Scientists who discovered a green dinosaur skeleton in Canada are asking the public to help name it.
This autumn, the first ever green dinosaur skeleton will be put on public display.
The odd green bones were excavated from a 150-million-year-old riverbed in Ontario, Canada. Since then, the dinosaur has been affectionately known as ‘Gnatalie’, after the little biting gnats that pestered the scientists during the dig.
But with its unveiling at the NHM Commons museum in Los Angeles fast approaching, the green dinosaur needs a name – and the Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County (NHMLAC) are asking for your help.
What would you call the green dinosaur?
The fossil will be renamed via an online public poll. All you have to do is select one from five names chosen by NHMLAC staff.
The online voting page is now open and runs from 13–20 June.
Gnatalie
A nod to the quarry where the bones of the dinosaur were found and the pesky gnats that were present and nipped at our scientists, students, and community members who participated in the excavation.
Sage
It’s green and an iconic L.A. native plant that is also grown in NHM’s Nature Gardens.
Verdi
A derivative of the Latin word for green with many variations that represent multiple languages and cultures.
Esme
Short for Esmerelda, which is Spanish for Emerald and means esteemed and loved in French and Persian cultures.
Olive
Olives are green, and the olive tree symbolises peace, joy, and strength in many cultures
Why are the bones green?
The long-necked dinosaur’s unusual bone colouration is caused by a green mineral known as celadonite, which was present during the fossilisation process.
More dinosaur discoveries:
- Giant prehistoric sea lizard with dagger-like teeth discovered in Morocco
- Megalodon: the super-shark that could swallow killer whales whole but didn’t like the cold
- Giant pre-historic worms discovered in Greenland