In Argentina, paleontologists have made an exciting discovery: the remains of a previously unknown small armored dinosaur, named Jakapil kaniukura. This Cretaceous Period dinosaur walked upright on its back legs and was well-protected with rows of bony armor along its neck, back, and tail. Measuring about 5 feet long, Jakapil kaniukura weighed only 9 to 15 pounds, similar to an average house cat.
This discovery, unearthed near a dam in Patagonia’s La Buitrera paleontological zone, is significant as it marks the first-of-its-kind armored dinosaur from the Cretaceous in South America.