<p><img src="https://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5fda19c11803a80018adfbc3-1024/1024px-U._jubatus_Reconstruction.jpg" border="0" alt="Ubirajara jubatus" data-mce-source="Luxquine/Wikimedia Commons" data-mce-caption="A sketch of the Ubirajara jubatus."></p><p></p><bi-shortcode id="summary-shortcode" data-type="summary-shortcode" class="mceNonEditable" contenteditable="false">Summary List Placement</bi-shortcode><p>Paleontologists have been astonished at discovering a new dinosaur species with a long mane of hair down its back and stiff ribbon-like structures projecting from its shoulders.</p><p>The dinosaur, named <em>Ubijara jubatus</em>, is believed to have lived around 110 million years ago in northeastern Brazil.</p><p>Its fossils were discovered by a team at the State Museum of Natural History in Karlsruhe, Germany, examining slabs of limestone collected from Brazil. Their findings were published this week in the scientific journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195667120303736'via%3Dihub">Cretaceous Research.</a></p><p>The researchers found that the dinosaur had two feet and measured at about 50 cm (19 inches) in length, which is roughly the size of a chicken. While it is impossible to know from the fossil, the Ubirajara may have also been colorful, researchers say.</p><p>But it is its other features that made it stand out.</p><p>According to the study, the dinosaur also possessed two ribbon-like structures that protruded from each shoulder. The 15-centimeter long projections were most likely made from keratin, the same substance that makes up hair and fingernails.</p><p>"The ribbons that seem to come from the shoulders are like nothing I have seen in nature before," said David Martill, a paleobiology professor at the University of Portsmouth in England who helped publish the study, <a href="https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-science-dinosaur/a-dinosaur-with-hair-and-ribbons-has-scientists-enthralled-idUKKBN28P2UL">according to Reuters.</a></p><p>The researchers suspect the ribbon-like structures were possibly used to attract potential mates or to intimidate foes.</p><p>The remains also showed a well-preserved thick mane of fur running down the dinosaur's back, measuring 11 centimeters (4 inches) in length.</p><p>Although it might have looked like hair, the researchers believe it could have been a rudimentary form of feathers, called protofeathers.</p><p>"Likely from a distance, it looked hairy rather than feathery," Martill said, according to Reuters. "Likely, it had hair-like protofeathers over much of its body but they are only preserved along its neck, back and arms. The ones on its back are very long and give it a sort of mane that is unique for dinosaurs."</p><p>Birds evolved from small feathered dinosaurs called theropods who lived in the Jurassic period (about 165-150 million years ago)</p><p>"There are plenty of other strange dinosaurs, but this one is unlike any of them," Martill added. </p><p>Read more:</p><ul class="read-more-links"><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jurassic-park-movies-dinosaur-accuracy-2019-11" data-read-more-link="" data-e2e-name="read-more-link">The 'Jurassic Park' franchise got many dinosaurs wrong. The venomous Dilophosaurus was 20 feet long and poison-free.</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/engagement-photo-ideas-funny-dinosaur-costumes-2020-11">A couple took engagement photos in giant inflatable dinosaur costumes, and the pictures will make your day</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/baby-t-rex-dinosaurs-fuzzy-small-2019-3">Baby T. rexes were covered in peach fuzz and the size of small turkeyshere's what they looked like</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-paleontologists-got-wrong-about-tyrannosaurus-rex-2019-3">The real T. rex looked nothing like the monster in 'Jurassic Park.' These 13 discoveries have upended our picture of the 'king of the dinosaurs.'</a><br><section></section></li></ul><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/discovery-of-a-hairy-chicken-sized-dinosaur-amazes-paleontologists-2020-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story »</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/navy-usns-comfort-hospital-ship-new-york-coronavirus-covid-19-2020-3">How the Navy's largest hospital ship can help with the coronavirus</a></p>
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