A new dinosaur species named Ubirajara Jubatus last year, meaning “lord of the spear” in Tupi, was discovered by scientists in Brazil in 1995. The chicken-sized dinosaur has two unique and eye-catching pairs of spear-like structures on shoulders which was amazingly first seen in non-avian dinosaur fossils in the Southern Hemisphere.
Ubirajara Jubatus is believed to live about 110 million years ago during the Aptian stage of the Cretaceous period and is closely related to the European Jurassic dinosaur Compsognathus. Scientists estimated that the muscle-controlled spear-like feature was born to dazzle mates or to frighten rivals, and it could erect up to 15 cm long in full extension. The creature also has long thick hairs along its arms, back and long tails for mate attraction.
Scientists said it is surprising for such a small animal to carry extravagant body structures. The discovery of new specimen is helpful to understand how modern birds are evolved from their ancestor dinosaurs as similar spear-like features are only found in birds of paradise and peacocks.
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