Scientists have identified a new species of tyrannosaur dinosaur and found their face was covered in a scaly protective layer with a high degree of tactile sensitivity, similar to crocodiles.
Researchers, including those from University of New Mexico in the US, identified and named the new species of the tyrannosaur clan: Daspletosaurus horneri - Horners Frightful Lizard.
They analysed the texture of the facial bones of the new species found at the banks of Montana river in the US.
"Being a tyrannosaur, they had really small arms," said Jason R Moore of University of New Mexico.
"They would not be able to interact with their environment with their hands the way mammals do - find food, build nests, tend to eggs and young. In order to do these things, Daspletosaurus needed to use its feet or head," said Moore.
"The discovery and analysis of the tyrannosaur shows that the dinosaur had a developed face sensitivity similar to the sensitivity in our finger tips, suggesting it could use its snout for all those complex ecological interactions, similar to the way crocodiles do today," Moore -READ MORE
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