A unique dinosaur skeleton resembling popular children's character Barney has been discovered in Archer County, Texas. Paleontologist Andre LuJan unearthed the Eryops megacephalus, a semiaquatic amphibian that lived over 280 million years ago during the Permian era. While this creature is not considered rare, the nearly complete condition of the skeleton makes this find significant. LuJan plans to display the fossil in the Texas Through Time Fossil Museum, highlighting Texas's rich fossil heritage, which includes numerous dinosaur species and notable sites like Dinosaur Valley State Park.
"This is an exciting discovery," LuJan told Chron. "It's a well-known animal and not considered rare, but this discovery is significant because even though it's damaged, it is nearly complete, and that is far more uncommon or even rare than finding fragments."
What's cool about the dinosaur is that its skull shape suggests that it swallowed up its prey like an alligator or crocodile.
Texas isn't just known for its rich deposit of oil and gas, but as a state lousy with the fossilized bones of ancient monsters - with more than 20 types of dinos found across the state.
Rains had uncovered the top of its ridged skull, said LuJan, who showed off a video of the find on Instagram when he first found it in the ground.
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