WDC DML 001 facts for kids

WDC DML 001 is the official name for a nearly complete fossil of a dinosaur called a troodontid. This amazing fossil was found in Wyoming, a state in western North America. It came from rocks that are part of the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation, which means it's very old! The people who found it made sure to carefully record everything about the discovery site.

This special fossil, WDC DML 001, doesn't have an official scientific name yet. But it has a cool nickname: "Lori." Scientists from the Wyoming Dinosaur Center, a natural history museum in Wyoming, are studying Lori. They will soon share all their findings about this incredible dinosaur.

Why Lori is So Important

Lori is a very significant dinosaur fossil. It is the oldest troodontid ever found! Before Lori was discovered, scientists thought that troodontids first appeared and evolved in Asia. They believed these dinosaurs then traveled to North America.

Most troodontid fossils have been found in Asia. The oldest ones known before Lori were also from Asia and lived during the Lower Cretaceous period. Lori's discovery in North America, from an even older time (the Jurassic period), changes what we thought we knew about where these dinosaurs came from. It suggests that troodontids might have lived in North America much earlier than expected.

What We Know About Lori

In 2005, scientists shared some early information about Lori in a science paper called the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. They did a special study called a phylogenetic analysis. This type of study helps scientists figure out how different animals are related to each other. Their analysis showed that Lori is a close relative of another dinosaur called Sinornithoides.