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New Tyrannosaur Species Shifts T-Rex Origins to Asia

10/26/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Researchers have identified a new tyrannosaur species, Khankhuuluu mongoliensis, from fossils found in the Gobi Desert, Mongolia, more than 50 years ago.
The four-meter-long, 750-kilogram predator is the closest known relative of the T-Rex.
The discovery reshapes the tyrannosaur family tree, suggesting the T-Rex’s roots lie in Asia rather than North America.
Khankhuuluu likely migrated to North America via a Siberia–Alaska land bridge, underscoring ancient geography and intercontinental exchange.

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Story summary

Researchers have identified a new tyrannosaur species, Khankhuuluu mongoliensis, from fossils found in the Gobi Desert, Mongolia, more than 50 years ago.
The four-meter-long, 750-kilogram predator is the closest known relative of the T-Rex.
The discovery reshapes the tyrannosaur family tree, suggesting the T-Rex’s roots lie in Asia rather than North America.
Khankhuuluu likely migrated to North America via a Siberia–Alaska land bridge, underscoring ancient geography and intercontinental exchange.