PA State Museum Fossil Discovery Confirmed as New Dinosaur

HARRISBURG, Pa., May 17, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Scientists have confirmed that researchers working at The State Museum of Pennsylvania in 2004 discovered a new dinosaur dating from the Late Triassic period.

The dinosaur, now known as Daemonosaurus chauliodous, was found in a large mudstone block from New Mexico that contained other fossils. The block was on loan from the Carnegie Museum of Natural History for display in the Harrisburg's museum's "Dino Lab" exhibit, where visitors can view a technician working to uncover dinosaur remains. Fossil preparator Kevin Dermody found the Daemonosaurus skull.

Museum experts quickly recognized the specimen as a new dinosaur and notified the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, which removed it for further review. It was then sent to the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History for additional study. The confirmation findings were published in a scholarly journal in April.

The State Museum of Pennsylvania, located at 300 North Street, is one of 25 historic sites and museums administered by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission as part of the Pennsylvania Trails of History®. It is the commonwealth's official museum, holding 4.5 million objects in its collections. The museum's permanent and temporary exhibits cover 100,000 square feet and feature Pennsylvania's social, industrial and economic history, decorative, fine and industrial arts, archeology, zoology and paleontology.

For more information about the museum, visit www.statemuseumpa.org.

Media contact: Howard Pollman, 717-705-8639

SOURCE Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission

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