Incredibly Well-Preserved Dinosaur Fossil Classified as New Species

110-million-year-old fossil named after technician who spent six years chipping it out of rock.

August 6, 2017 5:00 am
Photographs of the Holotype of Borealopelta markmitchelli (Brown, et al)
Photographs of the Holotype of Borealopelta markmitchelli (Brown, et al)

One best-preserved dinosaur fossils ever found has been given a name, Borealopelta markmitchelli. Scientists classified the perserved reptile as a new species in a study published Friday.

First discovered in an oil sands mine in 2011, Borealopelta was put on display in May at the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Alberta, Canada.

Borealopelta markmitchelli was named after the man that carefully extricated the fossil for researchers to study it. Mark Mitchell, technician at the Royal Tyrrell Museum’s preparation lab, spent more then 7,000 hours chipping away surrounding rock over six years, National Geographic reports. Borealopelta’s skull alone took eight months to clean up.

Photographs of the Holotype of Borealopelta markmitchelli (Brown, et al)

The nodosaur, the name for an armor-plated herbivore, once roamed what is now Alberta, Canada 110 million years ago. When Borealopelta died, it landed on its back in mud, which preserved much of its body with impeccable detail, allowing scientists to identify it.

But, it was Mitchell’s paintstaking commitment that gave the dino its new name. If it weren’t for his meticulously extrication, Caleb Brown, the study’s lead author, says he wouldn’t probably would’ve never been able to classify the new species, according to National Geographic.

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