An exciting announcement in the world of archaeology and paleontology, Thailand has uncovered its 13th dinosaur named Minimocursor phunoiensis gen. et sp. nov. The intriguing details surrounding this grand revelation were officially presented in the 2023 edition of the international, open-access scholarly journal, Diversity, issued on July 13.
An official press conference is slated to be hosted by the Department of Mineral Resources of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, locating its base in the bustling cityscape of Bangkok. The department set the event on Wednesday to formally introduce this remarkable find to the world.
As reported on the department’s Facebook page, some key figures largely contributed to this discovery. Dr. Sita Manitkoon, associated with the Palaeontological Research and Education Centre at Mahasarakham University, joined forces with France’s Laboratoire de Géologie de l’Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, and the renowned Sirindhorn Museum for this ground-breaking exploration.
Nicknamed ‘a small runner,’ this new entry to the dinosaur encyclopedia is thought to have been around 60 cm long. This herbivorous creature seemingly roamed the earth about 150 million years ago, during the late Jurassic period, according to estimates.
Unearthing and preserving the specimen wasn’t an immediate accomplishment. It was a labor of love meticulously carried out by researchers over almost half a decade. The retrieved bones are among the most intact Neornithischian dinosaur relics recovered from the Southeast Asia region so far, making the discovery truly notable, as per the department’s statement.
This dinosaur discovery established yet another landmark for Thailand, adding to its list of dinosaurs found within its various provinces. They include, Phuwiangosaurus sirindhornae (Khon Kaen), Siamosaurus suteethorni (Khon Kaen), Siamotyrannus isanensis (Khon Kaen), Kinnareemimus khomkaenensis (Khon Kaen), Phuwiangvenator yaemniyomi (Khon Kaen), Psittacosaurus sattayaraki (Chaiyaphum), Isanosaurus attavipachi (Chaiyaphum), Siamodon nimngami (Nakhon Ratchasima), Ratchasimasaurus suranareae (Nakhon Ratchasima), Sirindhorna khoratensis (Nakhon Ratchasima), Siamraptor suwati (Nakhon Ratchasima), Vayuraptor nongbualamphuensis (Nongbua Lamphu), and now, Minimocursor phunoiensis (Kalasin).
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