Paleontologists from the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and the Natural History Museum of Utah recently tag-teamed a dinosaur excavation from Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in southern Utah. The 75-million-year-old specimen represents the first substantially complete skeleton of its kind discovered in the region.
Roughly 8 to 10 feet long in life, the beaked, toothless dinosaur belonged to a group of fast-running theropods known as ornithomimids. Museum scientists believe the remarkably preserved specimen — wrapped in a 5,000-pound plaster jacket for safe transport from the field — could ultimately become the defining example, or holotype, of a dinosaur species new to science.
“This is exactly the kind of fossil paleontologists dream about. A beautifully preserved skeleton with the potential to tell us something genuinely new about dinosaur evolution,” said Lindsay Zanno, the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences’ head of paleontology and a 2026 recipient of the North Carolina Award, the state’s highest civilian honor.
The new specimen will be prepared and studied in the N.C. Museum’s SECU DinoLab in full view of the public and under the direction Zanno and her team, who have built an internationally recognized paleontology research program, most recently making global headlines for research confirming Nanotyrannus as a distinct dinosaur rather than a juvenile T. rex.
“The SECU DinoLab was built around a powerful idea: the public shouldn’t have to wait until the science is finished to be part of discovery,” added N.C. Museum Director Denise Young. “Bringing new specimens like this one into the lab means North Carolinians can continue to watch world-class science unfold right here in Raleigh.” The N.C. Museum is part of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
About the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in downtown Raleigh (11 and 121 W. Jones St.) is an active research institution that engages all visitors in the wonders of science and the natural world. Hours: Tuesday–Sunday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. General admission is free. For more information, visit www.naturalsciences.org. The Museum also supports Prairie Ridge Ecostation, a 45-acre outdoor education and research facility in west Raleigh, as well as a satellite facility in Whiteville.
About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. At more than 100 sites across the state, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.