Researchers in Argentina have discovered an amazing discovery: a new species of dinosaur, a giant predator with small arms similar to those famous for the Tyrannosaurus rex. A very complete dinosaur fossil was found in the northern region of Patagonia, with paleontologists estimating that it weighed more than four tons and stretched 11 meters from nose to tail, according to a study published Thursday in the journal Current Biology. The hitherto unknown species has been named Gera Meraxes, in honor of one of George RR Martin’s dragons in the Song of Ice and Fire series. Meraxes lived 90 million years ago during the Cretaceous period and “had no direct relationship” with T. rex, which began walking the planet 20 million years later. Like T. rex, scientists are baffled as to the purpose of Meraxes’ arms, as huge carnivores probably used their fat heads to kill their prey. But his almost complete forelimb was strangely muscular, according to Juan Canale, the lead author of the paper. On Gizmodo, he joked, “The function of these tiny arms is very, very difficult to know. We need a time machine.”
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