Introducing Dinevenator robustus, a Newly Described Dinosaur Species
On August 10 at 10:30, paleontologists announced a newly identified genus and species of bird-like troodontid dinosaur, Dinevenator robustus. It lived in what is now New Mexico around 73 million years ago. The specimen, catalogued as SMP VP-1955, was excavated in the summer of 2005 from the De-na-zin Member of the Kirtland Formation in the San Juan Basin. Scientists estimate that this dinosaur weighed between 70 and 140 kilograms and stretched about 2.4 to 3 meters in length. Troodontids were bird-like theropods, and this discovery helps fill in their North American record.
Only a nearly complete left frontal skull bone has been attributed to Dinevenator robustus. Originally, in 2006, researchers classified that fossil as a new species of the dromaeosaurid Saurornitholestes; by 2014, though, it was shifted to the Troodontidae family. A study planned for 2026 had proposed grouping the species with the Mexican genus Xenovenator, but Dr. Steven Jasinski and Robert Sullivan instead recognized it as a separate genus.
Phylogenetic Findings and Why They Matter
A phylogenetic analysis aligns Dinevenator robustus with other large-bodied troodontids that had thick skulls, including Xenovenator espinosai and Albertavenator curriei. The same upcoming investigation regards the new species as the earliest-diverging member of that robust-skulled lineage.
'This new work illustrates how dynamic dinosaur research can be, since we are continually reexamining what we think we know.'
Anthony Fiorillo
Steven Jasinski echoed that sentiment: 'It truly gives us a sharper view of how diverse this dinosaur family was during the Late Cretaceous in North America, and it adds to our understanding of the dinosaurs that once roamed New Mexico.'
In a separate Canadian discovery, the new hadrosaur genus and species Plesiolophus warnerensis was identified from a fossilized skull roof and braincase. This 77-million-year-old duck-billed dinosaur specimen was found by Wendy Sloboda near Milk River Ridge Reservoir, not far from Warner in southern Alberta.
The naming of Dinevenator robustus highlights the fast-moving nature of paleontology and our deepening knowledge of prehistoric biodiversity. New Mexico stands out as a vital locality for Late Cretaceous North American dinosaur research, and continued fieldwork will likely bring more discoveries that refine our picture of these animals' evolution and ecology.
As paleontologists continue to unveil new species, the discovery of a new sauropod dinosaur in Thailand highlights the ongoing efforts to understand the diversity of these ancient creatures. This recent find not only broadens our knowledge of dinosaur evolution but also emphasizes the rich fossil record emerging from various parts of the world.