US Edition'Teen' pachycephalosaur fossil is oldest and most complete skeleton found to date
The discovery of Zavacephale rinpoche, a juvenile dinosaur about 3 feet long, extends pachycephalosaur history by 14 million years, revealing detailed anatomy including skull and stomach stones.
- Paleontologists published a study on September 17, 2025, unveiling Zavacephale rinpoche, the oldest and most complete juvenile pachycephalosaur fossil, found in Mongolia's Gobi Desert.
- Researchers discovered the fossil protruding from a cliff in the Khuren Dukh locality, using bone growth rings and CT scans to confirm it was a juvenile with a fully developed dome.
- The specimen includes about 54% of the skeleton, featuring a near-complete skull, limb bones, vertebrae, hips, stomach stones, and a full tail with tendons.
- Lead paleontologist Tsogtbaatar Chinzorig said Zavacephale predates other species by 15 million years and provides key insight into dome development and growth; Lindsay Zanno called it a "once-in-a-lifetime discovery."
- This discovery pushes back the pachycephalosaur fossil record by about 15 million years and offers new understanding of their evolution, growth patterns, and possible socio-sexual behaviors involving domes.
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23 Articles
NBC Dallas-Fort Worth
UpstractOldest and most complete fossil of a dome-headed dinosaur is found in Mongolia
Scientists have unearthed in Mongolia the oldest and most complete fossil of a pachycephalosaur, a group of dinosaurs known for dome-shaped skulls.
‘Shockingly’ Well-Preserved Skull Changes Everything We Know About Dome-Headed Dinosaurs
In Mongolia’s Gobi Desert, scientists discovered a pristine fossil of a previously unknown, dome-headed dinosaur. It’s not only the oldest of its kind ever found but also the most complete. Zavacephale rinpoche is, was, a three-foot-long, 13-pound prehistoric brawler with a skull that could double as a battering ram. Discovered by paleontologist Tsogtbaatar Chinzorig and his team in the Khuren Dukh Formation, Zavacephale was published in Nature …
A team of paleontologists has discovered in the Gobi Desert in Mongolia, the oldest and most complete skeleton of a pacchicephalosauri found to date. The remains of this young specimen will help clarify some unknowns about these dinosaurs.
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