A rare and fascinating dinosaur fossil has been found in Southern Hemisphere. This chicken-sized, carnivore dinosaur had a mane of fluffy filaments and a pair of stiff, ribbon-like streamers emerging from both shoulders. This is the first dinosaur with feathers ever discovered in the Southern Hemisphere.
This prehistoric predator, named Ubirajara jubatus, lived 110 million years ago and probably used its unusual shoulder feathers and mane for display purposes to attract mates and ward off rivals. Researchers have assumed the dinosaurs from the supercontinent of Gondwana, which covered much of the southern half of the planet were assumed to have had feathers, but this is the first concrete discovery.
This spectacular dinosaur, with shoulders that closely resemble the plumage of a bird of paradise flower, was discovered in the Crato formation in northeastern Brazil. The fossil was found in pristine condition, with even details of muscle fibers and blood vessels available.
