New Mexico paleontologist uncovers new dinosaur species

A new species of dinosaur has been discovered in New Mexico.

Sebastian Dalman, 44, a paleontologist at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, uncovered the bones of the extinct animal while re-examining fossilized fragments already in the museum's collection.

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The fragments, initially thought to be from a torosaurus, a relative of the triceratops, had been the collection since 1997.

However, after seeing the pieces in 2015, Dalman questioned that the label had been matched incorrectly to the animal bones. He later participated in two field digs at the site of where the bones were originally uncovered, soon discovering additional pieces of the animal.

"I put them all together, and based on what we now have, I identified it as a new genus and a new species," Dalman told the Albuquerque Journal.

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The newly discovered, plant-eating dinosaur is believed to have roamed the Earth 65 million to 66 million years ago, towards the end of the Cretaceous period.

Dalman is scheduled to formally announce his findings at a conference in April, where he will also name the new dinosaur species.