Developments in Brief : Dinosaur Bones Unearthed Last Year in Arizona Desert Defy Classification

A dinosaur whose remains were dug out of the Painted Desert’s floor in Arizona last year has yet to be classified because the creature apparently represents a new species, a researcher says.

“Gertie,” named after a dinosaur cartoon character, has characteristics of both plant-eating and carnivorous groups of dinosaurs, said Robert A. Long of UC Berkeley.

“More study and comparisons are going to have to be done,” he said.

The dinosaur’s remains were unearthed last summer at Petrified Forest National Park and, encased in plaster, flown by helicopter to Berkeley for study and classification by Long. Officials said at the time that they expected the bones would be returned to the park to be placed on display by this summer.

Long said he wants to return to the park in 1987 to re-explore the area where Gertie was found. “Perhaps we can find more bones, which will will help fill in some of the puzzle,” he said.