This Dinosaur Fossil Has Skin Intact – Here’s Why it’s Significant

Fossilized dinosaur bones are still a somewhat common find, mainly because of how long dinosaurs roamed the Earth. What’s far more unheard of, however, is fossilized dinosaur skin.
In 2011, archaeologists unearthed a near-complete Borealopelta markmitchelli, a type of four-legged ankylosaur fossil. The fossil preserved some of its spikes, armor, stomach contents and most importantly, the skin on its face. Now, multiple studies have examined the fossil, revealing new details about the dinosaur that once roamed our planet.
Perhaps most importantly, a final study on the fossil revealed that the ankylosaur engaged in what’s known as countershading. It’s a form of camouflage that’s seen in many animals today, such as gazelles. The idea that a big creature like an ankylosaur had to engage in camouflage indicates just how hostile the world around it was.