A new species of carnivorous dinosaur was just discovered in Brazil: the Kurupi Itaata, a medium-sized theropod (about five meters long).
It was found near Monte Alto (SP), and the find represents the fourth reptile of the abelisaurid family described for Brazil, distant relatives of the famous Tyranossaurus Rex.
The fossil may represent one of the last Brazilian dinosaurs that lived on these lands before their extinction at the end of the Cretaceous period, 66 million years ago.
The new dino was described by five researchers, and work on the discovery was published in the Journal of South American Earth Sciences.
The genus name, kurupi, pays homage to the Guarani god of sexuality, while the specific epithet "itaata" refers to the type of rock in which the animal was found, which is very hard ("hard rock" in Tupi).
Fabiano Iori, the study's first author, explains that the team referred to the fossil for years as the "motel dino" because it was found near a motel in Monte Alto.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon