESE PREHISTORIC CREATURES?
The bones that were collected for reconstruction do not belong to one single dinosaur, NatGeo reported.
Instead, they're a combination of parts from two or more prehistoric reptiles of the same species found at the site.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Paleontologists Luis Chiappe, at right, and Pedro Mocho study a model of a diplodocus at Research Casting International, where real dinosaurs are reconstructed. (Craig Cutler/National Geographic)
The identity of this species has yet to be determined, as it may be new to science — but experts believe it belongs to the genus diplodocus due to its characteristic long neck and "four sturdy legs."
In the meantime, the dinosaur has been named "Gnatalie" by excavation team members, as there was an influx of gnats during that first summer at the dig site, NatGeo said.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}From the site where the fossils were prepped, the bones were sent to Research Casting International (RCI) in Canada — one of the world's largest providers of museum technical services — for casting and mounting.
Gnatalie then made its way to its new display in Los Angeles.
The sauropod, a large herbivorous dinosaur known for its long neck and tail, is the most complete skeleton of its kind on the West Coast, according to NatGeo.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}At the museum’s lab in Los Angeles, preparators cut open the jackets and spent years removing the concrete-hard matrix. Here, preparator Erika Durazo reveals the details in a section of the dinosaur’s spine. (Craig Cutler/National Geographic)
The dinosaur stands 75 feet long — almost twice the length of the average city bus — and weighs about five tons.
It's also the first green dino skeleton to be displayed worldwide.
Its unusual green color occurred after volcanic activity from 80 to 50 million years ago made it hot enough for a new green mineral to change the color of the bones, NatGeo reported.
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In November, the multimillion-dollar reconstruction will be the star attraction of a new wing of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.
Paleontologist Luis M. Chiappe, NHMLAC's senior VP of research and collections and the Gretchen Augustyn director of the Dinosaur Institute, shared his excitement about the discovery with Fox News Digital.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The crowning moment comes as RCI technician Kevin Krudwig positions the skull on the nearly completed skeleton, which measures 75 feet long and weighs about five tons. In life, the dinosaur may have weighed two times as much. (Craig Cutler/National Geographic)
"While they’re still working on the exact details, Gnatalie was likely similar in size to other diplodocus species — up to 75 feet long and weighing around 20 tons," he said in an email.
"What's really cool about Gnatalie is that the bones are tinged with green and red, thanks to ancient volcanic activity, which is pretty unique and adds to its mystique."
"It opens up the exciting possibility that we’re looking at a species that hasn’t been documented before."
Although experts believe that Gnatalie could be an "entirely new" dino, Chiappe said the "tricky part" is that the unearthed fossils are pieces from several different dinosaurs of the same species.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"This mix of bones makes it a bit more complicated to figure out exactly what they’re dealing with, but it also opens up the exciting possibility that we’re looking at a species that hasn’t been documented before," he said.
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"If that’s the case, it would be a major addition to our understanding of dinosaur diversity, giving scientists fresh insights into the types of creatures that roamed the Earth millions of years ago," he added.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The paleontologist noted that Gnatalie "undoubtedly" belongs to the family Diplodocidae – along with diplodocus, barosaurus, apatosaurus and brontosaurus – but has a "much longer neck" than diplodocus.
The L.A. museum’s scientific illustrator at the dig, Stephanie Abramowicz, devoted days to making a detailed map of the "dinosaur logjam" buried at the bottom of an ancient river. (Craig Cutler/National Geographic)
The "painstaking process" that went into preserving these fossils provides "valuable information about how fossils form and the environmental conditions that preserved them," according to Chiappe.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The journey from the dig site to the museum has been a shared experience, involving not just scientists, but also volunteers, students and the community," he said.
"This process offers a rare glimpse into how dinosaur science really happens, turning what could be an academic pursuit into something accessible and engaging."