Top Dinosaur Stories of 2013

New species, ancient eggs and new revelations about ancient dinosaur feeding habits, including that the mighty T. rex was truly a hunter, were just some of the top dinosaur stories of 2013.

The following, in no particular order, are some of the most interesting dinosaur stories of the year.

Siats Meekerorum: New Carnivorous Dinosaur Species Kept T. Rex in Check

Paleontologists discovered Siats meekerorum, a huge new apex predator dinosaur in North America that lived alongside and likely competed with the Tyranosaurus rex. "Contemporary tyrannosaurs would have been no more than a nuisance to Siats, like jackals at a lion kill. It wasn't until carcharodontosaurs bowed out that the stage could be set for the evolution of T. rex," said one of the scientists involved in the research.

Canadians Unearth Oldest Bone-headed Dinosaur Ever

A newly identified species of bone-headed dinosaur that roamed what is now Alberta, Canada, is being considered the oldest bonehead dinosaur known in North America, and possibly the world. The 85-million-year-old dinosaur had a dense, two-inch layer of bone covering its skull that may have been used in head-butting contests, as well as for shows of display amongst its peers.

King Re-crowned: T.rex was a Hunter, not a Scavenger, Paleontologists Report

Debate over whether Tyrannosaurus Rex was a fierce hunter or opportunistic scavenger may finally be settled after fossil evidence of a T. rex tooth found embedded in a plant-eating dinosaur was uncovered. The T. rex tooth was wedged into the spine of a hardosaurus, but the fossil evidence suggests that the hardodsaur's backbone had grown over the tooth, indicating that the creature healed and likely lived for years after a failed attack.

23 Million-Year-Old Lizard Found Preserved in Amber

Not exactly a dinosaur story, but this one is noteworthy because of its similarity to the seminal dinosaur film "Jurassic Park." This summer researchers announced the discovery of a 23-million-year-old, complete lizard fossil entombed in a piece of amber. The ancient fossil is thought to be of a species of lizard previously unknown to science.

New Dinosaur Species Nasutoceratops 'Completely Blew Us Away,' Researchers Say

A triceratops-like creature with long, fighting-bull horns bigger than any other member within its group of dinosaurs was found in Utah. Its discovery enthralled paleontologists. "This dinosaur just completely blew us away," said one of the researchers on the team that unearthed the creature.

More Refined than T.rex, Allosaurus Ate Like a Bird of Prey

The mighty T. rex likely killed like a crocodile, using its jaws to dismember prey by violently thrashing its massive head side-to-side. But new paleontological research says that the T. rex's smaller cousin, the Allosaurus, was a more refined eater, using its dexterous neck and razor teeth to nimbly "de-flesh" its prey, much like a like modern-day falcon.

70-Million-Year-Old Dinosaur Egg Fossils Discovered In Spain, Linked To New Species In The Region

Researchers discovered hundreds of dinosaur egg fossils in the Coll de Nargó area of northwestern Spain, including the eggs of four dinosaurs previously unknown to the region, which researchers are considering a paleontological breakthrough. The findings support theories which suggest that sauropods used Coll de Nargó as a nesting reigion for millions of years.

What Color Were Dinosaurs? Test Of Ancient Skin Sample Will Reveal Final Answer

One of the few dinosaur skin samples ever found will help scientists determine what color the dinosaurs actually were

New Dinosaur Species the 'King of Gore' a T. Rex Ancestor

Tyranosaurus rex -- Latin for "tyrant lizard king" -- was preceded by an ancestor with an even more menacing name: the King of Gore. The King of Gore roamed Western North America about 80 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous period, at least 10 million years earlier than T. rex. The discovery of Lythronax further solidifies evidence that the tyrannosaurs appeared earlier in dinosaur history than previously believed.