The 鈥渃entrepiece鈥� of a new Canadian prehistoric exhibit is the 鈥渂est preserved armoured dinosaur ever found,鈥� according to the Alberta museum that has put the fossil on display.
The 鈥淣ew Grounds for Discovery鈥� exhibit at the Royal Tyrrell Museum is showcasing fossils that have been found through excavation and other industrial work.
The main attraction is a fossil from a new species of armoured dinosaur (known as nodosaur) discovered at the Suncor Millenium Mine near Fort McMurray in 2011, the museum said in a about the exhibit.
At approximately 112 million years old, it is the oldest known dinosaur ever found in Alberta.
According to the museum, the fossil was found by a Suncor employee who 鈥渟potted something unusual鈥� while excavating the mine.
鈥淟ittle did he know that this would turn out to be one of the most significant dinosaur discoveries in the world.鈥�
Scientists found that a significant amount of the dinosaur fossil鈥檚 skin and its 鈥渁rmour, complete from the snout to hips鈥� was intact.
The museum said it is so well-preserved that most of the skeleton is 鈥渃overed up鈥� due to the significant amount of fossilized skin.
Officials say it took more than 7,000 hours to prepare the fossil for research and display.
