Exploring the swamplands of modern-day Montana 78 million years ago would have led one to encounter a dinosaur unlike any other – Lokiceratops rangiformis. Named after the Norse god Loki, this hulking herbivore stood over 20 feet long, weighing a massive 5 tons. Resembling the god of mischief with its majestic frill-shaped head adorned with two pairs of blade-shaped horns, including 16-inch horns above its eyes and numerous others scattered around its face, Lokiceratops is a newly discovered dinosaur that has captured the attention of scientists.
While some experts have debated whether Lokiceratops is simply a variant of another ceratopsidae dinosaur like the triceratops, the researchers behind the study published in the journal PeerJ argue otherwise. With a unique arrangement of frill horns, different from other dinosaurs it coexisted with, Lokiceratops presents a distinct species in the late Cretaceous period.
Discovered in the badlands of Montana, Lokiceratops was found in 2019 by commercial fossil hunter Mark Eatman and later acquired by Denmark’s Museum of Evolution. After meticulous preparation and reconstruction of missing parts, including sculpting with polyester resin and creating silicone-rubber molds for replicas, the skeleton was mounted in 2022 and displayed in the museum. The uniqueness of Lokiceratops lies in its massive frill horns, setting it apart as a giant in the world of dinosaurs.
Experts like Michael Benton, a professor of vertebrate paleontology at the University of Bristol, believe that Lokiceratops represents a new genus and species, showcasing complex ecological relationships of the time. However, not all paleontologists share this view, as some question whether Lokiceratops truly qualifies as a new species, highlighting the ongoing debates in the scientific community.
As researchers delve deeper into the evolutionary history of Lokiceratops and its ecological interactions, the discovery of this unusual dinosaur sheds light on the diversity of species that once roamed the Earth. With its distinctive features and mysterious presence in the fossil record, Lokiceratops continues to intrigue and challenge the understanding of prehistoric life in Montana’s ancient swamplands.