New study says Rockford’s Jane is a new species, not a juvenile T-rex
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — A new study published in the science journal “Nature” says that Rockford’s famed dinosaur fossil is not a juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex as long believed. Instead, it’s been identified as a new species called Nanotyrannus lethaeus.
Jane, which resembles a smaller version of the T. rex, has been on display at Burpee Museum of Natural History, 737 N. Main St., for nearly two dozen years.
It has been the subject of debate among paleontologists as to whether the Late Cretaceous predator was a young version of Tyrannosaurus or its own distinct dinosaur. The fossil was discovered by Burpee’s paleontology team in Montana’s Hell Creek formation and brought to Rockford 23 years ago.
“We’ve always known Jane was special,” Anne Weerda, Burpee’s executive director, said in a news release. “Now the world knows just how unique she may be. Whether Jane represents the best-preserved juvenile T. rex or the only known specimen of a brand-new species, she is truly one of a kind — and she calls Rockford home.”
The research was led by Dr. Lindsay Zanno of North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and Dr. James Napoli of Stony Brook University. Their team examined hundreds of tyrannosaur fossils, analyzing skeletal samples, spinal fusion data, growth patterns, developmental anatomy, and other factors to make the case that Jane is its own species.
According to their research, Nanotyrannus lethaeus was a fast, agile predator distinct from T. rex with longer legs and stronger arms. While T. rex was a massive 40-foot predator, Nanotyrannus stretched about 18 feet and relied on agility.
The name lethaeus is inspired by the river Lethe of Greek mythology. It’s intended to be a poetic nod to how the dinosaur’s true identity was forgotten before being rediscovered.
Researchers are studying additional tyrannosaur specimens, including the famed “Dueling Dinosaurs” at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, to learn how the two predators may have interacted 66 million years ago.
“That is how science works. Conclusions are based on the evidence at hand, knowing that future evidence could lead to a change,” Burpee museum said in a news release. “Most of the researchers on the ‘side’ of juvenile T. rex were not of the mind that Nanotyrannus would never be valid, it was that the evidence that they currently had supported the juvenile hypothesis better than Nanotyrannus. The dueling dinosaur tyrannosaur clearly shows that at least one other large-bodied predator, maybe more, inhabited Hell Creek ecosystems 66 million years ago.”
Burpee continues to be the permanent home for Jane, and the museum says special programming is on the horizon to capture this scientific development.
“Jane is an extraordinary specimen — not just scientifically, but as a point of pride for Rockford,” Joshua Mathews, head of paleontology at the Burpee Museum of Natural History, said in a news release. “She was discovered, excavated, and prepared by the people of this community, and she continues to shape our understanding of the Cretaceous world.
“It’s incredible that a fossil found and prepared through Burpee’s research program has remained at the center of one of paleontology’s most exciting debates for over 25 years. With this new discovery, Jane’s importance will continue for decades to come as scientists work to piece together the complex story of the last great age of dinosaurs.”
Mathews said that the latest study could make Jane’s discovery even more special for Rockford.
“If Jane is truly Nanotyrannus lethaeus, she’s the only one of her kind ever found, that makes her scientifically priceless — a once-in-a-lifetime discovery.”
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas
