HISTORY, ARCHEOLOGY, AND EVOLUTION
Lokiceratops: Unveiling the Norse-Inspired Dinosaur of Montana’s Badlands
Paleontologist recentky discovered a fossilized remains of a remarkable creatures. The badlands of Montana once swampy floodplains bordered the seaway within the western north America now holds the ancient remains of this dinosaur which lived approximately 78 million years ago.
The creature bore a remarkable set of horns reminiscent of the helmet worn by the Norse trickster god, Loki. That is why, scientists accordingly named it Lokiceratops– a fusion of “Loki” and “ceratops,” which means “horned face.”
The two bladelike horns of the Lokiceratops jut forward and out from between its eyes, giving it a striking look. They resembled those of modern-day caribou or reindeer exhibiting different length. But but what sets this newly found extinct creature apart is the complex structure of its ornamentation along the edge of its bony neck that frill at the back of its head. This arrangement sets this dinosaur apart from the others that coexisted at the time. Scientists believe that these ostentatious features served as bony ornaments to attract mates, just like peacocks displaying their vibrant plumage. They may have also used them to intimidate rivals of their species. The diversity of such features in Lokiceratops…
